Alert archive / Kansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1996

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 39, NWS Goodland, KS

May 22, 1996Decatur County, Kansas

NWS Goodland, KS issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 22, 1996, 11:54 PM CDT for Decatur County, Kansas. It was in force for 51 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
May 22, 1996, 11:54 PM CDT (04:54 UTC)
Expired
May 23, 1996, 12:45 AM CDT
In force
51 min
Issued by
NWS Goodland, KS
Area
Whole counties

County Decatur County, KS

The radar

The Goodland radar (KGLD), 116 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 04:56 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 22, 11:55 PM CDTHail 1Jennings, KS

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in.

The nearest sounding before it

N. Platte/Lee Bi, NE (KLBF), launched 00:00Z, 4.9 hours before the alert went out and 150 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, N. Platte/Lee Bi, NE at 00:00Z on 1996-05-23Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1020 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, N. Platte/Lee Bi, NE at 00:00Z on 1996-05-23The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 205 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
1020 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-61 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
870 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
54 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
205 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
306 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.6
Supercell composite
7.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

The text of this product is not in the archive. The NWS text archive before 2002 is incomplete.

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.

NWS Goodland, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 22, 2:46 PM CDT, 9 hours 8 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 22, 2:46 PM CDT, 9 hours 8 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
142 PM MDT (242 PM CDT) WED MAY 22 1996

...FORECAST CHALLENGES WILL BE TEMPS/LOCATION OF PCPN...

...SENT THIS OUT EARLY...EXPECTING BUSY PERIOD SOMEWHERE/TIME SOON...
HAVE NO TROUBLES WITH MODELS INTERPRETATION OF WX PATRN AT SYNOPTIC
SCALE THRU 4TH. AGAIN...HI PLAINS WIL HAVE A COMPLEX PCPN PATRN OF
NOCTURNAL SHRWS/TRWS AS S/W ENERGY WHIPS ARD BASE OF UPR LO THRU
4TH PD. A SERIES OF SFC LOWS SHUD DRAG ACRS A FRONTAL BNDRY THAT
SLOLY SAGS COOLER AIR FROM WYO OVER THE CWA AS TIME PROGRESSES.
PROBLEM HERE WIL BE TO IDENTIFY WHICH S/W PASSAGE ALOFT WIL FINALLY
DRAG COOLER SFC AIR INTO AREA. IT APPRS OUTSIDE THIS FCST FOR
NOW...BASED ON H85 TEMP FCSTS OF THE ETA. BUT AS TRW COMPLEX
TRIES TO KICK DVLP AND KICK OUT LATER TDY...ENUF NWLY FLO CUD
SEEP INTO EXTREME NWRN ZNS BY MRNG. UNTIL WE CAN SAY WITH CONFIDENCE
THAT UPR TROF WILL FINALLY KICK OUT OF THE ROCKIES...AGAIN OUTSIDE
THE WINDOW OF THIS FCST PD.
SEE A VERY UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE OVER CWA AS LARGE...AND BROAD SFC
TROF PATRN OVER FRONT RANGE...AS PEGGED BY THE MODELS...CONTINUES TO
WRAP MOIST FLOW NWWD. EACH DAYLIGHT PD...PERIODICALLY OVER THE
FORECAST PD... THE SFC TROF TILTS MORE COUNTERCLOCKWISE IN A NNW/SSE
TO WNW/ESE WITH COOL AIR...CLDS AND PCPN PILING UP OVER SE WYO AND
MOVG ALG THE TRF FOR SURE ON FRIDAY OVER NWRN CWA. PROBLEM IS THAT
THRUOUT THIS FCST PD...LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE WIL BE DCRG AS WINDS
BECOME MORE SWLY SO PCPN WIL BE MORE STRATIFORM IN NATURE. WIL GO BLO
TEMP GUID ON FRIDAY FOR HIGHS FOR THICK CLOUD. EMBEDDED TRWS IN S/W
ENERGY RIDING OVR THE TOP. SIGNIFICANT TO HEAVY RAINFALL PATTERN
POSSIBLE...BUT AM STILL NOT SURE WHERE BEST CHCS ARE...ATTM CONSIDER
YUMA CTY COLO AS A SUSPECT.

GLD  55/79/52/73 3-3- HLC 60/87/57/77  3-22
CBK  57/82/53/75 3-3- MCK 55/80/53/72  3432
TRB  57/86/52/78 3-3- ITR 52/78/49/70  2-46

VOJTESAK

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 22, 9:29 PM CDT, 2 hours 25 minutes before
COZ090-091-KSZ001>004-013>016-027>029-NEZ079>081-230330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
828 PM MDT (928 PM CDT) WED MAY 22 1996

...TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM MDT (2 AM CDT)...

THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER NORTHERN YUMA COUNTY OF COLORADO EXTENDING
EAST-SOUTHEASTWARD INTO DUNDY...HITCHCOCK AND RED WILLOW COUNTIES OF
NEBRASKA AS WELL AS NORTHEAST RAWLINS AND NORTHWEST DECATUR COUNTIES
OF KANSAS. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH. THESE
STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO REMAIN IN THESE AREAS UNTIL 930 PM MDT (10
PM CDT). THE STORMS HAVE HAD A HISTORY OF PRODUCING DEADLY CLOUD
TO GROUND LIGHTNING...VERY LARGE HAIL AND ISOLATED TORNADOES.

