Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 40, NWS Wichita, KS

April 14, 2012Ellsworth County, Lincoln County, Saline County, Kansas

NWS Wichita, KS issued this tornado warning at Apr 14, 2012, 11:27 PM CDT for Ellsworth County, Lincoln County, Saline County, Kansas. It was in force for 48 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: Apr 14, 2012, 11:27 PM CDT (04:27 UTC)
Expired: Apr 15, 2012, 12:15 AM CDT
In force: 48 min
Issued by: NWS Wichita, KS
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Observed
Hail: 1.5 in

Counties Ellsworth County, KS, Lincoln County, KS, Saline County, KS

The radar

The Wichita radar (KICT), 136 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 04:28 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 watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Apr 14, 5:24 PM CDT	Tornado Watch PDS	SPC	9 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 00:00Z, 4.5 hours before the alert went out and 188 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: 1788 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -2 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 665 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 58 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 401 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 443 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 5.2
Supercell composite: 17.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

247 
WFUS53 KICT 150427
TORICT
KSC053-105-169-150515-
/O.NEW.KICT.TO.W.0040.120415T0427Z-120415T0515Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
1127 PM CDT SAT APR 14 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHEASTERN ELLSWORTH COUNTY IN CENTRAL KANSAS...
  SOUTHEASTERN LINCOLN COUNTY IN CENTRAL KANSAS...
  NORTHWESTERN SALINE COUNTY IN CENTRAL KANSAS...

* UNTIL 1215 AM CDT

* AT 1123 PM CDT...A CONFIRMED TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR KANOPOLIS
  STATE PARK...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.

  HAZARD...DAMAGING TORNADO AND PING PONG BALL SIZE HAIL.

  SOURCE...RADAR 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...
  SALINA...BROOKVILLE...GLENDALE AND SALINA AIRPORT.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 70 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 231 AND 256. THIS
INCLUDES INTERSTATE 135 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 89 AND 95.

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.

HEAVY RAINFALL MAY HIDE THIS TORNADO. DO NOT WAIT TO SEE OR HEAR THE
TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW.

TORNADOES ARE DIFFICULT TO SEE AND CONFIRM AT NIGHT. TAKE COVER NOW.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER CONTACT YOUR NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.
THEY WILL SEND YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN
WICHITA.

&&

LAT...LON 3896 9762 3884 9747 3860 9800 3874 9817
      3897 9793
TIME...MOT...LOC 0427Z 227DEG 48KT 3874 9800

TORNADO...OBSERVED
HAIL...1.50IN

$$

SCHMINKE

5 follow-up statements

134 
WWUS53 KICT 150436
SVSICT

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
1136 PM CDT SAT APR 14 2012

KSC053-105-169-150515-
/O.CON.KICT.TO.W.0040.000000T0000Z-120415T0515Z/
SALINE KS-LINCOLN KS-ELLSWORTH KS-
1136 PM CDT SAT APR 14 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEASTERN ELLSWORTH...
SOUTHEASTERN LINCOLN AND NORTHWESTERN SALINE COUNTIES UNTIL 1215 AM
CDT...

AT 1133 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO
WAS LOCATED NEAR BROOKVILLE...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.

HAZARD...DEVELOPING TORNADO AND GOLF BALL 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...
SALINA...GLENDALE AND SALINA AIRPORT.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 70 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 231 AND 256. THIS
INCLUDES INTERSTATE 135 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 89 AND 95.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

HEAVY RAINFALL MAY HIDE THIS TORNADO. DO NOT WAIT TO SEE OR HEAR THE
TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW.

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

TORNADOES ARE DIFFICULT TO SEE AND CONFIRM AT NIGHT. TAKE COVER NOW.

&&

LAT...LON 3896 9762 3884 9747 3860 9800 3874 9817
      3897 9793
TIME...MOT...LOC 0436Z 227DEG 48KT 3879 9786

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.75IN

$$

SCHMINKE

966 
WWUS53 KICT 150445
SVSICT

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
1145 PM CDT SAT APR 14 2012

KSC053-105-169-150515-
/O.CON.KICT.TO.W.0040.000000T0000Z-120415T0515Z/
SALINE KS-LINCOLN KS-ELLSWORTH KS-
1145 PM CDT SAT APR 14 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEASTERN ELLSWORTH...
SOUTHEASTERN LINCOLN AND NORTHWESTERN SALINE COUNTIES UNTIL 1215 AM
CDT...

AT 1142 PM CDT...A CONFIRMED TORNADO WAS LOCATED 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF
BROOKVILLE...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.

HAZARD...DAMAGING TORNADO AND GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL.

SOURCE...RADAR 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...
SALINA AND SALINA AIRPORT.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 70 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 231 AND 256. THIS
INCLUDES INTERSTATE 135 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 89 AND 95.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

HEAVY RAINFALL MAY HIDE THIS TORNADO. DO NOT WAIT TO SEE OR HEAR THE
TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW.

