Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 2009

Tornado Warning 5, NWS Dodge City, KS

April 18, 2009Finney County, Gray County, Kansas

NWS Dodge City, KS issued this tornado warning at Apr 18, 2009, 1:03 PM CDT for Finney County, Gray County, Kansas. It was in force for 27 min. 3 reports 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, 2009, 1:03 PM CDT (18:03 UTC)
Expired
Apr 18, 2009, 1:30 PM CDT
In force
27 min
Issued by
NWS Dodge City, KS
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Finney County, KS, Gray County, KS

The radar

The Dodge City radar (KDDC), 48 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:03 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 18, 1:10 PM CDTHAIL 18 N Cimarron, KS
Apr 18, 1:32 PM CDTTORNADO5 Sw Kalvesta, KS
Apr 18, 1:32 PM CDTTORNADO9 N Cimarron, KSSPOTTER REPORTED A TORNADO ON THE GROUND 9 MILES NORTH OF CIMARRON.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Dodge City, (KDDC), launched 12:00Z, 6.1 hours before the alert went out and 52 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 2009-04-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 68 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Dodge City, at 12:00Z on 2009-04-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 77 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
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 
WFUS53 KDDC 181803
TORDDC
KSC055-069-181830-
/O.NEW.KDDC.TO.W.0005.090418T1803Z-090418T1830Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
103 PM CDT SAT APR 18 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DODGE CITY HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  EAST CENTRAL FINNEY COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST KANSAS.
  NORTH CENTRAL GRAY COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST KANSAS.

* UNTIL 130 PM CDT

* AT 102 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 11 MILES
  SOUTHWEST OF KALVESTA...OR 7 MILES NORTH OF CIMARRON...MOVING
  NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  KALVESTA...
  RURAL RESIDENCES OF EASTERN FINNEY AND NORTHERN GRAY COUNTIES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON DOPPLER RADAR...IT MEANS
THAT STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY
ALREADY BE ON THE GROUND...OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY. IF YOU
ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS DANGEROUS STORM...MOVE INDOORS AND TO THE
LOWEST LEVEL OF THE BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF DRIVING...DO
NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER A HIGHWAY OVERPASS.

THIS WARNING REPLACES THE PREVIOUS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING 
ISSUED FOR NORTHEAST GRAY AND EAST CENTRAL FINNEY.

&&

LAT...LON 3820 10042 3817 10023 3786 10031 3789 10042
TIME...MOT...LOC 1803Z 204DEG 11KT 3791 10036

$$

18
2 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS53 KDDC 181809
SVSDDC

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

KSC055-069-181830-
/O.CON.KDDC.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-090418T1830Z/
FINNEY KS-GRAY KS-
109 PM CDT SAT APR 18 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 130 PM CDT FOR NORTH
CENTRAL GRAY AND EAST CENTRAL FINNEY COUNTIES...

AT 109 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A POSSIBLE TORNADO 9 MILES SOUTHWEST OF KALVESTA...OR 9
MILES NORTH OF CIMARRON...MOVING NORTH AT 15 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  KALVESTA...
  RURAL RESIDENCES OF EASTERN FINNEY AND NORTHERN GRAY COUNTIES.

AT 1258 PM LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED A TORNADO 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF 
INGALLS. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON DOPPLER RADAR...IT MEANS
THAT STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY
ALREADY BE ON THE GROUND...OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY. IF YOU
ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS DANGEROUS STORM...MOVE INDOORS AND TO THE
LOWEST LEVEL OF THE BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF DRIVING...DO
NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER A HIGHWAY OVERPASS.

&&

LAT...LON 3789 10031 3792 10042 3820 10042 3817 10023
TIME...MOT...LOC 1809Z 201DEG 11KT 3794 10036

$$

18
000 
WWUS53 KDDC 181817
SVSDDC

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

KSC055-069-181830-
/O.CON.KDDC.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-090418T1830Z/
FINNEY KS-GRAY KS-
117 PM CDT SAT APR 18 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 130 PM CDT FOR NORTH
CENTRAL GRAY AND EAST CENTRAL FINNEY COUNTIES...

AT 117 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A POSSIBLE TORNADO 9 MILES SOUTHWEST OF KALVESTA...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 10 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  KALVESTA...
  RURAL RESIDENCES OF EASTERN FINNEY AND NORTHERN GRAY COUNTIES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON DOPPLER RADAR...IT MEANS
THAT STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY
ALREADY BE ON THE GROUND...OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY. IF YOU
ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS DANGEROUS STORM...MOVE INDOORS AND TO THE
LOWEST LEVEL OF THE BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF DRIVING...DO
NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER A HIGHWAY OVERPASS.

&&

LAT...LON 3789 10031 3792 10042 3820 10042 3817 10023
TIME...MOT...LOC 1817Z 204DEG 9KT 3794 10035

$$

18

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 17, 7:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDDCHamilton, Stanton46 min
Apr 17, 7:51 PM CDTTornado WarningDDCHamilton, Stanton21 min
Apr 17, 8:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDDCHamilton42 min
Apr 17, 9:06 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDDCSeward39 min
Apr 18, 12:48 PM CDTTornado WarningDDCFinney, Gray27 min
Apr 18, 12:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDDCFinney, Gray52 min
Apr 18, 1:14 PM CDTTornado WarningDDCFinney46 min
Apr 18, 1:27 PM CDTTornado WarningDDCFinney, Gray18 min
Apr 18, 1:40 PM CDTTornado WarningDDCFinney, Gray, Hodgeman50 min
Apr 18, 2:04 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDDCClark, Ford, Hodgeman56 min
Apr 18, 2:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDDCHodgeman, Ness46 min
Apr 18, 2:18 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDDCFinney, Hodgeman, Lane, Ness42 min
Apr 18, 2:24 PM CDTTornado WarningDDCFinney, Hodgeman, Lane, Ness51 min
Apr 18, 2:27 PM CDTTornado WarningDDCFinney, Hodgeman, Ness48 min
Apr 18, 2:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDDCComanche50 min
Apr 18, 2:50 PM CDTTornado WarningDDCHodgeman40 min
Apr 18, 3:01 PM CDTTornado WarningDDCFord, Kiowa44 min
Apr 18, 3:04 PM CDTTornado WarningDDCHodgeman, Ness41 min
Apr 18, 3:10 PM CDTTornado WarningDDCFinney, Gray, Haskell35 min
Apr 18, 3:13 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDDCClark, Comanche47 min
Apr 18, 3:20 PM CDTTornado WarningDDCEdwards, Kiowa40 min
Apr 18, 3:24 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDDCKiowa39 min
Apr 18, 3:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDDCBarber, Comanche47 min
Apr 18, 3:34 PM CDTTornado WarningDDCHodgeman, Ness41 min
Apr 18, 3:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDDCNess26 min
Apr 18, 3:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDDCPawnee, Rush40 min
Apr 18, 5:13 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDDCStafford47 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Kansas, 2009Every tornado warning in 2009Tornadoes 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.