Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 2009

Tornado Warning 14, NWS Goodland, KS

June 15, 2009Decatur County, Graham County, Sheridan County, Kansas

NWS Goodland, KS issued this tornado warning at Jun 15, 2009, 9:13 PM CDT for Decatur County, Graham County, Sheridan County, Kansas. It was in force for 24 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: Jun 15, 2009, 9:13 PM CDT (02:13 UTC)
Expired: Jun 15, 2009, 9:37 PM CDT
In force: 24 min
Issued by: NWS Goodland, KS
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Decatur County, KS, Graham County, KS, Sheridan County, KS

The radar

The Goodland radar (KGLD), 126 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:14 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 tornado 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
Jun 15, 3:34 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

N. Platte/Lee Bi, NE (KLBF), launched 00:00Z, 2.2 hours before the alert went out and 183 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: 2193 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -1 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 757 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 37 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: -46 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: -1 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: -0.3
Supercell composite: -1.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WFUS53 KGLD 160213
TORGLD
KSC039-065-179-160300-
/O.NEW.KGLD.TO.W.0014.090616T0213Z-090616T0300Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
913 PM CDT MON JUN 15 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GOODLAND HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHEASTERN DECATUR COUNTY IN NORTHWEST KANSAS...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...LEOVILLE...DRESDEN...
  NORTHWESTERN GRAHAM COUNTY IN NORTHWEST KANSAS...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...STUDLEY...MORLAND...
  NORTHEASTERN SHERIDAN COUNTY IN NORTHWEST KANSAS...

* UNTIL 1000 PM CDT

* AT 911 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR LEOVILLE...
  MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  6 MILES NORTH OF STUDLEY AND 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF MORLAND AROUND
  1000 PM CDT...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A TORNADO WARNING MEANS THAT A TORNADO HAS BEEN OBSERVED OR INDICATED
BY RADAR. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO...SEEK SHELTER IN A
SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR AND COVER UP.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT TUESDAY MORNING
FOR NORTHEASTERN COLORADO AND NORTHWESTERN KANSAS AND SOUTHWEST
NEBRASKA.

&&

LAT...LON 3956 10017 3952 9997 3929 10008 3948 10059
      3964 10051
TIME...MOT...LOC 0213Z 291DEG 18KT 3953 10044

$$

BULLER

1 follow-up statement

000 
WWUS53 KGLD 160237
SVSGLD

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
937 PM CDT MON JUN 15 2009

KSC039-065-179-160248-
/O.CAN.KGLD.TO.W.0014.000000T0000Z-090616T0300Z/
DECATUR KS-SHERIDAN KS-GRAHAM KS-
937 PM CDT MON JUN 15 2009

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHWESTERN GRAHAM...NORTHEASTERN
SHERIDAN AND SOUTHEASTERN DECATUR COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

THUNDERSTORMS HAVE WEAKENED AND NO LONGER APPEAR CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
SEVERE WEATHER.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT TUESDAY MORNING
FOR NORTHEASTERN COLORADO AND NORTHWESTERN KANSAS AND SOUTHWEST
NEBRASKA.

LAT...LON 3956 10017 3952 9997 3929 10008 3948 10059
      3964 10051
TIME...MOT...LOC 0238Z 291DEG 18KT 3949 10029

$$

LOCKHART

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Goodland, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Jun 15, 6:25 PM CDT, 2 hours 48 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 15, 6:25 PM CDT, 2 hours 48 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
525 PM MDT MON JUN 15 2009

.DISCUSSION...
230 PM MDT MON JUN 15 2009

MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS ARE THE POSSIBILITIES OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
TONIGHT WITH LINGERING CHANCES OF THUNDERSTORMS THE NEXT COUPLE OF
DAYS.

AMAZINGLY HIGH WIDESPREAD DEWPOINTS WELL INTO THE 60S ACROSS
NORTHWEST KANSAS EXTEND INTO FAR EASTERN COLORADO AND SOUTHWEST
NEBRASKA. THAT MOISTURE COMBINED WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES MAINLY IN
THE 80S WILL PRODUCE A VERY UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE THAT WILL BE RIPE
FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT TODAY. A SHORT WAVE TROUGH LIFTS OUT
ACROSS THE CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS THIS AFTERNOON TO ASSIST
THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT. WITH A SURFACE STATIONARY FRONT ACROSS
THE FORECAST AREA AS A FOCUS WITH PLENTY OF SHEAR ALSO
AVAILABLE...EXPECT THUNDERSTORMS TO BECOME SEVERE THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING. THERE WILL BE LINGERING POSSIBILITIES OF
THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING ADDITIONAL WEAK SHORT
WAVES LIFT NORTHEAST ACROSS THE REGION AS THE RIDGE AMPLIFIES
WEDNESDAY OVER THE SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL PLAINS. TEMPERATURES
WILL WARM INTO THE 90S BY THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK AND WILL MODERATE
A COUPLE OF DEGREES AS THE NEXT UPPER SHORT WAVE TROUGH MOVES
ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN HIGH PLAINS LATE IN THE WEEK WITH
ANOTHER AMPLIFICATION OF RIDGE OVER THE CENTRAL U.S. DURING THE
WEEKEND.

