Alert archive / Kansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 167, NWS Springfield, MO
NWS Springfield, MO issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 4, 2003, 5:22 PM CDT for Bourbon County, Kansas. It was in force for 38 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
- May 4, 2003, 5:22 PM CDT (22:22 UTC)
- Expired
- May 4, 2003, 6:00 PM CDT
- In force
- 38 min
- Issued by
- NWS Springfield, MO
- Area
- Counties, with a storm outline in the text
County Bourbon County, KS
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 4, 12:35 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 12:00Z, 10.4 hours before the alert went out and 132 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 409 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -194 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 563 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 46 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 582 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 841 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 17.5
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 WUUS53 KSGF 042222 SVRSGF KSC011-042300- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO 522 PM CDT SUN MAY 4 2003 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SPRINGFIELD HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... NORTHERN BOURBON COUNTY IN KANSAS * UNTIL 600 PM CDT. * AT 517 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAIL TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS...AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR UNIONTOWN...OR 16 MILES WEST OF FORT SCOTT...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 70 MPH. * THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... FULTON BY 530 PM CDT. THE TOWNS OF XENIA...DEVON...MAPLETON AND HARDING ARE ALSO IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA. IF A TORNADO IS SPOTTED...ACT QUICKLY AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IN A STURDY STRUCTURE...SUCH AS A BASEMENT OR SMALL INTERIOR ROOM. LAT...LON 3794 9505 3783 9498 3800 9463 3801 9499 $$ CRAMER
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 Springfield, MO wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 4, 5:08 PM CDT, 14 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 4, 5:08 PM CDT, 14 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED LAST LINE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO 508 PM CDT SUN MAY 4 2003 ...MESOSCALE CONVECTIVE DISCUSSION... SUPERCELL OVER LABETTE COUNTY KANSAS AND ANOTHER OVER NOWATA COUNTY WILL BE MOVING INTO THE FAR SOUTHWESTERN PORTIONS OF OUR CWA WITHIN ABOUT AN HOUR. SKIES HAVE CLEARED OVER EXTREME SOUTHWEST MISSOURI AND THE ATMOSPHERE HAS BECOME VERY UNSTABLE. 0-1KM HELICITIES OF 150-300 M2/S2 OVER THE AREA...0-3KM CAPE OF OVER 100 J/KG AND INCREASING RAPIDLY NOW THAT SUN HAS EMERGED. THE POTENTIAL FOR LONG TRACKED AND STRONG TORNADOES IS VERY HIGH WEST OF AN OSCEOLA...TO SPRINGFIELD...TO BRANSON LINE. SUPERCELL MOVING OUT OF CRAWFORD COUNTY CONTINUES TO MOVE INTO AN ENVIRONMENT FAVORABLE FOR CONTINUED TORNADO PRODUCTION...AND STRONG, LONG TRACKED TORNADO IS POSSIBLE WITH THAT CELL AS WELL AS IT MOVES THROUGH BARTON COUNTY. UNCONFIRMED REPORTS OF SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURAL DAMAGE IS NOW BEING REPORTED WITH THE TORNADO IN CRAWFORD. .SGF... MO...NONE. KS...NONE. IZZI
Hazardous weather outlook, May 4, 1:00 PM CDT, 4 hours 22 minutes before
KSZ073-097-101-MOZ055>058-066>071-077>083-088>098-101>106-051100-
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
100 PM CDT SUN MAY 4 2003
...OUTBREAK OF VIOLENT THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOS LIKELY THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING...
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE MISSOURI OZARKS AND EXTREME
SOUTHEAST KANSAS.
.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.
WEATHER HAZARDS EXPECTED:
NUMEROUS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...
VERY LARGE HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF BASEBALLS
DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 70 MPH
TORNADOS...INCLUDING THE POTENTIAL OF STRONG
AND PARTICULARLY DAMAGING TORNADOS
AREAS AFFECTED AND TIMING:
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING WEST OF AN OSCEOLA TO NEOSHO LINE
AS EARLY AS 2 PM...AREAS ALONG AND WEST OF HIGHWAY 65 BETWEEN 3
AND 5 PM...AND AREAS BETWEEN 65 AND HIGHWAY 63 BETWEEN 4 AND 6 PM.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE WESTERN HALF OF THE OUTLOOK
AREA UNTIL 6 PM.
