Alert archive / Kansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2009

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 20, NWS Dodge City, KS

April 18, 2009Pawnee County, Rush County, Kansas

NWS Dodge City, KS issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 18, 2009, 3:49 PM CDT for Pawnee County, Rush County, Kansas. It was in force for 40 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 18, 2009, 3:49 PM CDT (20:49 UTC)
Expired: Apr 18, 2009, 4:29 PM CDT
In force: 40 min
Issued by: NWS Dodge City, KS
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Pawnee County, KS, Rush County, KS

The radar

The Dodge City radar (KDDC), 96 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:49 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 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, 1:28 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Dodge City, (KDDC), launched 12:00Z, 8.8 hours before the alert went out and 91 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: 68 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -103 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 807 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 47 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 77 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 112 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WUUS53 KDDC 182049
SVRDDC
KSC145-165-182145-
/O.NEW.KDDC.SV.W.0020.090418T2049Z-090418T2145Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
349 PM CDT SAT APR 18 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DODGE CITY HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  RUSH COUNTY IN CENTRAL KANSAS.
  NORTHERN PAWNEE COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS.

* UNTIL 445 PM CDT

* AT 350 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL.  THIS
  STORM WAS LOCATED 9 MILES NORTH OF BURDETT...MOVING NORTH AT 10
  MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  BURDETT...
  ASH VALLEY...
  NEKOMA...
  RURAL RESIDENCES OF NORTHERN PAWNEE AND RUSH COUNTIES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS. IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE
SEEK A STURDY SHELTER AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS
PASSED.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM CDT SATURDAY EVENING
FOR SOUTHWESTERN KANSAS.

&&

LAT...LON 3869 9954 3868 9905 3815 9906 3813 9955
TIME...MOT...LOC 2050Z 195DEG 9KT 3832 9947

$$

18

2 follow-up statements

000 
WWUS53 KDDC 182108
SVSDDC

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
408 PM CDT SAT APR 18 2009

KSC145-165-182145-
/O.CON.KDDC.SV.W.0020.000000T0000Z-090418T2145Z/
RUSH KS-PAWNEE KS-
408 PM CDT SAT APR 18 2009

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 445 PM CDT
FOR NORTHERN PAWNEE AND RUSH COUNTIES...

AT 407 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE
HAIL.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 8 MILES SOUTH OF NEKOMA...MOVING NORTH
AT 10 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  ROZEL...
  NEKOMA...
  RURAL RESIDENCES OF NORTHERN PAWNEE AND RUSH COUNTIES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM CDT SATURDAY EVENING
FOR SOUTHWESTERN KANSAS.

&&

LAT...LON 3869 9954 3868 9905 3815 9906 3813 9955
TIME...MOT...LOC 2108Z 195DEG 9KT 3836 9946

$$

18

000 
WWUS53 KDDC 182129
SVSDDC

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
429 PM CDT SAT APR 18 2009

KSC145-165-182139-
/O.CAN.KDDC.SV.W.0020.000000T0000Z-090418T2145Z/
RUSH KS-PAWNEE KS-
429 PM CDT SAT APR 18 2009

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR NORTHERN PAWNEE AND RUSH
COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  ROZEL...
  NEKOMA...
  RURAL RESIDENCES OF NORTHERN PAWNEE AND RUSH COUNTIES.

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM HAS WEAKENED AND NO LONGER POSES A THREAT TO
LIFE OR PROPERTY...HOWEVER GUSTY WINDS...HEAVY RAIN...AND SMALL HAIL
WILL STILL BE POSSIBLE OVER NORTHERN PAWNEE AND RUSH COUNTIES.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM CDT SATURDAY EVENING
FOR SOUTHWESTERN KANSAS.

LAT...LON 3869 9954 3868 9905 3815 9906 3813 9955
TIME...MOT...LOC 2129Z 195DEG 9KT 3841 9944

$$

18

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 Dodge City, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Apr 18, 3:03 PM CDT, 46 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 18, 3:03 PM CDT, 46 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
303 PM CDT SAT APR 18 2009

.DISCUSSION...

