Alert archive / Kansas / Flash Flood Warnings in 2011

Flash Flood Warning 4, NWS Wichita, KS

May 20, 2011Lincoln County, Russell County, Kansas

NWS Wichita, KS issued this flash flood warning at May 20, 2011, 5:44 AM CDT for Lincoln County, Russell County, Kansas. It was in force for 25 hr. 5 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, 5:44 AM CDT (10:44 UTC)
Expired: May 21, 2011, 6:45 AM CDT
In force: 25 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 10:43 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

Time	Report	Where	Remark
May 20, 8:20 AM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	6 Ne Sylvan Grove, KS	TOWN OF DENMARK WAS SAND BAGGED OVER NIGHT DUE TO SPILLMAN CREEK OVER FLOWING ITS BANKS BECAUSE OF HEAVY RAINS. MANY SECONDARY ROADS ACROSS THE COUNTY WERE FLOODED.
May 20, 11:00 AM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	Lincoln, KS	SECONDARY ROADS CONTINUE TO BE UNDER WATER ACROSS THE COUNTY.
May 20, 2:41 PM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	7 Wnw Lincoln, KS	WATER ON SPILLMAN CREEK CONTINUES TO RISE, AND IS OVERFLOWING ITS BANK WITH WATER SPREAD OUT ABOUT ONE-QUARTER MILE AWAY.
May 20, 4:38 PM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	1 W Lincoln, KS	EMERGENCY MANAGER REPORTED THAT THE SALINE RIVER IS OUT OF ITS BANKS.
May 20, 4:38 PM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	2 W Lincoln, KS	EMERGENCY MANAGER REPORTS THAT SPILLMAN CREEK IS OUT OF ITS BANKS.

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, 10.7 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-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: 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.

202 
WGUS53 KICT 201044
FFWICT
KSC105-167-201545-
/O.NEW.KICT.FF.W.0004.110520T1044Z-110520T1545Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
544 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 1045 AM CDT.

* AT 541 AM CDT...FLASH FLOODING WAS REPORTED FROM OVERNIGHT   
  THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE WARNED AREA.

  DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATED BETWEEN 4 AND 6 INCHES OF RAIN HAVE FALLEN
  ACROSS THE AREA...WITH ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF UP TO ONE
  INCH POSSIBLE.

* LOCATIONS WITHIN THE WARNING INCLUDE...
  ASH GROVE...BARNARD...BEVERLY...BUNKER HILL...DORRANCE...LINCOLN...
  LUCAS...LURAY...MILBERGER...RUSSELL...RUSSELL AIRPORT...SYLVAN
  GROVE...WALDO...WILSON LAKE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY.

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
      3870 9849 3870 9905 3880 9905 3914 9885
      3914 9850 3923 9849

$$

3 follow-up statements

616 
WGUS73 KICT 201434
FFSICT

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

KSC167-201438-
/O.CAN.KICT.FF.W.0004.000000T0000Z-110520T1545Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
RUSSELL KS-
934 AM CDT FRI MAY 20 2011

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR RUSSELL COUNTY...

AT LATE MORNING...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED THAT EXCESS RUNOFF 
FROM THE EARLIER HEAVY RAIN HAS ENDED OVER THE WARNED AREA. STREAMS 
AND CREEKS IN THE WARNED AREA HAVE RECEDED OR WERE BEGINNING TO 
RECEDE...ENDING THE FLOOD THREAT.

LAT...LON 3922 9844 3922 9793 3903 9793 3887 9831
      3887 9848 3897 9849 3913 9848 3914 9850
      3923 9849 3923 9844

$$

KSC105-201545-
/O.CON.KICT.FF.W.0004.000000T0000Z-110520T1545Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
LINCOLN KS-
934 AM CDT FRI MAY 20 2011

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1045 AM CDT FOR
LINCOLN COUNTY...

AT MID-MORNING...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS REPORTED HIGH 
WATER AND SOME FLASH FLOODING. THE AREA OF MOST CONCERN WAS NEAR
DENMARK...WHERE SPILLMAN CREEK WAS OVERFLOWING ITS BANKS AND 
IMPACTING THE AREA.  

