Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 2009

Tornado Warning 8, NWS Dodge City, KS

April 18, 2009Finney County, Gray County, Hodgeman County, Kansas

NWS Dodge City, KS issued this tornado warning at Apr 18, 2009, 1:40 PM CDT for Finney County, Gray County, Hodgeman County, Kansas. It was in force for 50 min. 6 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, 1:40 PM CDT (18:40 UTC)
Expired
Apr 18, 2009, 2:30 PM CDT
In force
50 min
Issued by
NWS Dodge City, KS
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Finney County, KS, Gray County, KS, Hodgeman County, KS

The radar

The Dodge City radar (KDDC), 46 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:43 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, 2:01 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUD3 S Kalvesta, KS
Apr 18, 2:02 PM CDTHAIL 1.252 Sw Kalvesta, KS
Apr 18, 2:10 PM CDTTORNADO1 Se Kalvesta, KSTWO TORNADOES OBSERVED JUST 1 MILE SE OF KALVESTA.
Apr 18, 2:15 PM CDTTORNADO2 E Kalvesta, KSTWO OUT BUILDINGS DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. ONE SHED AND ONE DETATCHED GARAGE. PART OF A ROOF WAS ALSO BLOWN OFF A HOME.
Apr 18, 2:20 PM CDTTORNADO6 E Kalvesta, KSTORNADO HIT A HOUSE.
Apr 18, 2:35 PM CDTTORNADO2 E Kalvesta, KS

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

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Apr 18, 1:28 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Dodge City, (KDDC), launched 12:00Z, 6.7 hours before the alert went out and 49 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°0°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 181840
TORDDC
KSC055-069-083-181930-
/O.NEW.KDDC.TO.W.0008.090418T1840Z-090418T1930Z/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DODGE CITY HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHEASTERN FINNEY COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST KANSAS.
  NORTHEASTERN GRAY COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST KANSAS.
  NORTHWESTERN HODGEMAN COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST KANSAS.

* UNTIL 230 PM CDT

* AT 140 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 6 MILES SOUTH OF
  KALVESTA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  KALVESTA...
  RURAL RESIDENCES OF NORTHEASTERN FINNEY...NORTHEASTERN GRAY AND
  NORTHWESTERN HODGEMAN 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 WARNING ISSUED FOR NORTHEASTERN 
GRAY AND NORTHEASTERN FINNEY COUNTIES. 

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

&&

LAT...LON 3820 10038 3825 10013 3800 10015 3794 10029
      3796 10039
TIME...MOT...LOC 1840Z 205DEG 16KT 3797 10032

$$

18
3 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS53 KDDC 181854
SVSDDC

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

KSC055-069-083-181930-
/O.CON.KDDC.TO.W.0008.000000T0000Z-090418T1930Z/
FINNEY KS-HODGEMAN KS-GRAY KS-
154 PM CDT SAT APR 18 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 230 PM CDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN GRAY...NORTHWESTERN HODGEMAN AND NORTHEASTERN FINNEY
COUNTIES...

AT 150 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A POSSIBLE TORNADO 4 MILES SOUTH OF KALVESTA...MOVING NORTH
AT 10 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  KALVESTA...
  RURAL RESIDENCES OF NORTHEASTERN FINNEY...NORTHEASTERN GRAY AND
  NORTHWESTERN HODGEMAN COUNTIES.

IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO...THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING 
QUARTER SIZE HAIL.

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.

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

&&

LAT...LON 3800 10021 3796 10029 3796 10039 3820 10038
      3825 10013
TIME...MOT...LOC 1853Z 201DEG 10KT 3800 10030

$$

18
000 
WWUS53 KDDC 181901
SVSDDC

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

KSC055-069-083-181930-
/O.CON.KDDC.TO.W.0008.000000T0000Z-090418T1930Z/
FINNEY KS-HODGEMAN KS-GRAY KS-
201 PM CDT SAT APR 18 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 230 PM CDT FOR EXTREME
NORTHEASTERN GRAY...NORTHWESTERN HODGEMAN AND NORTHEASTERN FINNEY
COUNTIES...

AT 201 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A POSSIBLE TORNADO NEAR KALVESTA...MOVING NORTH AT 10 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  KALVESTA...
  RURAL RESIDENCES OF NORTHEASTERN FINNEY...NORTHEASTERN GRAY AND
  NORTHWESTERN HODGEMAN COUNTIES.

IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO...THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING 
GOLFBALL  SIZE HAIL AND DESTRUCTIVE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS.

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.

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

&&

LAT...LON 3800 10021 3798 10028 3799 10037 3820 10038
      3825 10013
TIME...MOT...LOC 1901Z 200DEG 11KT 3803 10029

$$

18
000 
WWUS53 KDDC 181909
SVSDDC

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

KSC055-069-083-181930-
/O.CON.KDDC.TO.W.0008.000000T0000Z-090418T1930Z/
FINNEY KS-HODGEMAN KS-GRAY KS-
209 PM CDT SAT APR 18 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 230 PM CDT FOR EXTREME
NORTHEASTERN GRAY...WEST CENTRAL HODGEMAN AND EAST CENTRAL FINNEY
COUNTIES...

AT 208 PM CDT...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WITH STRONG ROTATION 1 MILE SOUTHEAST OF
KALVESTA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  KALVESTA...
  RURAL RESIDENCES OF EASTERN FINNEY...NORTHEASTERN GRAY AND WESTERN
  HODGEMAN COUNTIES.

THIS STORM HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING TORNADOES.

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.

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. IF IN A
MOBILE HOME...EVACUATE TO A SUBSTANTIAL STRUCTURE. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

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

&&

LAT...LON 3801 10034 3810 10031 3819 10015 3800 10021
      3798 10028
TIME...MOT...LOC 1909Z 215DEG 12KT 3803 10025

$$

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, 1:03 PM CDTTornado WarningDDCFinney, Gray27 min
Apr 18, 1:14 PM CDTTornado WarningDDCFinney46 min
Apr 18, 1:27 PM CDTTornado WarningDDCFinney, Gray18 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.