DAYS 1-2...

THE SEVERE POTENTIAL FOR HAIL AND A FEW TORNADOES WILL PERSIST INTO
THE LATE AFTERNOON WITH MOST FAVORABLE AREA BEING ALONG AND AHEAD OF
A SLOWLY EASTWARD ADVANCING COLD FRONT, WHERE AHEAD OF THIS BOUNDARY
INCREASING LOW LEVEL INSTABILITY AND STRONG BULK SHEAR HAS LED TO
NUMEROUS SUPERCELLS FROM AROUND GARDEN CITY TO DODGE CITY AND SOUTH
THROUGH CLARK COUNTY. HAVE GENERALLY FORECAST CATEGORICAL POPS
THROUGH THE LATE EVENING, GRADUALLY REMOVING THUNDER MENTION FROM
WEST TO EAST AFTER 00 UTC. WE SHOULD STILL HAVE SCT SHOWERS
ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA INTO THE OVERNIGHT AS THE COLD POOL ALOFT
ROTATES THROUGH.

COLD AIR ADVECTION AND LOW STRATUS SHOULD OVERSPREAD THE AREA BY
MORNING ALONG WITH SOME AREAS OF FOG GIVEN RECENT RAINS AND COOLING
BOUNDARY LAYER TEMPERATURES OVERNIGHT. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED IN
THE LOW TO UPPER 40S.

BEYOND TONIGHT WE WILL SEE A RETURN TO NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT AND A
SIGNIFICANT WARMING OF TEMPERATURES BACK INTO THE 60S ON SUNDAY WITH
INCREASING SUBSIDENCE AND ABUNDANT ISOLATION, WHILE THE POSSIBILITY
FOR SOME CU IN THE EAST WILL BE PRESENT AFTER MORNING CLEARING.
TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE FAIRLY HOMOGENEOUS ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA
IN THE MID TO POSSIBLY UPPER 60S.

A MORE CONSIDERABLE WARMUP INTO THE MID TO EVEN UPPER 70S IS
FORECAST MONDAY AS WARMER 850 MB AIR SHIFTS INTO THE CENTRAL HIGH
PLAINS.

RUSSELL

DAYS 3-7...

ENHANCING DOWNSLOPE FLOW DEVELOPS MID TO LATE WEEK. CURRENTLY AM
FAVORING THE WARM ECMWF 85H TEMP TREND LATE WEEK. WITH THIS IN MIND
INITIAL PLAN TODAY IS TO GO AT LEAST AS WARM AS THE MEX/HPCGUICE IF
NOT A LITTLE WARMER.

W/V LOOP THIS MORNING OVER THE ERN PACIFIC SHOWING SEVERAL UPPER
WAVES EMBEDDED IN THE SOUTHERN FLOW. ECMWF AND GFS BY FRIDAY TO
VARIOUS DEGREES SUGGEST THAT ONE OF THESE WAVES WILL MOVE INTO THE
PLAINS AS SOME MOISTURE BEGINS TO RETURN AHEAD OF OUR DEEPENING LEE
TROF. 7H TEMPS DO APPEAR FAIRLY WARM BUT THIS STILL LOOKS LIKE OUT
NEXT DECENT CHANCE OF PCPN...ESPECIALLY IN THE WEST. PREVIOUS SHIFT
BEGAN INCREASING POPS FRIDAY NIGHT SO WILL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THIS
TREND. HPC ALSO SEEMS TO BE TRENDING IN THIS DIRECTION AS WELL.

&&

.AVIATION...

AFTERNOON STORMS REMAIN POSSIBLE ACROSS OUR E/SE CWA. FURTHER NORTH
AND WEST HOWEVER THE CHANCES ARE LOOKING LESS AND LESS
LIKELY...ESPECIALLY FOR GCK. HAVE THEREFORE REMOVED MENTION OF
THUNDER OUT OF GCK TAFS AND ONLY INCLUDED CB WORDING FOR HYS.