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS...STAY INDOORS AND KEEP
ABREAST OF THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION VIA NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR
YOUR LOCAL T.V. OR RADIO STATIONS. DO NOT USE PHONES UNLESS IN AN
EMERGENCY.

  THE KEY TO SURVIVAL IS ADVANCED PLANNING.  YOU SHOULD KNOW WHERE
THE SAFEST AREAS OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS ARE...SUCH AS INTERIOR
ROOMS ON THE LOWEST FLOOR POSSIBLE.

MARTELLO
Special weather statement, May 22, 10:17 PM CDT, 1 hour 37 minutes before
COZ090-091-KSZ001>004-013>016-027>029-NEZ079>081-230420-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
917 PM MDT (1017 PM CDT) WED MAY 22 1996

...TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM MDT (2 AM CDT)...

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER HITCHCOCK AND RED WILLOW COUNTIES OF
NEBRASKA AS WELL AS DECATUR COUNTY OF KANSAS. THE STORMS WERE MOVING
THE STORMS OVER HITCHCOCK AND RED WILLOW COUNTIES WERE MOVING
SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH WHILE THE STORM OVER DECATUR COUNTY KANSAS WAS
MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. THE STORMS HAVE HAD A HISTORY OF PRODUCING
VERY LARGE HAIL AND ISOLATED TORNADOES.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION!...SO STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO
AND YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER UPDATES.

REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS THAT TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE IN
AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA.  LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS MAY ALSO
OCCUR.  BE READY TO MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR STORM CELLAR IF A WARNING
IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA.

MARTELLO
Special weather statement, May 22, 10:22 PM CDT, 1 hour 32 minutes before
COZ091-230355-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
922 PM MDT WED MAY 22 1996

...TORNADO WATCH FOR KIT CARSON COUNTY HAS BEEN CANCELLED...

SEVERE WEATHER IS REMAINING WELL NORTHEAST OF KIT CARSON COUNTY
AND SEVERE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN IN EXTREME NORTHWESTERN
KANSAS AND SOUTHWEST NEBRASKA SO THE TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN REMOVED
FOR THE BURLINGTON AND BETHUNE AREAS.

MARTELLO
Special weather statement, May 22, 10:31 PM CDT, 1 hour 23 minutes before
COZ090-091-KSZ001>004-013>016-027>029-NEZ079>081-230420-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRETION TO LINE 2 & 3
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
917 PM MDT (1017 PM CDT) WED MAY 22 1996

...TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM MDT (2 AM CDT)...

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER HITCHCOCK AND RED WILLOW COUNTIES OF
NEBRASKA AS WELL AS DECATUR COUNTY OF KANSAS. THE STORMS OVER HITCHCOCK
AND RED WILLOW COUNTIES WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH WHILE THE
STORM OVER DECATUR COUNTY KANSAS WAS MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. THE STORMS
HAVE HAD A HISTORY OF PRODUCINGVERY LARGE HAIL AND ISOLATED TORNADOES.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION!...SO STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO
AND YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER UPDATES.

REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS THAT TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE IN
AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA.  LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS MAY ALSO
OCCUR.  BE READY TO MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR STORM CELLAR IF A WARNING
IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA.

MARTELLO
Special weather statement, May 22, 11:03 PM CDT, 51 minutes before
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Special weather statement, May 22, 11:20 PM CDT, 34 minutes before
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    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
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      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
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The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 22, 7:33 PM CDTTornado WarningGLDCheyenne47 min
May 22, 7:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGLDRawlins64 min
May 22, 7:57 PM CDTTornado WarningGLDRawlins63 min
May 22, 8:58 PM CDTTornado WarningGLDRawlins47 min
May 22, 9:11 PM CDTTornado WarningGLDDecatur64 min
May 22, 9:44 PM CDTTornado WarningGLDRawlins61 min
May 22, 10:06 PM CDTTornado WarningGLDDecatur49 min
May 22, 10:31 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGLDNorton64 min
May 22, 10:41 PM CDTTornado WarningGLDRawlins64 min
May 22, 10:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGLDDecatur63 min
May 22, 11:35 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGLDSheridan65 min
May 22, 11:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGLDNorton48 min
May 22, 11:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGLDNorton60 min
May 22, 7:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGLDDundy65 min
May 22, 7:22 PM CDTTornado WarningGLDDundy48 min
May 22, 8:14 PM CDTTornado WarningGLDDundy61 min
May 22, 8:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGLDHitchcock32 min
May 22, 9:13 PM CDTTornado WarningGLDDundy62 min
May 22, 9:27 PM CDTTornado WarningGLDHitchcock48 min
May 22, 10:10 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGLDHitchcock45 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Kansas, 1996Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1996

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.