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THE EARLIER HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE TO 
CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS...COUNTRY ROADS...AS WELL 
AS FARMLAND ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS AND STREAMS.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY.

&&

LAT...LON 3922 9844 3922 9793 3903 9793 3887 9831
      3887 9848 3897 9849 3913 9848 3914 9850
      3923 9849 3923 9844

$$

DARMOFAL

113 
WGUS53 KICT 201501
FFWICT
KSC105-202345-
/O.EXT.KICT.FF.W.0004.000000T0000Z-110520T2345Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
1001 AM CDT FRI MAY 20 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS EXTENDED THE

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

* UNTIL 645 PM CDT FRIDAY.

* AT MID-MORNING...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS REPORTED HIGH 
  WATER AND SOME FLASH FLOODING. THE AREA OF MOST CONCERN WAS NEAR 
  DENMARK...WHERE SPILLMAN CREEK WAS OVERFLOWING ITS BANKS AND 
  IMPACTING THE AREA. OTHER SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS WILL ALSO 
  REMAIN HIGH AND MAY OVERFLOW DURING THE AFTERNOON AS RUNOFF 
  CONTINUES...ESPECIALLY ACROSS WESTERN AND NORTHERN SECTIONS OF 
  LINCOLN COUNTY.

* LOCATIONS WITHIN THE WARNING INCLUDE...
  ASH GROVE...BARNARD...BEVERLY...LINCOLN...SYLVAN GROVE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THE EARLIER HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE TO 
CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS...COUNTRY ROADS...AS WELL 
AS FARMLAND ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS AND STREAMS.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY.

&&

LAT...LON 3922 9844 3922 9793 3903 9793 3887 9831
      3887 9848 3897 9849 3913 9848 3914 9850
      3923 9849 3923 9844

$$

DARMOFAL

814 
WGUS53 KICT 202332
FFWICT
KSC105-211145-
/O.EXT.KICT.FF.W.0004.000000T0000Z-110521T1145Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS EXTENDED THE

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

* UNTIL 645 AM CDT SATURDAY.

* AT 623 PM CDT...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS REPORTED FLASH   
FLOODING FROM PREVIOUS RAINFALL...AND ADDITIONAL RAINFALL FROM A 
THUNDERSTORM OVER THE WARNED AREA WILL CONTINUE TO POSE A FLASH 
FLOODING THREAT.

* LOCATIONS WITHIN THE WARNING INCLUDE...
  ASH GROVE...BARNARD...BEVERLY...LINCOLN...SYLVAN GROVE.

AT 623 PM CDT...AN ADDITIONAL 0.5 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN ACROSS 
WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE COUNTY. THIS WILL CONTINUE TO CAUSE FLOODING 
ACROSS THE AREA.  THE SALINE RIVER AND THE SPILLMAN CREEK ARE OUT OF 
THEIR BANKS.  THE SPILLMAN CREEK IS OUT OF ITS BANKS BY 1/2 MILE 
NEAR LINCOLN.  

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL
CREEKS AND STREAMS...COUNTRY ROADS...AS WELL AS FARMLAND ALONG THE
BANKS OF CREEKS AND STREAMS.

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.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY.

&&

LAT...LON 3922 9844 3922 9793 3903 9793 3887 9831
      3887 9848 3897 9849 3913 9848 3914 9850
      3923 9849 3923 9844

$$

BILLINGS

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 19, 7:29 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ICT	Lincoln	26 min
May 19, 9:29 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ICT	Barton, Russell	32 min
May 19, 9:36 PM CDT	River Flood Warning	ICT	Lincoln	4 days
May 19, 9:38 PM CDT	River Flood Warning	ICT	Lincoln	24 hr
May 19, 11:16 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ICT	Barton, Russell	44 min
May 19, 11:59 PM CDT	Areal Flood Warning	ICT	Lincoln, Russell	39 min
May 19, 11:59 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ICT	Ellsworth, Lincoln, Russell	61 min
May 20, 12:19 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	ICT	Lincoln, Russell	6 hr
May 20, 5:58 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ICT	Reno	62 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Kansas, 2011 Every 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.