DISCUSSION:
CLOUD COVER WILL DECREASE THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON AND ALLOW FOR
STRONG SURFACE HEATING. A HUMID AND VERY UNSTABLE AIR MASS IS
FORECAST TO MOVE INTO THE OUTLOOK AREA THIS AFTERNOON. A POWERFUL
LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL DRAG A DRYLINE INTO THE WESTERN PORTIONS
OF THE OUTLOOK AREA THIS AFTERNOON. GIVEN THE EXTREMELY FAVORABLE
AND STRONG WINDS ALOFT...AND THE AMOUNT OF INSTABILITY FORECAST TO
BE PRESENT...EXPLOSIVE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS
ANTICIPATED BY EARLY TO MID AFTERNOON OVER THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF
THE OUTLOOK AREA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL THEN MOVE RAPIDLY
EASTWARD ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE OUTLOOK AREA LATE THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY BECOME FAVORABLE FOR SUPERCELLS THIS
AFTERNOON AS SURFACE DEWPOINTS SURGE WELL INTO THE 60S TO NEAR 70
DEGREES. LARGE AND DAMAGING HAIL...DESTRUCTIVE STRAIGHT LINE
WINDS...AND TORNADOS...INCLUDING THE POTENTIAL FOR A FEW LONG
LIVED AND PARTICULARLY DESTRUCTIVE TORNADOS.
THE WEATHER SITUATION WILL LIKELY EVOLVE VERY RAPIDLY WITH STORMS
DEVELOPING BY 2 PM. ONCE STORMS DEVELOP THEY WILL INTENSIFY
RAPIDLY...BECOMING SEVERE AND POSSIBLY TORNADIC WITH IN AN HOUR OF
INITIATION. PERSONS OVER THE ENTIRE OUTLOOK SHOULD TAKE TIME NOW
TO REVIEW TORNADO SAFETY RULES AND BE READY TO REACT QUICKLY IF
THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.
THIS IS POTENTIALLY A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THOSE IN THE
OUTLOOK AREA ARE URGED TO REVIEW SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY RULES AND
TO LISTEN TO RADIO AND TELEVISION AND NOAA WEATHER RADIO.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.
NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE REQUIRED AS EARLY AS 2 PM OVER WESTERN
PORTIONS OF THE OUTLOOK AREA...AND BETWEEN 2 PM AND MIDNIGHT FOR
THE REMAINDER OF THE OUTLOOK AREA.
&&
THIS PRODUCT IS NOW AVAILABLE IN GRAPHICAL FORMAT...ALONG WITH OTHER
WEATHER...HYDROLOGICAL AND CLIMATE INFORMATION...AT
HTTP://WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/SGF
IZZIIn the hours before
Special weather statement, May 4, 12:41 PM CDT, 4 hours 41 minutes before
KSZ073-097-101-MOZ055-066>068-077>079-088>090-093>095-101>103-050000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - TORNADO WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO 1241 PM CDT SUN MAY 4 2003 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 31...IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM CDT SUNDAY EVENING. THIS TORNADO WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES... IN MISSOURI: BARRY...BARTON...BENTON...CEDAR...CHRISTIAN...DADE...GREENE... HICKORY...JASPER...LAWRENCE...MCDONALD...NEWTON...POLK...ST. CLAIR... STONE AND VERNON. IN KANSAS: BOURBON...CHEROKEE AND CRAWFORD. SOME CITIES IN THIS TORNADO WATCH INCLUDE BOLIVAR...FORT SCOTT... JOPLIN...MONETT...MOUNT VERNON...NEOSHO...NEVADA...OZARK... PITTSBURG...SPRINGFIELD AND STOCKTON. A TORNADO WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE WEATHER...INCLUDING TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL... AND DAMAGING WINDS...IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. WHILE SEVERE WEATHER MAY NOT BE IMMINENT...PERSONS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS...AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WEATHER...HYDROLOGICAL AND CLIMATE INFORMATION...IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEB AT HTTP://WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/SGF OR AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV. IZZI
Local storm report, May 4, 4:43 PM CDT, 39 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
443 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0438 PM 4 NW MC CUNE KS TORNADO
05/04/03 CRAWFORD REPORTED BY ICT WX.Local storm report, May 4, 5:02 PM CDT, 20 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
502 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0438 PM 4 NW MC CUNE KS TORNADO
05/04/03 CRAWFORD REPORTED BY ICT WX.
0500 PM GIRARD KS TORNADO
05/04/03 CRAWFORD REPORTED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.The office that day
Everything else NWS Springfield, MO issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 4, 4:20 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | SGF | Crawford | 55 min |
| May 4, 5:20 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | SGF | Cherokee | 60 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.