Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 1999

Tornado Warning 30, NWS Hastings, NE

May 22, 1999Mitchell County, Kansas

NWS Hastings, NE issued this tornado warning at May 22, 1999, 9:36 PM CDT for Mitchell County, Kansas. It was in force for 54 min. 2 reports 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, 1999, 9:36 PM CDT (02:36 UTC)
Expired
May 22, 1999, 10:30 PM CDT
In force
54 min
Issued by
NWS Hastings, NE
Area
Whole counties

County Mitchell County, KS

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 22, 10:10 PM CDTHail 0.75Asherville, KS
May 22, 10:12 PM CDTThunderstorm Wind 52Simpson, 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 22, 4:15 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC6 hr
May 22, 9:30 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 226 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 1999-05-23Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 23 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 1999-05-23The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 34 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
23 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-507 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1580 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
49 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
34 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
216 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

999 
WFUS1 KGRI 230240 RRA
TORGRI
KSC123-230330-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
936 PM CDT SAT MAY 22 1999

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HASTINGS HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR PEOPLE IN...
  MITCHELL COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS

* UNTIL 1030 PM CDT

* AT 936 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  TORNADO 48 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CONCORDIA...OR 2 MILES WEST OF 
  TIPTON...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.

* TORNADO IS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR...
  TIPTON AT 942 PM 
  
A TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTER REPORTED A TORNADO ON THE GROUND 3 MILES 
EAST OF THE TOWN OF OSBORNE.   

IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY BUILDING. AS A
LAST RESORT...SEEK SHELTER IN A DITCH OR LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD
WITH YOUR HANDS.

$$

LAT...LON 3957 9848 3921 9850 3922 9794 3955 9794

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.

NWS Hastings, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at May 22, 2:35 PM CDT, 7 hours 1 minute earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 22, 2:35 PM CDT, 7 hours 1 minute before
SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA/NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
235 PM CDT SAT MAY 22 1999

...STRONG CONVECTION THIS EVENING...THEN FAIR WX UNTIL AT LEAST
WED...

FORECAST APPEARS QUITE STRAIGHT FORWARD WITH THE MAIN CHALLENGES THE
TIMING OF THE COLD FRONT PASSAGE TONIGHT AND END OF PRECIPITATION.

SEVERE THREAT DEFINED WELL WITH CAPES GREATER THAN 2000 IN LOW
LEVEL MOISTURE FIELD EAST OF FRONT DEPICTED ON ETA AND WITH SHARP
MODIFIED LBF MORNING SOUNDING. EXPECT WATCHES ALONG ENTIRE LENGTH OF
FRONT ACROSS NEBRASKA AND KANSAS WITH MORE UNSTABLE AIR MASS OVER
KANSAS.

COLD FRONT WAS JUST EAST OF A MHE-ANW-OGA LINE WITH 18Z PRESSURE
RISES OF 2 MB AT RAP AND GCC.  ONLY MINOR DIFFERENCES NOTICED
IN MODELS WITH NW FLOW H5 S/W DRIVING FRONT NW-SE ACRS CWA. PREFER
NGM/S SLIGHTLY STRONGER WIND FIELD ESPECIALLY IN FRONTS WAKE. FRONT
SHOULD CROSS GRI & HSI JUST BEFORE MIDNIGHT AND SWEEP THROUGH
KANSAS CWA BEFORE DAWN.  WILL END TSTMS ABOUT AN HOUR AFTER FRONT.

SURFACE HIGH IN FRONT/S WAKE AND SMOOTH NW UPPER FLOW SHOULD KEEP
FAIR WEATHER SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.  MOST EXTENDED MODELS DAMPEN
SW UPPER LOW AND SLIDE IT EAST INTO CENTRAL U.S. WED-THU.  THAT
FEATURE MAY PRODUCE THE NEXT ROUND OF CONVECTION.

.GID...NONE.

SCHURR

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 22, 7:33 PM CDT, 2 hours 3 minutes before
NEZ046>049-060>064-230130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
733 PM CDT SAT MAY 22 1999

...PART OF TORNADO WATCH CANCELLED...

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 308 HAS BEEN CANCELED FOR PEOPLE IN:

...HAMILTON...HOWARD...BUFFALO...HALL...SHERMAN...POLK...DAWSON...
YORK AND MERRICK COUNTIES IN SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA

THUNDERSTORMS HAD MOVED SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 80...AND THEY NO LONGER
POSE A THREAT TO THE PEOPLE ALONG AND NORTH OF THE INTERSTATE.

STORMS CONTINUE STRONG SOUTH OF THE INTERSTATE...AND THE TORNADO
WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THERE.

