Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 4, NWS Kansas City, MO

May 6, 2012Johnson County, Kansas

NWS Kansas City, MO issued this tornado warning at May 6, 2012, 6:10 PM CDT for Johnson County, Kansas. It was in force for 35 min. 1 report 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 6, 2012, 6:10 PM CDT (23:10 UTC)
Expired
May 6, 2012, 6:45 PM CDT
In force
35 min
Issued by
NWS Kansas City, MO
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
1.0 in

County Johnson County, KS

The radar

The Pleasant Hill radar (KEAX), 48 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:11 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 6, 6:22 PM CDTTORNADO2 Ssw Olathe, KSTORNADO REPORTED NEAR INTERSTATE 35 AND HIGHWAY 169.

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
May 6, 3:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 12:00Z, 11.2 hours before the alert went out and 73 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, Topeka, KS at 12:00Z on 2012-05-06Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1880 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, Topeka, KS at 12:00Z on 2012-05-06The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 286 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
1880 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-240 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
732 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
22 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
286 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
218 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.

186 
WFUS53 KEAX 062310
TOREAX
KSC091-062345-
/O.NEW.KEAX.TO.W.0004.120506T2310Z-120506T2345Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
610 PM CDT SUN MAY 6 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PLEASANT HILL HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  CENTRAL JOHNSON COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL KANSAS...

* UNTIL 645 PM CDT

* AT 607 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A
  TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR GARDNER...AND MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH.

  HAZARD...DEVELOPING TORNADO AND QUARTER SIZE HAIL.

  SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED ROTATION.

  IMPACT...SIGNIFICANT HOUSE AND BUILDING DAMAGE POSSIBLE. MOBILE
           HOMES COMPLETELY DESTROYED IF HIT. SOME TREES UPROOTED OR
           SNAPPED. VEHICLES WILL LIKELY BE THROWN BY TORNADIC WINDS.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  OLATHE.

THIS WILL IMPACT

 I-35 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 210 AND 218.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW. MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME...A VEHICLE OR
OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT
YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 3890 9476 3879 9476 3881 9490 3887 9489
TIME...MOT...LOC 2310Z 255DEG 7KT 3884 9486

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.00IN

$$

DEROCHE
3 follow-up statements
696 
WWUS53 KEAX 062323
SVSEAX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
623 PM CDT SUN MAY 6 2012

KSC091-062345-
/O.CON.KEAX.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-120506T2345Z/
JOHNSON KS-
623 PM CDT SUN MAY 6 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL JOHNSON COUNTY IN 
EAST CENTRAL KANSAS UNTIL 645 PM CDT...

AT 620 PM CDT...A CONFIRMED TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR OLATHE...AND
MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH.

HAZARD...DAMAGING TORNADO AND QUARTER SIZE HAIL.

SOURCE...WEATHER SPOTTERS CONFIRMED TORNADO.

IMPACT...SIGNIFICANT HOUSE AND BUILDING DAMAGE POSSIBLE. MOBILE HOMES
         COMPLETELY DESTROYED IF HIT. SOME TREES UPROOTED OR SNAPPED.
         VEHICLES WILL LIKELY BE THROWN BY TORNADIC WINDS.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF CENTRAL JOHNSON COUNTY.

THIS WILL IMPACT

 I-35 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 212 AND 216.

AT 620PM...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A TORNADO JUST SOUTH OF 
THE INTERSECTION OF I35 AND HWY 169.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TO REPEAT...A TORNADO IS ON THE GROUND. TAKE COVER NOW. MOVE TO AN
INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID
WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME...A VEHICLE OR OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE
CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT TAKE SHELTER UNDER HIGHWAY OVERPASSES. AS A LAST
RESORT...PARK YOUR VEHICLE AND STAY PUT.

&&

LAT...LON 3887 9476 3880 9476 3882 9488 3886 9487
TIME...MOT...LOC 2322Z 263DEG 9KT 3884 9482

TORNADO...OBSERVED
HAIL...1.00IN

$$

DEROCHE
527 
WWUS53 KEAX 062335
SVSEAX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
635 PM CDT SUN MAY 6 2012

KSC091-062345-
/O.CON.KEAX.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-120506T2345Z/
JOHNSON KS-
635 PM CDT SUN MAY 6 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL JOHNSON COUNTY IN 
EAST CENTRAL KANSAS UNTIL 645 PM CDT...

AT 633 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO
WAS LOCATED NEAR OLATHE...AND MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH.

HAZARD...DEVELOPING TORNADO AND QUARTER SIZE HAIL.

SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED ROTATION.

IMPACT...SIGNIFICANT HOUSE AND BUILDING DAMAGE POSSIBLE. MOBILE HOMES
         COMPLETELY DESTROYED IF HIT. SOME TREES UPROOTED OR SNAPPED.
         VEHICLES WILL LIKELY BE THROWN BY TORNADIC WINDS.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF CENTRAL JOHNSON COUNTY.

AT 622 PM...A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EMPLOYEE AS WELL AS TRAINED 
WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A TORNADO 2 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF 
OLATHE. THE TORNADO HAS SINCE LIFTED...HOWEVER STRONG ROTATION IS 
STILL BEING OBSERVED AND ANOTHER TORNADO IS POSSIBLE AT ANY TIME.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW. MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME...A VEHICLE OR
OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT
YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT TAKE SHELTER UNDER HIGHWAY OVERPASSES. AS A LAST
RESORT...PARK YOUR VEHICLE AND STAY PUT.

THIS STORM HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING TORNADOES. TAKE COVER IN A
BASEMENT OR STORM SHELTER NOW!

&&

LAT...LON 3882 9483 3886 9483 3887 9476 3880 9476
TIME...MOT...LOC 2334Z 263DEG 9KT 3884 9478

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.00IN

$$

DEROCHE
061 
WWUS53 KEAX 062343
SVSEAX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
643 PM CDT SUN MAY 6 2012

KSC091-062353-
/O.EXP.KEAX.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-120506T2345Z/
JOHNSON KS-
643 PM CDT SUN MAY 6 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR CENTRAL JOHNSON COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL
KANSAS WILL EXPIRE AT 645 PM CDT...

THE TORNADO THREAT HAS DIMINISHED...THEREFORE THE TORNADO WARNING HAS
EXPIRED. HOWEVER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT
FOR THE AREA.

ADDITIONAL STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL POSSIBLE...AND A SEVERE 
THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11PM.

LAT...LON 3882 9483 3886 9483 3887 9476 3880 9476
TIME...MOT...LOC 2343Z 263DEG 9KT 3884 9475

$$

DEROCHE

The office that day

Everything else NWS Kansas City, MO issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 6, 11:02 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryEAXJohnson, Wyandotte5 hr
May 6, 4:25 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementEAXJohnson35 min
May 6, 4:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEAXJohnson30 min
May 6, 5:59 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementEAXJohnson46 min
May 6, 6:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEAXJohnson25 min
May 6, 6:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEAXJohnson19 min
May 6, 6:48 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryEAXJohnson, Leavenworth, Wyandotte2 hr
May 6, 6:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEAXJohnson37 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Kansas, 2012Every tornado warning in 2012Tornadoes in 2012

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.