Alert archive / Kansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2002

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 31, NWS Topeka, KS

April 18, 2002Nemaha County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 18, 2002, 7:08 PM CDT for Nemaha County, Kansas. It was in force for 37 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued: Apr 18, 2002, 7:08 PM CDT (00:08 UTC)
Expired: Apr 18, 2002, 7:45 PM CDT
In force: 37 min
Issued by: NWS Topeka, KS
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Nemaha County, KS

The radar

The Topeka radar (KTWX), 84 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:12 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

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Apr 18, 7:24 PM CDT	Hail 1	Goff, 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The watch it was issued in

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

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Apr 18, 4:00 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 00:00Z, 0.1 hours before the alert went out and 85 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 159 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -124 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 2584 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 34 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 45 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 137 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WUUS53 KTOP 190008
SVRTOP
KSC131-190045-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
708 PM CDT THU APR 18 2002

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TOPEKA HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN AND EASTERN NEMAHA COUNTY IN NORTHEAST KANSAS

* UNTIL 745 PM CDT

* AT 707 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 9 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CORNING...OR ABOUT 34
  MILES SOUTHEAST OF MARYSVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED...
  CENTRALIA
  CORNING
  GOFF
  WETMORE

A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE
TORNADOES.

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 3988 9579 3957 9578 3957 9623 3970 9623

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 18, 2:50 PM CDT, 4 hours 18 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 18, 2:50 PM CDT, 4 hours 18 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
250 PM CDT THU APR 18 2002

MAIN FORECAST CONCERN IS PRECIP CHANCES OVER THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS.

FOR TONIGHT THUNDERSTORM CHANCES LOOK GOOD WITH AN UNSTABLE
ATMOSPHERE AND LITTLE OR NO CAP. TOWERING CU STARTING TO DEVELOP
NEAR THE DRYLINE TO OUR SOUTHWEST. THINK THAT TONIGHT WILL BE
SOMEWHAT LIKE LAST NIGHT WITH THUNDERSTORMS INITIATING IN CENTRAL KS
AND MOVING INTO THE FORECAST AREA. THEN ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS MAY
DEVELOP AS THE COLD FRONT BEGINS TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA DURING THE
EARLY MORNING HOURS.

FOR FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND...THE COLD FRONT EVENTUALLY STALLS
ACROSS SOUTHERN OK AND SOUTHERN MO FRIDAY WITH MID LEVEL MOISTURE
FEEDING OVER IT. I LEFT A CHANCE FOR THUNDER IN EAST CENTRAL ZONES
FOR FRIDAY DUE TO THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE FRONT AND THEY WILL STILL
BE IN THE WARM MOISTURE SECTOR A LITTLE LONGER. AFTER FRIDAY THINK
THE FRONT WILL BE FAR ENOUGH SOUTH SO THAT ANY PRECIP THAT OCCURS
WILL BE WITHOUT THUNDER. THINK THAT THE BEST CHANCES FOR PRECIP WILL
BE DURING THE DAY SATURDAY AND INTO SATURDAY NIGHT AS UPPER TROUGH
BEGINS TO LIFT OUT OF THE ROCKIES AND INTO THE PLAINS. TEMPERATURES
FROM THE PREVIOUS FORECAST WERE IN THE BALLPARK AND ONLY MADE MINOR
ADJUSTMENT.

LEFT SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY DRY. A SHORTWAVE IS ADVERTISED TO
MOVE ACROSS THE AREA MONDAY BUT WITH SFC RIDGING ALONG THE GULF
COAST DO NOT THINK THERE SHOULD NOT BE A LOT OF MOISTURE RETURN.
AGREE WITH PMDEPD AND FOLLOWED THE MRF WITH THE REMAINDER OF THE
FORECAST. INSERTED A CHANCE FOR THUNDER TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT.
LEE TROUGH WILL DEVELOP DURING THE DAY TUESDAY AND A SHORTWAVE
TROUGH IS PROGGED TO MOVE ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS DRAGGING
ANOTHER COLD FRONT INTO THE AREA. THE MRF KEEPS THE BETTER DYNAMICS
NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA SO ONLY WENT WITH SMALL CHANCE POPS FOR
NOW. WITH THE COLD FRONT SOUTH OF THE AREA WEDNESDAY AND SHORTWAVE
RIDGING OVERHEAD ON THURSDAY...LEFT THE FORECAST DRY.

.TOP...NONE

WOLTERS

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 18, 5:45 PM CDT, 1 hour 23 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
545 PM CDT THU APR 18 2002

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

0544 PM    5 SSE SOLOMON             KS    .88 INCH HAIL
04/18/02   DICKINSON                       PUBLIC REPORTED NICKEL
                                           SIZE HAIL

Local storm report, Apr 18, 5:50 PM CDT, 1 hour 18 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
550 PM CDT THU APR 18 2002

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

0550 PM    ABILENE                   KS    1 INCH HAIL
04/18/02   DICKINSON                       PUBLIC REPORTED QUARTER
                                           SIZE HAIL ON EAST SIDE
                                           OF ABILENE

Local storm report, Apr 18, 6:07 PM CDT, 1 hour 1 minute before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
607 PM CDT THU APR 18 2002

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

0606 PM    3 W JUNCTION CITY         KS    .75 INCH HAIL
04/18/02   GEARY                           PUBLIC REPORTED DIME
                                           SIZE HAIL

Local storm report, Apr 18, 6:22 PM CDT, 46 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
622 PM CDT THU APR 18 2002

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

0615 PM    FT RILEY                  KS    1 INCH HAIL
04/18/02   GEARY

0622 PM    3 W OGDEN                 KS    .75 INCH HAIL
04/18/02   RILEY

Local storm report, Apr 18, 7:01 PM CDT, 7 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
701 PM CDT THU APR 18 2002

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

0657 PM    7 SW WESTMORELAND         KS    1 INCH HAIL
04/18/02   POTTAWATOMIE

Local storm report, Apr 18, 7:02 PM CDT, 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
702 PM CDT THU APR 18 2002

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

0702 PM    WESTMORELAND              KS    .75 INCH HAIL
04/18/02   POTTAWATOMIE

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 18, 7:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Brown	48 min
Apr 18, 9:34 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Lyon, Morris	56 min
Apr 19, 12:46 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Clay	44 min
Apr 19, 1:00 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Cloud, Ottawa	45 min
Apr 19, 1:24 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Pottawatomie, Riley	36 min
Apr 19, 1:33 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	TOP	Ottawa	42 min
Apr 19, 2:10 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	TOP	Clay, Dickinson	40 min
Apr 19, 2:39 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Geary, Riley	56 min
Apr 19, 3:13 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Pottawatomie, Wabaunsee	62 min
Apr 19, 3:15 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Pottawatomie, Wabaunsee	60 min
Apr 19, 3:19 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Jackson	31 min
Apr 19, 3:48 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Osage, Wabaunsee	117 min
Apr 19, 3:48 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Anderson, Brown, Clay, Cloud, Coffey, Dickinson and 17 more	170 days
Apr 19, 4:22 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP		68 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Kansas, 2002 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2002

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.