Alert archive / Colorado / Tornado Warnings in 1999

Tornado Warning 8, NWS Goodland, KS

May 31, 1999Kit Carson County, Colorado; Wallace County, Kansas

NWS Goodland, KS issued this tornado warning at May 31, 1999, 5:27 PM MDT for Kit Carson County, Colorado; Wallace County, Kansas. It was in force for 48 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 31, 1999, 5:27 PM MDT (23:27 UTC)
Expired
May 31, 1999, 6:15 PM MDT
In force
48 min
Issued by
NWS Goodland, KS
Area
Whole counties

Counties Kit Carson County, CO, Wallace County, KS

The radar

The Goodland radar (KGLD), 50 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:31 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.

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 31, 3:00 PM MDTTornado WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Denver, CO (KDNR), launched 12:00Z, 11.5 hours before the alert went out and 123 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, Denver, CO at 12:00Z on 1999-05-31Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 9 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Denver, CO at 12:00Z on 1999-05-31The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -36 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
9 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-409 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
738 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
41 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-36 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
82 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.

000 
TTAA00 KGLD 312327 RRA
TORGLD
COC063-KSC199-010015-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
527 PM MDT MON MAY 31 1999

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GOODLAND HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  EASTERN KIT CARSON COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL COLORADO
  WALLACE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL KANSAS

* UNTIL 615 PM MDT

* AT 523 PM MDT... GOODLAND DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A DEVELOPING
  TORNADO 17 MILES SOUTHWEST OF BURLINGTON OR 14 MILES SOUTH OF
  BETHUNE... MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.

THE TORNADO IS EXPECTED TO AFFECT...
RURAL RESIDENTS AND MOTORISTS IN THE WARNED AREA

THIS WARNING CONTINUES THE PREVIOUS WARNING.

GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL HAS ALSO BEEN REPORTED WITH THIS STORM.

GO TO THE BASEMENT OR A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR!

THEDE


&

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 Goodland, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at May 31, 2:31 PM MDT, 2 hours 56 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 31, 2:31 PM MDT, 2 hours 56 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
225 PM MDT (325 PM CDT) MON MAY 31 1999

...CHALLENGES IN FIRST PD...TYPE...SEVERITY AND AMOUNT OF PRECIP...

SAT PICS AND 18Z SFC MAP SHOW STUBBORN LOW CLOUDINESS HANGING ON
OVER ENTIRE CWA. RESULT...TEMPS OVER ENTIRE CWA STILL IN 50S AND LOW
60S. SAT PICS SHOW PARTIAL CLEARING ADVANCING INTO FAR EASTERN CO
ATTM...BUT SLOWLY. GLD 88D VWP SHOWS STEADY WINDS UP TO 25K...SO
LOTS OF CLOUDS STILL UP THERE. HOWEVER SHOULD SEE PARTIAL CLEARING
WITHING NEXT FEW HOURS TO ALLOW AT LEAST SOME PM HEATING. THIS AM
88D VWP SHOWED NOTICEABLE HT VEERING CONTRIBUTING TO HELICITY.
HOWEVER AT CURRENT TIME DIRECTION CHANGE WITH HT DECREASING BUT
SPEED CHANGE INCREASING WITH HT WITH NEAR 60 KT JET AT 25K ATTM.

ETA INITIALIZED BEST AT SFC AND 50H THIS AM SO AM GOING WITH IT.
WITH ALL OF CWA STILL IN SLIGHT RISK BUT CLOUDINESS HOLDING TEMPS
DOWN THROUGH THE AFTERNOON KEEPING LOWER LEVELS SOMEWHAT STABLE
CHALLENGE BECOMES WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO TSTMS THAT DEVELOP IN CO AND
MOVE INTO AREA THIS EVENING. ETA BRINGS VORT MAX INTO NW KS IN LATE
EVENING AND MOVES E ACROSS NRN PTN OF CWA. THINK THIS WILL INSTIGATE
TSTMS IN NE CO WHICH...AS THEY MOVE ENE INTO MORE MOISTURE LADEN
AIR...WILL RESULT IN MCC/MCS DEVELOPMENT NEAR NE PTN OF MY CWA(NEAR
NC KS/SC NEB BORDER AFTER MID-NIGHT). ETA WOULD KEEP COLDER AIR
ALOFT JUST TO NORTH OF MY CWA. ALSO APPEARS MDT RISK TO STAY S OF MY
CWA WITH HEAVIER STORMS TO DEVELOP IN SE CO AS RESULT OF ANOTHER
VORT MAX IN THAT AREA TO MOVE INTO AREAS JUST S OF CWA.

REGARDLESS WITH PLENTIFUL MOISTURE AVAILABLE...ETA MOVING MOD VORT
MAX ACROSS NRN PTN CWA DURING NIGHT WITH UVV MAX MOVING ACROSS AREA
WITH IT...LOOK FOR TSTM NIGHT WITH MAX NUMBER AND RAINFALL E OF A
LINE FROM NEAR TRENTON NEB TO VCNTY QUINTER KS. DRIER AIR SWEEPS
INTO CWA FROM NW ON TUES AS UPPER S/W MOVES INTO E KS. SUBSIDENCE
AND BRIEF RIDGE APPEARS WILL MOVE IN AND BRING FAIR WEATHER TO CWA
INTO WEDS. ON WEDS BEGIN TO SEE INCREASING SOUTHERLY WINDS AND
RETURN OF CHANCE OF LATE PM/EARLY EVEN TSTMS AS SW FLOW ALOFT
RETURNS TO AREA.

IN EXTENDED LONG WAVE INTENSIFIES OVER INTRA-MT WEST WITH SW FLOW
ALOFT OVER HIGH PLAINS. OCCASIONAL S/WS SHOULD MOVE OUT OF L/W OVER
THE PD RESULT IN CHANCE OF TSTMS THROUGHOUT PD AND NEAR NORMAL
TEMPS.

.GLD...NONE.

RJC

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 31, 5:06 PM MDT, 21 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
506 PM MDT MON MAY 31 1999

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

0500 PM    11 SE VONA                CO    FUNNEL CLOUD
05/31/99   KIT CARSON

SVEN
Local storm report, May 31, 5:06 PM MDT, 21 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
506 PM MDT MON MAY 31 1999

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

0500 PM    11 SE VONA                CO    FUNNEL CLOUD
05/31/99   KIT CARSON

SVEN
Local storm report, May 31, 5:25 PM MDT, 2 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
525 PM MDT MON MAY 31 1999

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

0521 PM    10 S VONA                 CO    1.75 INCH HAIL
05/31/99   KIT CARSON

SVEN
Local storm report, May 31, 5:25 PM MDT, 2 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
525 PM MDT MON MAY 31 1999

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

0521 PM    10 S VONA                 CO    1.75 INCH HAIL
05/31/99   KIT CARSON

SVEN
Local storm report, May 31, 5:27 PM MDT, 0 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
527 PM MDT MON MAY 31 1999

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

0524 PM    4 S VONA                  CO    .88 INCH HAIL
05/31/99   KIT CARSON

SVEN
Local storm report, May 31, 5:27 PM MDT, 0 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
527 PM MDT MON MAY 31 1999

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

0524 PM    4 S VONA                  CO    .88 INCH HAIL
05/31/99   KIT CARSON

SVEN

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 30, 6:15 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGLDKit Carson45 min
May 31, 3:45 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGLDKit Carson60 min
May 31, 4:40 PM MDTTornado WarningGLDKit Carson50 min
May 30, 9:45 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGLDNorton50 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Colorado, 1999Tornado 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.