Alert archive / Kansas / Special Weather Statements in 2012

Special Weather Statement, NWS Wichita, KS

May 19, 2012Ellsworth County, Kansas

NWS Wichita, KS issued this special weather statement at May 19, 2012, 4:54 PM CDT for Ellsworth County, Kansas. It was in force for 36 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: May 19, 2012, 4:54 PM CDT (21:54 UTC)
Expired: May 19, 2012, 5:30 PM CDT
In force: 36 min
Issued by: NWS Wichita, KS

County Ellsworth County, KS

The radar

The Wichita radar (KICT), 140 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:56 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Dodge City, (KDDC), launched 12:00Z, 9.9 hours before the alert went out and 174 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: 750 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -566 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1805 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 26 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 161 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 194 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.

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What forecasters said that day

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

NWS Wichita, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before this special weather statement went out at May 19, 3:14 PM CDT, 1 hour 40 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 19, 3:14 PM CDT, 1 hour 40 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
314 PM CDT SAT MAY 19 2012

.DISCUSSION...

SYNOPSIS...SURFACE LOW PRESSURE WAS CENTERED NEAR GREAT BEND AT
18Z.  THIS LOW WAS PART OF A COLD FRONT THAT EXTENDED FROM CENTRAL
MINNESOTA /AND AREAS FURTHER NORTH/...TO THE TEXAS PANHANDLE.

A STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WAS ADVANCING NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS
SOUTHWEST NEBRASKA.  THIS WILL BRING DESTABILIZING COOLER AIR IN THE
MID LEVELS TO THE REGION...CAUSING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO
DEVELOP ALONG THE FRONT.  THESE ARE ALSO A BIG PART OF THE STORMS
ONGOING ACROSS WESTERN KANSAS AND WESTERN NEBRASKA. AS OF
1945Z...THE LEADING EDGE OF THIS CAN BE SEEN WELL ON WATER VAPOR
MOVING ACROSS WESTERN KANSAS.

TONIGHT...
THE FRONT WILL CONTINUE MOVING SOUTHEAST THIS EVENING.  RUC SHOWING
SIGNIFICANT COLD ADVECTION ONGOING WITH THE APPROACHING
DISTURBANCE.  DURING THE DAY...THE CONVERGENCE ALONG THE FRONT HAS HAD A
HARD TIME GETTING GOING AS THE WINDS HAVE VEERED AHEAD OF THE
FRONT.  THIS HAS ADDED TO THE UNCERTAINTY OF WHEN CONVECTION IS
EXPECTED TO DEVELOP...BUT SHOULD BE BY 23Z.  0-6KM SHEAR IS MARGINAL
FOR ORGANIZED CONVECTION...WITH VALUES RANGING FROM 30-35 KNOTS.
THAT SAID...THERE IS ENOUGH INSTABILITY FOR SOME OF THE STORMS TO
BECOME SEVERE.

SUNDAY...THE FRONT SHOULD MAKE IT WELL INTO SOUTHEAST KANSAS.  WITH
THE MAIN UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT FAR REMOVED FROM THE FRONT...ORGANIZED
SEVERE STORMS LOOK UNLIKELY AT THIS TIME...THOUGH SOME SCATTERED
STORMS EXPECTED.

MONDAY-SATURDAY...
HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH TUESDAY. THE
FRONT THAT JUST MOVED THROUGH WILL RETREAT NORTHWARD AS A WARM
FRONT. LEE CYCLOGENESIS TAKES PLACE AND BY WEDNESDAY...STRONG
SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS DEVELOP AGAIN AT THE SURFACE.  THIS WILL ALL
RESULT IN A WARMING TREND IN THE MIDDLE AND LATTERN PORTION OF THE
WEEK.  BY FRIDAY...A DEEP UPPER LEVEL TROUGH DEVELOPS OVER THE
PACIFIC COAST WITH RIDGING OVER THE SOUTHEAST.  THIS WILL KEEP ALL
OF THE SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION WELL TO THE NORTH.

COOK

&&

.AVIATION...18Z TAFS KRSL/KSLN/KHUT/KICT/KCNU

MAIN HAZARDS: WINDS AHEAD OF/BEHIND COLD FRONT...AND THUNDERSTORMS.

S-SWRLY GUSTS 25-35KT WILL PERSIST AHEAD OF FRONT THIS PM/EARLY
EVE. COLD FRONT SHOULD REACH RSL AROUND 20-21Z...SLN/HUT
01-02Z...AND ICT ~03-04Z. SCATTERED-BROKEN LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS
SHOULD DEVELOP ALONG THE FRONT LATE THIS PM/EVE WHICH COULD
PRODUCE OUTFLOW AHEAD OF ACTUAL FRONT. WIND GUSTS 40-50 KT AND
HAIL WOULD BE THE MAIN THREATS FROM THESE STORMS. WILL CARRY TEMPO
TS AT HUT/SLN SITES WITH HIGHEST CONFIDENCE OF STORMS AFFECTING
THOSE SITES...AND VCTS AT ICT. WIND SHIFT TO NW WITH SOME GUSTS
20-25 KT THIS EVE IN CENTRAL/SOUTH CENTRAL KS.

