Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 1994

Tornado Warning 4, NWS Topeka, KS

July 1, 1994Ottawa County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this tornado warning at Jul 1, 1994, 8:56 PM CDT for Ottawa County, Kansas. It was in force for 34 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 1, 1994, 8:56 PM CDT (01:56 UTC)
Expired
Jul 1, 1994, 9:30 PM CDT
In force
34 min
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS
Area
Whole counties

County Ottawa County, KS

The nearest sounding before it

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 00:00Z, 1.9 hours before the alert went out and 174 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Topeka, KS at 00:00Z on 1994-07-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 4374 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Topeka, KS at 00:00Z on 1994-07-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -18 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
4374 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-3 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1521 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
34 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-18 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
86 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.1
Supercell composite
11.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KCNK 020155
TORCNK
KSC143-020230-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
856 PM CDT FRI JUL 1 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CONCORDIA HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  930 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS
 
   ...OTTAWA COUNTY
 
AT 855 PM A TORNADO WAS ON THE GROUND 1 MILE NORTH OF DELPHOS MOVING
SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE TO THE NORTHEAST OF MINNEAPOLIS
THROUGH 910 PM CDT. BENNINGTON IS IN THE PATH OF THE STORM.
 
THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS STORM.  ACT QUICKLY.  IF YOU ARE IN THE
PATH OF THIS TORNADO MOVE TO A SHELTER BELOW GROUND IF AVAILABLE.
OTHERWISE... GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR *ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR
POSSIBLE.  AVOID WINDOWS.  ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES FOR A
STURDIER BUILDING OR GET INTO A DITCH OR CULVERT.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 1, 7:50 PM CDT, 1 hour 6 minutes before
KSZ006>009-018>021-034-035-020115-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
750 PM CDT FRI JUL 1 1994

TORNADO WATCHES #534 AND #536 COVER ALL OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS UNTIL
MIDNIGHT CDT.

AT 750 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHERN
NEBRASKA MOVING SOUTHEAST TOWARDS THE NORTHERN COUNTIES OF NORTH
CENTRAL KANSAS...INCLUDING JEWELL...REPUBLIC AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES.
THESE STORMS HAVE HAD A HISTORY OF STRONG DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE
HAIL AND TORRENTIAL RAINFALL.

PERSONS ACROSS ALL OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS SHOULD STAY TUNED FOR
THE LATEST INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY WAY
OF NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR LOCAL NEWS MEDIA.  BE PREPARED TO TAKE
ACTION IMMEDIATELY SHOULD THREATENING WEATHER APPROACH.

NOLES
Special weather statement, Jul 1, 8:26 PM CDT, 30 minutes before
KSZ010>012-022>026-036>040-054>056-058-059-020230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
825 PM CDT FRI JUL 1 1994

...STRONG WIND WERE MOVING THROUGH MARSHALL COUNTY...

AT 815 PM...A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOTTER REPORTED 45 TO 50 MILE
AN HOUR WINDS ABOUT 10 MILES NORTH OF MARYSVILLE.

AT 815 PM...DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 10 MILES NORTH
OF MARYSVILLE.

THE STORM WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR.

WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING...PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A
STRONG BUILDING. DO NOT STAND BY WINDOWS. DO NOT USE TELEPHONES OR
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY UNTIL THE STORM HAS
PASSED. MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE INTO LOW WA TER CROSSINGS.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING CONTINUES FOR MARSHALL COUNTY UNTIL 9 PM.

WALAWENDER
Special weather statement, Jul 1, 8:35 PM CDT, 21 minutes before
KSZ006>009-018>021-034-035-020200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
835 PM CDT FRI JUL 1 1994

...INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS ARE APPROACHING THE WESTERN PORTION OF SMITH
   COUNTY...

AT 835 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS JUST EAST OF
PHILLIPSBURG MOVING EAST AROUND 35 MPH.  THESE STORMS WILL BE INTO THE
WESTERN PORTION OF SMITH COUNTY BY 850 PM CDT.  TORRENTIAL RAINFALL
AND STRONG WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.