AS OUR UPPER LOW FINALLY MOVES EAST OF THE AREA TONIGHT A TIGHT
PRESSURE GRADIENT AT THE SURFACE WILL DEVELOP. IN ADDITION
85H WINDS OF 30-40KTS ARE PROGGED BETWEEN 6-12Z SUN WHICH WILL BE
USHERING IN SOME LOW CLOUDS AND COLDER AIR INTO THE REGION. WILL
THEREFORE KEEP THE STRONGER WINDS IN THE TAFS AFTER MIDNIGHT THROUGH
EARLY SUNDAY MORNING AT ALL TERMINALS AS THIS COLDER AIR RETURNS TO
SW KS.

AS FOR SKY COVER...LOW CLOUDS CONTINUE TO BE SLOW TO ERODE THIS
AFTERNOON BUT STILL BELIEVE VRF CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP BY 21Z. THIS
WILL LIKELY REMAIN UNTIL THE STRONG CAA DEVELOPS LATER TONIGHT. PER
BUFR DATA LOW CLOUDS EXPECTED TO RETURN TOWARDS MIDNIGHT AT HYS WITH
9-12Z TIME FRAME FOR DDC AND GCK. FOG DEVELOPMENT AT THIS TIME DOES
NOT APPEAR VERY LIKELY DUE TO STRONG WINDS. VSBYS MAY BRIEFLY FALL
INTO THE 2-3SM RANGE TOWARDS DAYBREAK BUT GIVEN THE LOW PROBABILITY
WILL NOT INCLUDE THIS IN THE TAFS.

18

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
DDC  45  66  39  74 /  50  10   0   0
GCK  43  66  38  76 /  50  10   0   0
EHA  43  67  39  76 /  20  10   0   0
LBL  43  67  40  76 /  30  10   0   0
HYS  48  66  38  73 /  60  10   0   0
P28  48  66  41  73 /  60  10   0   0

&&

.DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TORNADO WATCH 167 IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT ALONG AND EAST OF A
SCOTT CITY TO GARDEN CITY TO DODGE CITY AND ENGLEWOOD LINE.

&&

FN33/18

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 18, 4:22 AM CDT, 11 hours 27 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
422 AM CDT SAT APR 18 2009

KSZ030-031-043>046-061>066-074>081-084>090-190930-
TREGO-ELLIS-SCOTT-LANE-NESS-RUSH-HAMILTON-KEARNY-FINNEY-HODGEMAN-
PAWNEE-STAFFORD-STANTON-GRANT-HASKELL-GRAY-FORD-EDWARDS-KIOWA-
PRATT-MORTON-STEVENS-SEWARD-MEADE-CLARK-COMANCHE-BARBER-
422 AM CDT SAT APR 18 2009 /322 AM MDT SAT APR 18 2009/

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...SOUTH
CENTRAL...SOUTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL KANSAS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

AREAS OF FOG WILL DEVELOP DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. A FEW
LOCATIONS COULD SEE VISIBILITIES TO A HALF OR EVEN A QUARTER MILE
AT TIMES. DRIVERS SHOULD USE CAUTION. ANY FOG WILL DISSIPATE BY
MID MORNING.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL REDEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AS THE UPPER LOW
CONTINUES TO SLOWLY MOVE ACROSS THE PLAINS. SOME STORMS COULD
BECOME SEVERE...WITH LARGE HAIL AND STRONG WINDS. THE
THUNDERSTORMS AND ADDITIONAL RAIN WRAPPING AROUND THE BACKSIDE OF
THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL GRADUALLY MOVE OUT OF WESTERN KANSAS
OVERNIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING...MAINLY EAST OF A MINNEOLA TO LACROSSE LING.

