Alert archive / Kansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1995

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 2, NWS Topeka, KS

March 19, 1995Riley County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 19, 1995, 7:44 PM CST for Riley County, Kansas. It was in force for 31 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Mar 19, 1995, 7:44 PM CST (01:44 UTC)
Expired
Mar 19, 1995, 8:15 PM CST
In force
31 min
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS
Area
Whole counties

County Riley County, KS

The nearest sounding before it

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 00:00Z, 1.7 hours before the alert went out and 100 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 1995-03-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 78 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Topeka, KS at 00:00Z on 1995-03-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 171 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
78 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-174 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2530 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
32 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
171 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
289 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WUUS1 KTOP 200144 RRA
SVRTOP
KSC161-200215-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
744 PM CST SUN MAR 19 1995
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TOPEKA HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  815 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTHEAST KANSAS
 
   ...NORTHERN RILEY COUNTY
 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN TOPEKA AT 740PM INDICATED A
THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING VERY LARGE HAIL ABOUT 12 MILES NORTHEAST OF CLAY
CENTER IN NORTHERN RILEY COUNTY.
 
THIS STORM HAS HAD A HISTORY OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AS IT MOVES EAST AT
30 MILES AN HOUR.  THIS MOVEMENT WILL TAKE THE STORM NEAR RANDOLPH BY
800PM.
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM.  IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH YOU SHOULD
PREPARE FOR DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH...LARGE HAIL...AND
DEADLY LIGHTNING.  PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER...
PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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, Mar 19, 3:45 PM CST, 3 hours 59 minutes before
KSZ008>012-020>024-026-034>040-054>056-058-059-250000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS

***********************************************************************

...ATTENTION:  ALL MEDIA, RADIO/TV BROADCASTERS, PROGRAM DIRECTORS AND
                    NEWS/WEATHER REPORTERS...

USE OF THIS PRODUCT, "SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT" ( TOPSPSTOP ) WILL BE
LIMITED TO ONLY LONGER TERM WEATHER EVENTS.  THE PRODUCT WILL BE USED
FOR THE...KANSAS STATE SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK...HAZARDOUS WEATHER
OUTLOOK...AND TO CLEAR PARTS OF A SEVERE WEATHER WATCH.  THE PRODUCT
WILL CONTINUE TO BE USED FOR WINTER WEATHER INFORMATION.

THE PRODUCT..."SHORT TERM FORECAST" ( TOPNOWTOP ) WILL BECOME THE MAIN
VEHICLE TO KEEP THE PUBLIC AND YOU...THE MEDIA...INFORMED ABOUT STORM
DEVELOPMENT...MOVEMENT...AND INTENSITIES.

IF YOU ARE NOT CURRENTLY RECEIVING SHORT TERM FORECASTS...IMMEDIATELY
CONTACT YOUR WEATHER VENDOR AND REQUEST THE SHORT TERM FORECAST BE
ADDED TO YOUR PRODUCT LIST.

IN ADDITION...SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENTS ( TOPSVSTOP ) WILL BE ISSUED
WHEN SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OR TORNADO WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT.  THESE
PRODUCTS WILL CONTAIN WEATHER INFORMATION IN AN EXISTING WARNING AREA
OR RECENT REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER.

THIS MESSAGE WILL BE REPEATED PERIODICALLY DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS.

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS CONCERNING THIS CHANGE SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN TOPEKA.

***********************************************************************
Special weather statement, Mar 19, 3:49 PM CST, 3 hours 55 minutes before
KSZ008>012-020>024-026-034>040-054>056-058>059-200000-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
349 PM CST SUN MAR 19 1995

THIS OUTLOOK PERTAINS TO THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES:

ANDERSON     DICKINSON    JEFFERSON     OSAGE           SHAWNEE
BROWN        DOUGLAS      LYON          OTTAWA          WABAUNSEE
CLAY         FRANKLIN     MARSHALL      POTTAWATOMIE    WASHINGTON
CLOUD        GEARY        MORRIS        REPUBLIC
COFFEY       JACKSON      NEMAHA        RILEY

SYNOPSIS: A COLD FRONT WILL STILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT...
ACCOMPANIED BY A STRONG UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM. THE AIRMASS
IS SOMEWHAT UNSTABLE...SO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL A STRONG
POSSIBILITY. BUT NOW IT APPEARS THAT THE MAIN THREAT FOR ANY SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE AFTER 8 PM TONIGHT.

THE MOST LIKELY AREA FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT IS EAST OF A
LINE FROM MARYSVILLE TO ABILENE...INCLUDING THE CITIES OF HIAWATHA...
MANHATTAN...TOPEKA...LAWRENCE...OTTAWA AND EMPORIA.

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED IN THESE AREAS EARLY TONIGHT AFTER 8 PM.

BARLOW
Special weather statement, Mar 19, 3:50 PM CST, 3 hours 54 minutes before
KSZ008>012-020>024-026-034>040-054>056-058>059-200000-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
349 PM CST SUN MAR 19 1995

THIS OUTLOOK PERTAINS TO THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES:

ANDERSON     DICKINSON    JEFFERSON     OSAGE           SHAWNEE
BROWN        DOUGLAS      LYON          OTTAWA          WABAUNSEE
CLAY         FRANKLIN     MARSHALL      POTTAWATOMIE    WASHINGTON
CLOUD        GEARY        MORRIS        REPUBLIC
COFFEY       JACKSON      NEMAHA        RILEY

SYNOPSIS: A COLD FRONT WILL STILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT...
ACCOMPANIED BY A STRONG UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM. THE AIRMASS
IS SOMEWHAT UNSTABLE...SO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL A STRONG
POSSIBILITY. BUT NOW IT APPEARS THAT THE MAIN THREAT FOR ANY SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE AFTER 8 PM TONIGHT.

THE MOST LIKELY AREA FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT IS EAST OF A
LINE FROM MARYSVILLE TO ABILENE...INCLUDING THE CITIES OF HIAWATHA...
MANHATTAN...TOPEKA...LAWRENCE...OTTAWA AND EMPORIA.

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED IN THESE AREAS EARLY TONIGHT AFTER 8 PM.

BARLOW

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 19, 7:30 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPClay30 min
Mar 19, 7:57 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPMarshall, Pottawatomie48 min
Mar 19, 8:32 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPJackson, Nemaha, Pottawatomie43 min
Mar 19, 8:51 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPBrown54 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Kansas, 1995Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1995

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.