Alert archive / Kansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2001

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 62, NWS Topeka, KS

April 20, 2001Jefferson County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 20, 2001, 11:35 PM CDT for Jefferson County, Kansas. It was in force for 40 min. 7 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline the Iowa Environmental Mesonet reconstructed for it; the warning itself named whole counties, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Apr 20, 2001, 11:35 PM CDT (04:35 UTC)
Expired
Apr 21, 2001, 12:15 AM CDT
In force
40 min
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS
Area
Whole counties; the outline is the Mesonet’s reconstruction

County Jefferson County, KS

The radar

The Topeka radar (KTWX), 77 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 04:39 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
Apr 20, 11:48 PM CDTHail 0.75Ozawkie, KS
Apr 20, 11:50 PM CDTHail 0.88Ozawkie, KS
Apr 20, 11:51 PM CDTHail 1.75Ozawkie, KS
Apr 21, 12:00 AM CDTHail 1Winchester, KS
Apr 21, 12:10 AM CDTHail 1Rock Creek, KS
Apr 21, 12:13 AM CDTHail 1.5Newman, KS
Apr 21, 12:15 AM CDTHail 1.75Ozawkie, 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
Apr 20, 8:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 00:00Z, 4.6 hours before the alert went out and 35 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 2001-04-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2129 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 2001-04-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 204 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
2129 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-27 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1308 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
44 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
204 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
175 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.3
Supercell composite
8.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WUUS53 KTOP 210435
SVRTOP
KSC087-210515-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
1135 PM CDT FRI APR 20 2001

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TOPEKA HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  JEFFERSON COUNTY IN NORTHEAST KANSAS

* UNTIL 1215 AM CDT

* AT 1129 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM 9 MILES NORTHWEST OF VALLEY FALLS
  TO 9 MILES WEST OF GRANTVILLE...OR FROM 25 MILES NORTH OF TOPEKA TO
  3 MILES NORTHWEST OF TOPEKA...MOVING EAST AT 55 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED...
  OZAWKIE
  PERRY LAKE
  NORTONVILLE
  PERRY
  OSKALOOSA
  WILLIAMSTOWN
  WINCHESTER
  MCLOUTH

LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE LIKELY WITH THIS
STORM. TAKE COVER INSIDE A BUILDING.

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

LAT...LON 3940 9556 3907 9557 3905 9520 3940 9518

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 Topeka, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Apr 20, 3:00 PM CDT, 8 hours 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 20, 3:00 PM CDT, 8 hours 35 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
3 PM CDT FRI APR 20 2001

THUNDERSTORM CHANCES ARE MAIN FORECAST CONCERN THROUGH THE WEEKEND.

LATEST SATELLITE SHOWING EXTENSIVE MID AND HIGH CLOUDS CONTINUING
ACROSS THE REGION...WHICH MAY THIN OUT LATER...BUT SHOULD PERSIST
THROUGH MUCH OF THE NIGHT. WARM FRONT HAS LIFTED NORTH INTO SOUTHERN
NEBRASKA WITH DRYLINE EXTENDING SOUTHWESTWARD THROUGH WESTCENTRAL
KANSAS.

INITIAL SHORTWAVE MOVING ACROSS THE AREA WILL BE REPLACED BY
STRONGER SHORTWAVE NOW MOVING THROUGH THE CENTRAL ROCKIES. VERY
STRONG CAP IN PLACE ALTHOUGH BETTER POTENTIAL FOR CAP BEING BROKE
LATER IN THE NIGHT AS WAVE LIFTS OUT AND TEMPORARY BACKING FLOW
ALLOWS DEEPER LOW LEVEL MOISTURE TO RETURN. SOME POTENTIAL FOR
CONVECTION TO DEVELOP EARLIER AHEAD OF DRYLINE. WILL KEEP POPS GOING
ALL AREAS WITH HIGHER POPS AND BETTER SEVERE POTENTIAL ACROSS THE
NORTH AND NORTHCENTRAL.