LOCKAHRT
&&

.AVIATION...
524 PM MDT MON JUN 15 2009

FOR THE 00Z TAF CYCLE...GENERAL VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED FOR BOTH
SITES, BUT CONVECTION DEVELOPING AT THIS TIME SHOULD AFFECT BOTH
SITES AT SOME POINT THIS EVENING, AND MVFR CONDITIONS MAY ENSUE
DURING STRONGER STORMS. ALSO, POTENTIAL DOES EXIST FOR SOME FOG
AND LOW STRATUS SIMILAR TO PREVIOUS NIGHTS. WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO
BE RELATIVELY LIGHT AND VARIABLE FOR TAF CYCLE...AGAIN WITH THE
EXCEPTION OF PASSING CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY THIS EVENING.

GJG
&&

.GLD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
KS...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 4 AM CDT TUESDAY FOR KSZ002>004-014>016.

NE...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 4 AM CDT TUESDAY FOR NEZ080-081.

CO...NONE.
&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 15, 11:30 AM CDT, 9 hours 43 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
1030 AM MDT MON JUN 15 2009

COZ090>092-KSZ001>004-013>016-027>029-041-042-NEZ079>081-161215-
YUMA-KIT CARSON-CHEYENNE CO-CHEYENNE KS-RAWLINS-DECATUR-NORTON-
SHERMAN-THOMAS-SHERIDAN-GRAHAM-WALLACE-LOGAN-GOVE-GREELEY-WICHITA-
DUNDY-HITCHCOCK-RED WILLOW-
1030 AM MDT MON JUN 15 2009 /1130 AM CDT MON JUN 15 2009/

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EXTREME SOUTHWEST
NEBRASKA...NORTHWEST KANSAS AND EAST CENTRAL COLORADO.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE AREA THIS
AFTERNOON. LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN ARE
EXPECTED. VERY LARGE HAIL...POSSIBLY IN EXCESS OF TENNIS BALL SIZE
ARE POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONGEST STORMS.

AN INCREASED THREAT FOR A FEW TORNADOES WILL ALSO DEVELOP LATE THIS
AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING ALONG AND NORTH OF A WARM FRONT
WHICH IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG A LINE FROM NEAR TRIBUNE
EASTWARD ALONG HIGHWAY 96.

AS THUNDERSTORMS MOVE EAST AND INCREASE IN COVERAGE TONIGHT...
LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WILL REMAIN
POSSIBLE. LOCATIONS THAT RECEIVED HEAVY RAIN YESTERDAY MAY
EXPERIENCE LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP TUESDAY NIGHT AND LINGER INTO
EARLY WEDNESDAY. ADDITIONAL CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL ARRIVE
LATE THURSDAY AS A COLD FRONT ARRIVES.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS ANTICIPATED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

JRM

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 15, 7:42 PM CDT, 1 hour 31 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
642 PM MDT MON JUN 15 2009

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

0640 PM     TSTM WND GST     10 SW GOODLAND          39.25N 101.84W
06/15/2009  M60 MPH          SHERMAN            KS   PUBLIC

            NWS EMPLOYEE MEASURED 60MPH WIND GUSTS, ALSO REPORTED
            NICKEL-SIZED HAIL.

&&

GJG

Local storm report, Jun 15, 7:50 PM CDT, 1 hour 23 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
650 PM MDT MON JUN 15 2009

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

0640 PM     HAIL             7 S GOODLAND            39.25N 101.71W
06/15/2009  E1.00 INCH       SHERMAN            KS   LAW ENFORCEMENT

0645 PM     TSTM WND GST     10 S GOODLAND           39.20N 101.71W
06/15/2009  E60.00 MPH       SHERMAN            KS   LAW ENFORCEMENT

&&

024

Local storm report, Jun 15, 7:52 PM CDT, 1 hour 21 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
652 PM MDT MON JUN 15 2009

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

0620 PM     HAIL             10 NW ATWOOD            39.91N 101.17W
06/15/2009  E1.75 INCH       RAWLINS            KS   PUBLIC

&&

GJG

Local storm report, Jun 15, 7:54 PM CDT, 1 hour 19 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
654 PM MDT MON JUN 15 2009

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

0645 PM     HAIL             1 S ATWOOD              39.80N 101.04W
06/15/2009  E1.00 INCH       RAWLINS            KS   STORM CHASER

&&

024

Local storm report, Jun 15, 7:55 PM CDT, 1 hour 18 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
655 PM MDT MON JUN 15 2009

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

0630 PM     HAIL             ATWOOD                  39.81N 101.04W
06/15/2009  E1.75 INCH       RAWLINS            KS   LAW ENFORCEMENT

&&

GJG

Local storm report, Jun 15, 8:29 PM CDT, 44 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
729 PM MDT MON JUN 15 2009

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

0725 PM     HAIL             11 SSE BENKELMAN        39.90N 101.45W
06/15/2009  E1.00 INCH       CHEYENNE           KS   PUBLIC

&&

024

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jun 15, 7:10 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	GLD	Sherman	35 min
Jun 15, 7:33 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	GLD	Rawlins	57 min
Jun 15, 7:45 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	GLD	Sherman	45 min
Jun 15, 8:10 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GLD	Cheyenne, Rawlins	25 min
Jun 15, 8:14 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	GLD	Logan, Sherman, Thomas	17 min
Jun 15, 8:22 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	GLD	Decatur, Rawlins, Sheridan, Thomas	53 min
Jun 15, 8:36 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GLD	Decatur, Rawlins, Sheridan, Thomas	39 min
Jun 15, 9:14 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	GLD	Decatur, Sheridan, Thomas	35 min
Jun 15, 9:40 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GLD	Graham, Norton	17 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Kansas, 2009 Every tornado warning in 2009 Tornadoes 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.