Alert archive / Kansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 44, NWS Topeka, KS

May 16, 1997Jefferson County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 16, 1997, 9:36 PM CDT for Jefferson County, Kansas. It was in force for 39 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 16, 1997, 9:36 PM CDT (02:36 UTC)
Expired
May 16, 1997, 10:15 PM CDT
In force
39 min
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS
Area
Whole counties

County Jefferson County, KS

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 16, 10:00 PM CDTThunderstorm Wind 52Oskaloosa, 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 watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 16, 7:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 00:00Z, 2.6 hours before the alert went out and 34 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 1997-05-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 515 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 1997-05-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 117 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
515 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-24 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1946 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
46 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
117 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
382 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
6.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

570 
WUUS1 KTOP 170237 RRA
SVRTOP
KSC087-170315-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
936 PM CDT FRI MAY 16 1997

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR
     EASTERN JEFFERSON COUNTY - NORTHEAST KANSAS

* UNTIL 1015 PM CDT
 
* SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED
     OSKALOOSA
     MC LOUTH
     NORTONVILLE
     WINCHESTER

* AT 932 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 35 MILES NORTH
  OF LAWRENCE...OR JUST NORTH OF NORTONVILLE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25
  MPH.

* THE STORM WILL BE NEAR
     NORTONVILLE AROUND 940 PM
     WINCHESTER AROUND 950 PM
     OSKALOOSA AND MC LOUTH AROUND 1015 PM
 
DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL ARE LIKELY.  GO INSIDE A STURDY
BUILDING AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS

DDN

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, May 16, 8:14 PM CDT, 1 hour 22 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
814 PM CDT FRI MAY 16 1997

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 288 HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR PART
OF KANSAS.  THE WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES...

...NORTHEAST...
MARSHALL

...CENTRAL...
DICKINSON

THE FOLLOWING CITIES ARE NO LONGER INCLUDED IN THE SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH...

ABILENE         MARYSVILLE
Special weather statement, May 16, 8:15 PM CDT, 1 hour 21 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
814 PM CDT FRI MAY 16 1997

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 288 HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR PART
OF KANSAS.  THE WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR TnHE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES...

...NORTHEAST...
MARSHALL

...CENTRAL...
DICKINSON

THE FOLLOWING CITIES ARE NO LONGER INCLUDED IN THE SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH...

ABILENE         MARYSVILLE
Local storm report, May 16, 9:06 PM CDT, 30 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
906 PM CDT FRI MAY 16 1997

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0835 PM    MORRILL                   KS   70 MPH TSTM GUST
05/16/97   BROWN                          60-70 MPH WINDS

0841 PM    2 W SABETHA               KS   70 MPH TSTM GUST
05/16/97   NEMAHA                         60-70 MPH WINDS
Local storm report, May 16, 9:07 PM CDT, 29 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
906 PM CDT FRI MAY 16 1997

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0835 PM    MORRILL                   KS   70 MPH TSTM GUST
05/16/97   BROWN                          60-70 MPH WINDS

0841 PM    2 W SABETHA               KS   70 MPH TSTM GUST
05/16/97   NEMAHA                         60-70 MPH WINDS
Local storm report, May 16, 9:11 PM CDT, 25 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
911 PM CDT FRI MAY 16 1997

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0752 PM    WAMEGO                    KS   .75 INCH HAIL
05/16/97   POTTAWATOMIE
Local storm report, May 16, 9:12 PM CDT, 24 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
911 PM CDT FRI MAY 16 1997

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0752 PM    WAMEGO                    KS   .75 INCH HAIL
05/16/97   POTTAWATOMIE

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 16, 7:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPPottawatomie47 min
May 16, 7:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPRiley, Wabaunsee46 min
May 16, 7:26 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPMarshall14 min
May 16, 7:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPPottawatomie62 min
May 16, 7:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPWabaunsee63 min
May 16, 7:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPBrown, Nemaha61 min
May 16, 9:01 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPBrown, Jackson34 min
May 17, 5:17 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPDickinson48 min
May 17, 5:18 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPDickinson47 min
May 17, 6:07 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPDickinson33 min
May 17, 6:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPGeary, Morris61 min
May 17, 6:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPRiley, Wabaunsee60 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Kansas, 1997Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1997

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.