SCHURR
Special weather statement, May 22, 7:33 PM CDT, 2 hours 3 minutes before
NEZ046>049-060>064-230130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
733 PM CDT SAT MAY 22 1999

...PART OF TORNADO WATCH CANCELLED...

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 308 HAS BEEN CANCELED FOR PEOPLE IN:

...HAMILTON...HOWARD...BUFFALO...HALL...SHERMAN...POLK...DAWSON...
YORK AND MERRICK COUNTIES IN SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA

THUNDERSTORMS HAD MOVED SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 80...AND THEY NO LONGER
POSE A THREAT TO THE PEOPLE ALONG AND NORTH OF THE INTERSTATE.

STORMS CONTINUE STRONG SOUTH OF THE INTERSTATE...AND THE TORNADO
WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THERE.

SCHURR
Special weather statement, May 22, 8:47 PM CDT, 49 minutes before
NEZ072>077-082>084-230245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
847 PM CDT SAT MAY 22 1999

...PART OF TORNADO WATCH CANCELLED...

THE TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 308 HAS BEEN CANCELED FOR PEOPLE IN:

...FRANKLIN...GOSPER...PHELPS...FILLMORE...FURNAS...CLAY...KEARNEY...
   HARLAN AND ADAMS COUNTIES IN SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA

THUNDERSTORMS HAD MOVED SOUTHEAST TO THE KANSAS-NEBRASKA BORDER...NO
LONGER POSE A THREAT FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE CLEARED AREA.

THE TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 O/CLOCK FOR
WEBSTER...NUCKOLLS AND THAYER COUNTIES IN SOUTH CENTRAL
NEBRASKA...AND FOR A GOOD PART OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS.

SCHURR
Special weather statement, May 22, 8:47 PM CDT, 49 minutes before
NEZ072>077-082>084-230245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
847 PM CDT SAT MAY 22 1999

...PART OF TORNADO WATCH CANCELLED...

THE TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 308 HAS BEEN CANCELED FOR PEOPLE IN:

...FRANKLIN...GOSPER...PHELPS...FILLMORE...FURNAS...CLAY...KEARNEY...
   HARLAN AND ADAMS COUNTIES IN SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA

THUNDERSTORMS HAD MOVED SOUTHEAST TO THE KANSAS-NEBRASKA BORDER...NO
LONGER POSE A THREAT FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE CLEARED AREA.

THE TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 O/CLOCK FOR
WEBSTER...NUCKOLLS AND THAYER COUNTIES IN SOUTH CENTRAL
NEBRASKA...AND FOR A GOOD PART OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS.

SCHURR
Special weather statement, May 22, 9:07 PM CDT, 29 minutes before
KSZ005-NEZ085>087-230300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
907 PM CDT SAT MAY 22 1999

...PART OF TORNADO WATCH 308 CANCELLED...

THE TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELED FOR PEOPLE IN:

...NUCKOLLS...WEBSTER AND THAYER COUNTIES IN SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA
...AND IN PHILLIPS COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS

THUNDERSTORMS HAD MOVED SOUTH OF THOSE COUNTIES...AND NO
LONGER POSE A THREAT FOR THE PEOPLE IN THIS AREA.

TORNADO WATCH 308 THAT INCLUDED SMITH...JEWELL...ROOKS...OSBORNE AND
MITCHELL COUNTIES IN NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS WAS CONVERTED TO SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 313 AND IT IS POSTED UNTIL 3 AM.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR THE
LATEST SEVERE WEATHER INFORMATION.

SCHURR
Special weather statement, May 22, 9:07 PM CDT, 29 minutes before
KSZ005-NEZ085>087-230300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
907 PM CDT SAT MAY 22 1999

...PART OF TORNADO WATCH 308 CANCELLED...

THE TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELED FOR PEOPLE IN:

...NUCKOLLS...WEBSTER AND THAYER COUNTIES IN SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA
...AND IN PHILLIPS COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS

THUNDERSTORMS HAD MOVED SOUTH OF THOSE COUNTIES...AND NO
LONGER POSE A THREAT FOR THE PEOPLE IN THIS AREA.

TORNADO WATCH 308 THAT INCLUDED SMITH...JEWELL...ROOKS...OSBORNE AND
MITCHELL COUNTIES IN NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS WAS CONVERTED TO SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 313 AND IT IS POSTED UNTIL 3 AM.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR THE
LATEST SEVERE WEATHER INFORMATION.

SCHURR

The office that day

Everything else NWS Hastings, NE issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 22, 8:09 PM CDTTornado WarningGIDSmith66 min
May 22, 8:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDJewell56 min
May 22, 8:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDOsborne53 min
May 22, 9:13 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDSmith32 min
May 22, 9:25 PM CDTTornado WarningGIDOsborne35 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Kansas, 1999Every tornado warning in 1999Tornadoes in 1999

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.