Alert archive / Kansas / Flash Flood Warnings in 2011

Flash Flood Warning 3, NWS Wichita, KS

May 20, 2011Lincoln County, Russell County, Kansas

NWS Wichita, KS issued this flash flood warning at May 20, 2011, 12:19 AM CDT for Lincoln County, Russell County, Kansas. It was in force for 6 hr. 2 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
May 20, 2011, 12:19 AM CDT (05:19 UTC)
Expired
May 20, 2011, 6:15 AM CDT
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Wichita, KS
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Lincoln County, KS, Russell County, KS

The radar

The Grand Island radar (KUEX), 148 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 05:21 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
May 20, 1:22 AM CDTFLASH FLOOD5 Ne Sylvan Grove, KSNUMEROUS ROADS CLOSED IN AND AROUND DENMARK FROM HIGH WATER.
May 20, 3:00 AM CDTHEAVY RAIN 2.35Barnard, KS

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 00:00Z, 5.3 hours before the alert went out and 185 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 00:00Z on 2011-05-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2 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 00:00Z on 2011-05-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 50 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
2 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-22 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2853 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
60 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
50 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
185 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

894 
WGUS53 KICT 200519
FFWICT
KSC105-167-201115-
/O.NEW.KICT.FF.W.0003.110520T0519Z-110520T1115Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
1219 AM CDT FRI MAY 20 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  LINCOLN COUNTY IN CENTRAL KANSAS...
  RUSSELL COUNTY IN CENTRAL KANSAS...

* UNTIL 615 AM CDT.

* AT 1218 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED  
THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS THE 
WARNED AREA.

BETWEEN 4 AND 5 INCHES OF RAIN HAVE FALLEN ACROSS THE AREA...WITH 
ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES POSSIBLE WITH 
ADDITIONAL STORMS THROUGH 3 AM.

WATER WAS REPORTED OVER SEVERAL ROADS EARLIER.  THE ADDITIONAL RAIN 
WILL AGGREVATE EXISTING FLOODING...AND LIKELY CAUSE MORE ROADS TO 
FLOOD.  ANYONE IN LOW-LYING OR FLOOD PRONE AREAS SHOULD SEEK HIGHER 
GROUND.  

THE HIGHEST RAINFALL AND THE GREATEST FLOODING THREAT IS IN AN AREA 
FROM ASH GROVE AND SYLVAN GROVE TO BUNKER HILL.  THIS ALSO INCLUDES 
WILSON LAKE AND LUCAS.  ANYONE IN LOW-LYING OR FLOOD PRONE AREAS 
SHOULD SEEK HIGHER GROUND.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF URBAN
AREAS...HIGHWAYS AND UNDERPASSES. ADDITIONALLY...RURAL COUNTRY ROADS
AND FARMLANDS ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS...STREAMS AND OTHER LOW LYING
AREAS ARE SUBJECT TO FLOODING.

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODING. IF FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT QUICKLY. MOVE UP TO
HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO
FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.

IN HILLY TERRAIN THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF LOW WATER CROSSINGS WHICH ARE
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IN HEAVY RAIN. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TRAVEL ACROSS
FLOODED ROADS. FIND ALTERNATE ROUTES. IT ONLY TAKES A FEW INCHES OF
SWIFTLY FLOWING WATER TO CARRY VEHICLES AWAY.

TO REPORT FLOODING...HAVE THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY RELAY
YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN
WICHITA.
&&

LAT...LON 3922 9793 3903 9793 3887 9831 3887 9848
      3869 9849 3869 9905 3880 9905 3914 9885
      3914 9850 3923 9849

$$

HOWERTON
2 follow-up statements
920 
WGUS73 KICT 200638
FFSICT

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
138 AM CDT FRI MAY 20 2011

KSC105-167-201115-
/O.CON.KICT.FF.W.0003.000000T0000Z-110520T1115Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
RUSSELL KS-LINCOLN KS-
138 AM CDT FRI MAY 20 2011

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 615 AM CDT FOR
LINCOLN AND RUSSELL COUNTIES...