PERSONS ACROSS SMITH AND OSBORNE COUNTIES SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE
SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.

NOES

WWUS35KSUX.c
Special weather statement, Jul 1, 8:35 PM CDT, 21 minutes before
KSZ006>009-018>021-034-035-020200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
835 PM CDT FRI JUL 1 1994

...INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS ARE APPROACHING THE WESTERN PORTION OF SMITH
   COUNTY...

AT 835 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS JUST EAST OF
PHILLIPSBURG MOVING EAST AROUND 35 MPH.  THESE STORMS WILL BE INTO THE
WESTERN PORTION OF SMITH COUNTY BY 850 PM CDT.  TORRENTIAL RAINFALL
AND STRONG WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.

PERSONS ACROSS SMITH AND OSBORNE COUNTIES SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE
SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.

NOES

WWUS35KSUX.c
Special weather statement, Jul 1, 8:53 PM CDT, 3 minutes before
KSZ006>009-018>021-034-035-020300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
853 PM CDT FRI JUL 1 1994

...INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE MOVING SOUTH ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS...

AT 850 PM CDT RADAR COMTINUED TO SHOW A LINE OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS TO THE
NORTH OF A LINE FROM 25 MILES EAST OF CONCORDIA TO 25 MILES WEST OF CONCORDIA
MOVING TO THE SOUTH AT 30 MPH.  WINDS OF 50 TO 55 MPH AND HAIL CAN BE EXPECTED
FROM THESE STORMS.

PERSONS ON THE AFFECTED AREAS SHOULD TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.

PACKETT
Special weather statement, Jul 1, 8:54 PM CDT, 2 minutes before
KSZ006>009-018>021-034-035-020300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
853 PM CDT FRI JUL 1 1994

...INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE MOVING SOUTH ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS...

AT 850 PM CDT RADAR COMTINUED TO SHOW A LINE OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS TO THE
NORTH OF A LINE FROM 25 MILES EAST OF CONCORDIA TO 25 MILES WEST OF CONCORDIA
MOVING TO THE SOUTH AT 30 MPH.  WINDS OF 50 TO 55 MPH AND HAIL CAN BE EXPECTED
FROM THESE S(TORMS.

PERSONS ON THE AFFECTED AREAS SHOULD TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.

PACKETT

The office that day

Everything else NWS Topeka, KS issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 1, 7:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPJewell, Republic54 min
Jul 1, 7:58 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPMarshall62 min
Jul 1, 8:06 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPWashington54 min
Jul 1, 8:18 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPRepublic, Washington27 min
Jul 1, 8:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPCloud48 min
Jul 1, 8:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPNemaha61 min
Jul 1, 8:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPBrown55 min
Jul 1, 8:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPClay, Washington38 min
Jul 1, 8:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPOsborne48 min
Jul 1, 8:58 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPMarshall, Pottawatomie, Riley62 min
Jul 1, 9:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPClay54 min
Jul 1, 9:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPSmith34 min
Jul 1, 9:17 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPPottawatomie, Riley58 min
Jul 1, 9:26 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPBrown, Jackson, Nemaha64 min
Jul 1, 9:26 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPAtchison64 min
Jul 1, 9:28 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPMitchell47 min
Jul 1, 9:34 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPDickinson41 min
Jul 1, 9:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPGeary, Wabaunsee68 min
Jul 1, 9:41 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPMitchell, Osborne49 min
Jul 1, 9:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPShawnee62 min
Jul 1, 9:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPMorris67 min
Jul 1, 9:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPClay33 min
Jul 1, 9:58 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPJefferson62 min
Jul 1, 10:02 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPCloud43 min
Jul 1, 10:02 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPLyon, Osage58 min
Jul 1, 10:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPAtchison64 min
Jul 1, 10:28 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPDouglas62 min
Jul 1, 10:38 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPCoffey, Franklin67 min
Jul 1, 11:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPAnderson57 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Kansas, 1994Every tornado warning in 1994Tornadoes in 1994

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.