JMC

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
WICHITA-KICT    58  79  57  80 /  50  20  10   0
HUTCHINSON      56  78  54  80 /  50  10   0   0
NEWTON          57  77  53  78 /  50  20  10   0
ELDORADO        59  78  54  79 /  40  20  10   0
WINFIELD-KWLD   61  79  58  80 /  40  30  20  10
RUSSELL         52  77  51  81 /  20  10   0   0
GREAT BEND      53  78  52  81 /  20  10   0   0
SALINA          56  78  51  80 /  50  10   0   0
MCPHERSON       57  77  52  79 /  50  10   0   0
COFFEYVILLE     65  81  59  79 /  30  40  30  10
CHANUTE         64  79  57  78 /  40  40  10  10
IOLA            64  78  57  77 /  30  40  10  10
PARSONS-KPPF    65  80  58  78 /  30  40  20  10

&&

.ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NONE.
&&

Hazardous weather outlook, May 19, 3:36 PM CDT, 1 hour 18 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
336 PM CDT SAT MAY 19 2012

KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-202045-
RUSSELL-LINCOLN-BARTON-ELLSWORTH-SALINE-RICE-MCPHERSON-MARION-CHASE-
RENO-HARVEY-BUTLER-GREENWOOD-WOODSON-ALLEN-KINGMAN-SEDGWICK-HARPER-
SUMNER-COWLEY-ELK-WILSON-NEOSHO-CHAUTAUQUA-MONTGOMERY-LABETTE-
336 PM CDT SAT MAY 19 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL KANSAS...
SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTH
CENTRAL KANSAS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT AS A COLD FRONT
MOVES OVER THE AREA. THE PRIMARY THREATS FROM ANY STORMS THAT
BECOME SEVERE WILL BE HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PING PONG BALLS AND
WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXISTS OVER SOUTHEAST KANSAS SUNDAY
EVENING...AS WELL AS LATE IN THE WEEK. AT THIS TIME...ORGANIZED
SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT ANTICIPATED.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED LATE THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS
PORTIONS OF CENTRAL KANSAS AND DURING THE EVENING HOURS ACROSS
SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN KANSAS.

&&

FOR A GRAPHICAL VERSION OF THIS INFORMATION...SEE OUR
WEBPAGE AT (LOWERCASE) HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/WICHITA/HWO/HWO.PHP

COOK

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 19, 4:02 PM CDT, 52 minutes before

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Local storm report, May 19, 4:17 PM CDT, 37 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
417 PM CDT SAT MAY 19 2012

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

0409 PM     HAIL             4 W CLAFLIN             38.52N 98.60W
05/19/2012  E0.75 INCH       BARTON             KS   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

SGS

Local storm report, May 19, 4:44 PM CDT, 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
444 PM CDT SAT MAY 19 2012

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

0428 PM     HAIL             WILSON                  38.83N 98.47W
05/19/2012  E0.25 INCH       ELLSWORTH          KS   TRAINED SPOTTER

0444 PM     HAIL             SYLVIA                  37.96N 98.41W
05/19/2012  E1.75 INCH       RENO               KS   EMERGENCY MNGR

&&

SGS

Local storm report, May 19, 4:46 PM CDT, 8 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
446 PM CDT SAT MAY 19 2012

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

0445 PM     HAIL             3 E SYLVAN GROVE        39.01N 98.34W
05/19/2012  E1.50 INCH       LINCOLN            KS   EMERGENCY MNGR

&&

SGS

Local storm report, May 19, 4:47 PM CDT, 7 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
447 PM CDT SAT MAY 19 2012

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

0445 PM     TSTM WND GST     3 E SYLVAN GROVE        39.01N 98.34W
05/19/2012  E60 MPH          LINCOLN            KS   EMERGENCY MNGR

&&

SGS

Special weather statement, May 19, 4:54 PM CDT, 0 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
454 PM CDT SAT MAY 19 2012

KSZ048-192230-
ELLSWORTH-
454 PM CDT SAT MAY 19 2012

...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR ELLSWORTH COUNTY...

AT 452 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR HOLYROOD...OR 12 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
ELLSWORTH...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

PENNY TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.

BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IN THE EVENT THE STORMS INTENSIFY AND
BECOME SEVERE, OR A WARNING IS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.

&&

LAT...LON 3870 9809 3853 9846 3864 9848 3871 9849
      3887 9829 3887 9827
TIME...MOT...LOC 2154Z 229DEG 20KT 3863 9838

LAWSON

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 19, 3:26 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	ICT	Barton	34 min
May 19, 3:32 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ICT	Barton	43 min
May 19, 4:01 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ICT	Barton, Ellsworth, Lincoln, Russell	44 min
May 19, 4:16 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ICT	Reno	44 min
May 19, 4:36 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ICT	Lincoln	39 min
May 19, 4:59 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ICT	Reno	46 min
May 19, 5:02 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ICT	Ellsworth	28 min
May 19, 5:29 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ICT	Kingman	46 min
May 19, 5:46 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	ICT	Kingman	29 min
May 19, 5:58 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ICT	Ellsworth, Lincoln, Saline	32 min
May 19, 6:12 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	ICT	Kingman	33 min
May 19, 6:13 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ICT	Harper, Kingman	47 min
May 19, 6:19 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	ICT	Harper, Kingman	26 min
May 19, 6:20 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ICT	Kingman, Reno	30 min
May 19, 6:21 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ICT	Rice	39 min
May 19, 6:42 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	ICT	Harper, Kingman	33 min
May 19, 6:47 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ICT	Ellsworth, McPherson, Saline	35 min
May 19, 6:54 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	ICT	Sedgwick	36 min

Nearby

Special Weather Statements in Kansas, 2012 Every special weather statement 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.