AT 133 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO 
INDICATE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN OVER THE WARNED 
AREA.

AT 133 AM CDT...LINCOLN COUNTY SHERIFF REPORTED NUMEROUS ROADS WERE 
CLOSED DUE TO HIGH WATER NORTHEAST OF SYLVAN GROVE NEAR DENMARK AND 
THE TOWN OF DENMARK REPORTED FLOODING IN TOWN. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODING. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT QUICKLY. MOVE
UP TO HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY IN AREAS
SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.

IN HILLY TERRAIN THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF LOW WATER CROSSINGS WHICH ARE
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IN HEAVY RAIN. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TRAVEL ACROSS
FLOODED ROADS. FIND ALTERNATE ROUTES. IT ONLY TAKES A FEW INCHES OF
SWIFTLY FLOWING WATER TO CARRY VEHICLES AWAY.

&&

LAT...LON 3922 9793 3903 9793 3887 9831 3887 9848
      3869 9849 3869 9905 3880 9905 3914 9885
      3914 9850 3923 9849

$$
538 
WGUS73 KICT 200707
FFSICT

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
207 AM CDT FRI MAY 20 2011

KSC105-167-201115-
/O.CON.KICT.FF.W.0003.000000T0000Z-110520T1115Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
RUSSELL KS-LINCOLN KS-
207 AM CDT FRI MAY 20 2011

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 615 AM CDT FOR
LINCOLN AND RUSSELL COUNTIES...

AT 205 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATED 
AROUND 7 INCHES OF RAIN HAS OCCURRED IN THE AREA BETWEEN BUNKER 
HILL...WILSON LAKE AND LUCAS...WITH 5 TO 7 INCHES NORTHEAST TO ASH 
GROVE AND SYLVAN GROVE. AN ADDITIONAL INCH OF RAIN IS POSSIBLE 
ACROSS THE LINCOLN COUNTY OVERNIGHT. 

LINCOLN COUNTY SHERIFF REPORTED NUMEROUS ROADS WERE CLOSED DUE TO 
HIGH WATER NORTHEAST OF SYLVAN GROVE NEAR DENMARK...WITH FLOODING IN 
THE TOWN OF DENMARK. AT LEAST ONE COUNTY ROAD WAS PARTIALLY WASHED 
OUT WITH THE EARLIER STORMS SOUTH OF LURAY. SIGNIFICANT RUNOFF IS 
LIKELY ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. LOW WATER CROSSING AND FLOOD PRONE 
AREAS HAVE LIKELY FLOODED. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODING. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT QUICKLY. MOVE
UP TO HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY IN AREAS
SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.

IN HILLY TERRAIN THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF LOW WATER CROSSINGS WHICH ARE
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IN HEAVY RAIN. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TRAVEL ACROSS
FLOODED ROADS. FIND ALTERNATE ROUTES. IT ONLY TAKES A FEW INCHES OF
SWIFTLY FLOWING WATER TO CARRY VEHICLES AWAY.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING. 
RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE 
PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. 

TO REPORT FLOODING...HAVE THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY RELAY
YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN
WICHITA.

&&

LAT...LON 3922 9793 3903 9793 3887 9831 3887 9848
      3869 9849 3869 9905 3880 9905 3914 9885
      3914 9850 3923 9849

$$

HOWERTON

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 19, 7:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTLincoln26 min
May 19, 9:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTBarton, Russell32 min
May 19, 9:36 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningICTLincoln4 days
May 19, 9:38 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningICTLincoln24 hr
May 19, 11:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTBarton, Russell44 min
May 19, 11:59 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningICTLincoln, Russell39 min
May 19, 11:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTEllsworth, Lincoln, Russell61 min
May 20, 5:44 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningICTLincoln, Russell25 hr
May 20, 5:58 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTReno62 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Kansas, 2011Every flash flood warning in 2011

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.