AS SFC LOW MOVES OFF TO THE NORTHEAST EXPECT FRONT TO MOVE INTO THE
CWA FROM WEST OVERNIGHT BUT NOT MAKE IT MUCH FURTHER SOUTHEAST THAN
THE EASTCENTRAL AREAS. WOULD EXPECT THE POSSIBILITY OF MORE
CONVECTION TO REDEVELOP ALONG AND NORTH OF BOUNDARY IN THE AFTERNOON
OVER SOUTHERN 2/3 OF THE CWA WITH A BETTER CHANCE INTO THE NIGHT AS
NEXT SHORTWAVE EMERGES FROM THE HIGH PLAINS. WILL INCREASE POPS
ACROSS THE CWA SATURDAY NIGHT TO AROUND 50 PERCENT.

MAIN UPPER LOW WILL BEGIN TO APPROACH THE AREA SUNDAY INTO SUNDAY
NIGHT. EXTENSIVE CLOUDS AND SOME PRECIP WILL LIKELY HELP TO LIMIT
HIGHS TEMPS. WILL GO WITH COMPROMISE OF COOLER FWC SATURDAY AND
WARMER MAV/FAN FOR SUNDAY. WILL ALSO GO WITH LIKELY POPS SUNDAY
NIGHT AS MAING UPPER LEVEL PUSH ENTERS THE CWA FROM WEST TO EAST.

.TOP...NONE.

63

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 20, 9:55 PM CDT, 1 hour 40 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
955 PM CDT FRI APR 20 2001

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

0930 PM    2 E NILES                 KS    .75 INCH HAIL
04/20/01   OTTAWA
Local storm report, Apr 20, 10:28 PM CDT, 1 hour 7 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
1028 PM CDT FRI APR 20 2001

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

1007 PM    8 SW ABILENE              KS    .88 INCH HAIL
04/20/01   DICKINSON

1025 PM    7 S ABILENE               KS    .88 INCH HAIL
04/20/01   DICKINSON
Local storm report, Apr 20, 10:34 PM CDT, 1 hour 1 minute before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
1034 PM CDT FRI APR 20 2001

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

1033 PM    5 E ENTERPRISE            KS    1 INCH HAIL
04/20/01   DICKINSON                       FUNNEL CLOUD
Local storm report, Apr 20, 10:48 PM CDT, 47 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
1048 PM CDT FRI APR 20 2001

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....
A
1035 PM    8 E FT RILEY              KS     TSTM GUST
04/20/01   GEARY                            SEMI TRAILER OVERTURNED
                                            I-70 EXIT 307
Local storm report, Apr 20, 11:14 PM CDT, 21 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
1114 PM CDT FRI APR 20 2001

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

1112 PM    13 SW HOLTON              KS    1 INCH HAIL
04/20/01   JACKSON
Local storm report, Apr 20, 11:16 PM CDT, 19 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
1116 PM CDT FRI APR 20 2001

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

1100 PM    1 NE ALMA                 KS    60+ MPH TSTM GUST
04/20/01   WABAUNSEE                       SHERIFF DISPATCHER

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 20, 8:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPCloud, Ottawa, Republic47 min
Apr 20, 8:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPWashington51 min
Apr 20, 8:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPClay, Cloud, Ottawa49 min
Apr 20, 9:36 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPDickinson39 min
Apr 20, 10:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPGeary, Riley39 min
Apr 20, 10:12 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPDickinson33 min
Apr 20, 10:36 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPGeary24 min
Apr 20, 10:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPPottawatomie, Wabaunsee37 min
Apr 20, 10:58 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPGeary17 min
Apr 20, 11:08 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPWabaunsee37 min
Apr 20, 11:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPJackson, Shawnee36 min
Apr 20, 11:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPPottawatomie, Riley31 min
Apr 20, 11:41 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPShawnee34 min
Apr 20, 11:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPClay, Dickinson, Ottawa35 min
Apr 21, 12:08 AM CDTTornado WarningTOPJefferson22 min
Apr 21, 12:28 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPDickinson, Geary, Riley32 min
Apr 21, 12:34 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPBrown, Nemaha26 min
Apr 21, 1:37 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPShawnee, Wabaunsee23 min
Apr 21, 1:43 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPDickinson, Geary, Morris32 min
Apr 21, 4:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPMorris46 min
Apr 21, 5:07 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPWabaunsee53 min
Apr 21, 5:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPShawnee48 min
Apr 21, 5:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPWabaunsee49 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Kansas, 2001Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2001

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.