Alert archive / Kansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 41, NWS Wichita, KS

April 19, 2003Reno County, Kansas

NWS Wichita, KS issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 19, 2003, 3:12 PM CDT for Reno 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 outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Apr 19, 2003, 3:12 PM CDT (20:12 UTC)
Expired
Apr 19, 2003, 4:00 PM CDT
In force
48 min
Issued by
NWS Wichita, KS
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Reno County, KS

The radar

The Wichita radar (KICT), 47 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:12 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.

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 nearest sounding before it

Dodge City, (KDDC), launched 12:00Z, 8.2 hours before the alert went out and 179 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, Dodge City, at 12:00Z on 2003-04-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 25 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, Dodge City, at 12:00Z on 2003-04-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 214 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
25 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-145 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
817 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
72 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
214 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
132 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 
WUUS53 KICT 192012
SVRICT
KSC155-192100-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
312 PM CDT SAT APR 19 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  RENO COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS

* UNTIL 400 PM CDT.

* AT 312 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 4 MILES EAST OF MT VERNON...OR ABOUT 24 MILES
  WEST OF DOWNTOWN WICHITA...MOVING NORTH AT 45 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE
  NEAR HAVEN AROUND 320 PM CDT...
  10 MILES EAST OF SOUTH HUTCHINSON AROUND 330 PM CDT...
  8 MILES EAST OF HUTCHINSON AROUND 335 PM CDT...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
  HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES...
  VERY HEAVY RAINFALL...WHICH MAY CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING...


A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA. SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE
WARNING.

REPEATING...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR RENO
COUNTY UNTIL 400 PM CDT.

LAT...LON 3774 9797 3775 9770 3815 9771 3816 9797

$$

/KETCHAM

NNNN

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 Wichita, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Apr 19, 2:00 PM CDT, 1 hour 12 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 19, 2:00 PM CDT, 1 hour 12 minutes before
AREA WEATHER SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
200 PM CDT SAT APR 19 2003

OVERALL...GOING FCST IS IN GOOD SHAPE. ONLY MINOR TWEAKS NEEDED
ALONG WITH A FEW ADJUSTMENTS HERE AND THERE. WL PLAN ON ISSUING
FORECAST PACKAGE EALIER TODAY DUE TO THE IMMINENT SEVERE WEATHER
THREAT FOR PARTS OF THE CWA.

NUMEROUS BOUNDARIES IN AND NEAR THE CWA WILL MAKE FOR A DIFFICULT
CONVECTION FORECAST FOR LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ANOTHER
COMPLICATING FACTOR IS THE VARYING AMOUNTS OF INSOLATION ACROSS THE
CWA. ALL IN ALL...SFC MOISTURE IS SLOWLY INCREASING ACROSS THE VERY
SRN PART OF THE CWA...AND THE WINDS ARE BACKED AROUND TO THE SE. NO
DOUBT THAT THERE IS ENOUGH SHEAR FOR SUPERCELLS TODAY (APPROX
50-70KTS 0-6KM). INSOLATION IN SRN KS HAS BECOME WEAK AT
BEST...LIMITING SFC BASED INSTABILITY.  HOWEVER...STORMS SHUD DEVLOP
IN MORE UNSTABLE AREAS OF OK AND MOVE RAPIDLY N AND NEWD INTO THE
SRN SXNS OF MY CWA AND RESPOND TO THE GOOD LOW LEVEL SHEAR AS WELL
AS THE LOW LCL HEIGHTS. STORMS MAY ALSO BE OF THE LOW TOPPED VARIETY
IN THIS SLIGHTLY COOLER AIRMASS UP HERE...BUT NO DOUBT WILL BE
POTENT...I.E...PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND POSSIBLY TORNADOES. SEVERE
WEATHER THREAT WILL LIKELY SHIFT FURTHER EWD INTO SERN KS LATER THIS
EVENING. WILL ALSO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR LOCALIZED FLASH FLOOD
POTENTIAL...ESP IF STORMS CAN TRAIN & PROPAGATE ALONG BOUNDARIES.

STORMS WILL DIMINISH OVERNIGHT AND MOVE EWD WITH THE DEPARTING
SYSTEM. WL KEEP POPS GOING OVERNIGHT...ESP FOR S-CNTRL AND SERN
ZONES. AS IMPLIED EALIER...SOME STORMS WILL BE SEVERE...ESP EARLY
ON.

NO BIG CHANGES TO THE REST OF THE FORECAST...AS GOING FORECAST
MATCHES NICELY WITH LATEST MODEL RUNS. NEXT SIG SYSTEM LOOKS TO MOVE
INTO THE AREA SOMETIME WED AND THURS WITH THE CHC OF TSTMS...AND
CURRENT FCST HANDLES THIS WELL.