&&

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT OUR WEBPAGE AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/DDC

26

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 18, 1:40 PM CDT, 2 hours 9 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
140 PM CDT SAT APR 18 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0132 PM     TORNADO          5 SW KALVESTA           37.99N 100.34W
04/18/2009                   GRAY               KS   COUNTY OFFICIAL

&&

MRUSSELL

Local storm report, Apr 18, 2:22 PM CDT, 1 hour 27 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
222 PM CDT SAT APR 18 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0210 PM     TORNADO          1 SE KALVESTA           38.04N 100.27W
04/18/2009                   FINNEY             KS   NWS EMPLOYEE

            TWO TORNADOES OBSERVED JUST 1 MILE SE OF KALVESTA.

&&

MSCOTT

Local storm report, Apr 18, 2:37 PM CDT, 1 hour 12 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
237 PM CDT SAT APR 18 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0235 PM     TORNADO          2 E KALVESTA            38.05N 100.24W
04/18/2009                   FINNEY             KS   LAW ENFORCEMENT

&&

MRUSSELL

Local storm report, Apr 18, 2:39 PM CDT, 1 hour 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
239 PM CDT SAT APR 18 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0220 PM     TORNADO          6 E KALVESTA            38.05N 100.17W
04/18/2009                   HODGEMAN           KS   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TORNADO HIT A HOUSE.

&&

MRUSSELL

Local storm report, Apr 18, 2:42 PM CDT, 1 hour 7 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
242 PM CDT SAT APR 18 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0229 PM     HAIL             3 N SITKA               37.21N 99.65W
04/18/2009  E1.00 INCH       CLARK              KS   PUBLIC

&&

GERARD

Local storm report, Apr 18, 3:32 PM CDT, 17 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
332 PM CDT SAT APR 18 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0326 PM     HAIL             16 SE COLDWATER         37.09N 99.13W
04/18/2009  E1.00 INCH       COMANCHE           KS   LAW ENFORCEMENT

&&

MSCOTT

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 17, 7:44 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DDC	Hamilton, Stanton	46 min
Apr 17, 7:51 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DDC	Hamilton, Stanton	21 min
Apr 17, 8:06 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DDC	Hamilton	42 min
Apr 17, 9:06 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	DDC	Seward	39 min
Apr 18, 12:48 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DDC	Finney, Gray	27 min
Apr 18, 12:53 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DDC	Finney, Gray	52 min
Apr 18, 1:03 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DDC	Finney, Gray	27 min
Apr 18, 1:14 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DDC	Finney	46 min
Apr 18, 1:27 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DDC	Finney, Gray	18 min
Apr 18, 1:40 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DDC	Finney, Gray, Hodgeman	50 min
Apr 18, 2:04 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DDC	Clark, Ford, Hodgeman	56 min
Apr 18, 2:14 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DDC	Hodgeman, Ness	46 min
Apr 18, 2:18 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DDC	Finney, Hodgeman, Lane, Ness	42 min
Apr 18, 2:24 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DDC	Finney, Hodgeman, Lane, Ness	51 min
Apr 18, 2:27 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DDC	Finney, Hodgeman, Ness	48 min
Apr 18, 2:40 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DDC	Comanche	50 min
Apr 18, 2:50 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DDC	Hodgeman	40 min
Apr 18, 3:01 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DDC	Ford, Kiowa	44 min
Apr 18, 3:04 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DDC	Hodgeman, Ness	41 min
Apr 18, 3:10 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DDC	Finney, Gray, Haskell	35 min
Apr 18, 3:13 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DDC	Clark, Comanche	47 min
Apr 18, 3:20 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DDC	Edwards, Kiowa	40 min
Apr 18, 3:24 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DDC	Kiowa	39 min
Apr 18, 3:29 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DDC	Barber, Comanche	47 min
Apr 18, 3:34 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DDC	Hodgeman, Ness	41 min
Apr 18, 3:40 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DDC	Ness	26 min
Apr 18, 5:13 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	DDC	Stafford	47 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Kansas, 2009 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2009

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.