GRIDS/ZONES TO FLY BY 215...

AS ALWAYS...COMMENTS/OPINIONS WELCOMED...

FCSTID =5/EKSTER
ICT   45  62  41  67 /  60   5   5   5
HUT   43  61  41  67 /  40  10   5   5
EWK   44  61  41  67 /  50  10   5   5
EQA   46  61  41  67 /  60  10   5   5
WLD   47  64  42  67 /  70   5   5   5
RSL   41  59  39  66 /  30  10   5   5
GBD   41  61  39  66 /  30  10   5   5
SLN   43  60  39  66 /  50  10   5   5
MPR   44  61  41  67 /  50  10   5   5
CFV   48  64  44  67 /  70   5   5   5
CNU   48  62  44  66 /  70  10   5   5
K88   48  61  43  66 /  70  10   5   5

.ICT...
KS...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 800 PM CDT SATURDAY FOR ZONES
KSC015...KSC035...KSC077...KSC095...KSC173...KSC191.
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 19, 11:55 AM CDT, 3 hours 17 minutes before
KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-201030-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
1155 AM CDT SAT APR 19 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING

THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
TO MOVE ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS LATE
THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE MAINLY
CLOSER TO THE OKLAHOMA BORDER. OTHERWISE, LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING
WINDS ARE LIKELY.

A POTENT UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM WILL KICK OUT INTO THE PLAINS THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A SURFACE LOW WILL MOVE INTO NORTH CENTRAL
OKLAHOMA BY EVENING, WITH A DRYLINE EXTENDING SOUTH FROM THIS LOW.
IN ADDITION, A STATIONARY FRONT WILL BE DRAPED ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN
KANSAS, SOUTH OF A WELLINGTON TO CHANUTE LINE. THE SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS WILL INITIATE IN THE VICINITY OF THE SURFACE LOW AND
DRYLINE IN NORTHERN OKLAHOMA BY LATE AFTERNOON, WITH THESE STORMS
MOVING NORTHEAST INTO SOUTHEASTERN KANSAS. OTHER STORMS WILL
DEVELOP NEAR AND ALONG THE STATIONARY FRONT. THE SEVERE STORMS ARE
EXPECTED TO GENERALLY MOVE NORTHEAST TO EAST AT SPEEDS OF 30 TO 45
MPH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

ANOTHER CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL ARRIVE BY WEDNESDAY AND
THURSDAY OF NEXT WEEK, AS YET ANOTHER UPPER LEVEL WAVE EJECTS OUT
INTO THE PLAINS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL AND
SOUTHEASTERN KANSAS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

&&

FOR A GRAPHICAL VERSION OF THIS INFORMATION, SEE OUR
WEBPAGE AT HTTP://WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/ICT/HWO/HWOICT.HTM

JMC

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 19, 9:25 AM CDT, 5 hours 47 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA, KANSAS
925 AM CDT SAT APR 19 2003

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

0745 AM    2 E SEDAN                 KS   WIND DAMAGE
04/19/03   CHAUTAUQUA                     TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED
                                          TOP QUARTER OF 20 FT.
                                          BRADFORD TREE WAS TOPPLED
                                          OR SHEARED OVER.

0805 AM    12 NE HOWARD              KS   WIND DAMAGE
04/19/03   ELK                            TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED
                                          TREE LIMBS DOWNED.

KED

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 19, 2:30 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTKingman60 min
Apr 19, 3:28 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTReno62 min
Apr 19, 4:07 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTSedgwick38 min
Apr 19, 7:23 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTChautauqua37 min
Apr 19, 7:38 AM CDTTornado WarningICTChautauqua37 min
Apr 19, 7:54 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTElk36 min
Apr 19, 8:10 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTGreenwood35 min
Apr 19, 2:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTSedgwick54 min
Apr 19, 3:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTHarper59 min
Apr 19, 4:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTHarper, Sumner79 min
Apr 19, 4:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTHarvey31 min
Apr 19, 4:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTSedgwick66 min
Apr 19, 4:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTButler66 min
Apr 19, 5:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTSumner45 min
Apr 19, 5:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTChase, Greenwood50 min
Apr 19, 5:54 PM CDTTornado WarningICTSumner36 min
Apr 19, 5:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTButler61 min
Apr 19, 6:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTCowley55 min
Apr 19, 6:13 PM CDTTornado WarningICTMontgomery47 min
Apr 19, 6:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTGreenwood30 min
Apr 19, 6:40 PM CDTTornado WarningICTLabette50 min
Apr 19, 6:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTNeosho43 min
Apr 19, 6:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTAllen35 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Kansas, 2003Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2003

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.