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

TORNADOES ARE DIFFICULT TO SEE AND CONFIRM AT NIGHT. TAKE COVER NOW.

&&

LAT...LON 3896 9762 3884 9747 3860 9800 3874 9817
      3897 9793
TIME...MOT...LOC 0445Z 234DEG 48KT 3884 9774

TORNADO...OBSERVED
HAIL...1.75IN

$$

SCHMINKE

382 
WWUS53 KICT 150452
SVSICT

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
1152 PM CDT SAT APR 14 2012

KSC053-150502-
/O.CAN.KICT.TO.W.0040.000000T0000Z-120415T0515Z/
ELLSWORTH KS-
1152 PM CDT SAT APR 14 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN ELLSWORTH COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...

THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF THE WARNED 
AREA.

LAT...LON 3896 9792 3897 9779 3896 9762 3884 9747
      3863 9792 3887 9793 3888 9803 3897 9793
TIME...MOT...LOC 0452Z 234DEG 48KT 3889 9764

$$

KSC105-169-150515-
/O.CON.KICT.TO.W.0040.000000T0000Z-120415T0515Z/
SALINE KS-LINCOLN KS-
1152 PM CDT SAT APR 14 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEASTERN LINCOLN AND
NORTHWESTERN SALINE COUNTIES UNTIL 1215 AM CDT...

AT 1147 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM STILL CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A 
TORNADO WAS LOCATED 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF SALINA...AND MOVING 
NORTHEAST AT 55 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 NORTHERN SALINE COUNTY.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 70 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 231 AND 256. THIS
INCLUDES INTERSTATE 135 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 89 AND 95.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORNADOES ARE DIFFICULT TO SEE AND CONFIRM AT NIGHT. TAKE COVER NOW.

&&

LAT...LON 3896 9792 3897 9779 3896 9762 3884 9747
      3863 9792 3887 9793 3888 9803 3897 9793
TIME...MOT...LOC 0452Z 234DEG 48KT 3889 9764

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

$$

SCHMINKE

180 
WWUS53 KICT 150503
SVSICT

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
1203 AM CDT SUN APR 15 2012

KSC105-150513-
/O.CAN.KICT.TO.W.0040.000000T0000Z-120415T0515Z/
LINCOLN KS-
1203 AM CDT SUN APR 15 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN LINCOLN COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...

THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF THE WARNED 
AREA.

LAT...LON 3896 9762 3884 9747 3863 9792 3896 9793
TIME...MOT...LOC 0503Z 234DEG 48KT 3898 9749

$$

KSC169-150515-
/O.CON.KICT.TO.W.0040.000000T0000Z-120415T0515Z/
SALINE KS-
1203 AM CDT SUN APR 15 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHWESTERN SALINE COUNTY
UNTIL 1215 AM CDT...

AT 1201 AM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM STILL CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A 
TORNADO WAS LOCATED 6 MILES NORTH OF NEW CAMBRIA...AND MOVING 
NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.

HAZARD...DEVELOPING TORNADO...QUARTER SIZE HAIL AND 60 MPH WINDS.

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...

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 70 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 236 AND 256. THIS
INCLUDES INTERSTATE 135 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 89 AND 95.

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 3896 9762 3884 9747 3863 9792 3896 9793
TIME...MOT...LOC 0503Z 234DEG 48KT 3898 9749

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

$$

SCHMINKE

822 
WWUS53 KICT 150514
SVSICT

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
1214 AM CDT SUN APR 15 2012

KSC169-150523-
/O.EXP.KICT.TO.W.0040.000000T0000Z-120415T0515Z/
SALINE KS-
1214 AM CDT SUN APR 15 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHWESTERN SALINE COUNTY WILL EXPIRE AT
1215 AM CDT...

THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS WEAKENED AND MOVED OUT OF
THE WARNED AREA.

ADDITIONAL STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL POSSIBLE...AND A TORNADO 
WATCH...NUMBER 170...REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 AM CDT.

LAT...LON 3896 9762 3884 9747 3863 9792 3896 9793
TIME...MOT...LOC 0513Z 234DEG 48KT 3906 9735

$$

SCHMINKE

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 14, 7:12 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	ICT	Reno	37 min
Apr 14, 7:34 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ICT	Harvey, McPherson, Marion, Reno	41 min
Apr 14, 7:43 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	ICT	Russell	32 min
Apr 14, 7:45 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	ICT	Harper	28 min
Apr 14, 7:47 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	ICT	Harvey, McPherson, Marion	28 min
Apr 14, 7:54 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ICT	Russell	20 min
Apr 14, 7:54 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ICT	Barton	36 min
Apr 14, 8:10 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	ICT	McPherson, Marion	50 min
Apr 14, 8:14 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ICT	Barton, Ellsworth, Lincoln, Russell	46 min
Apr 14, 8:22 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	ICT	Harper	38 min
Apr 14, 8:32 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	ICT	Lincoln, Russell	28 min
Apr 14, 8:40 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	ICT	Marion	31 min
Apr 14, 8:47 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observedSignificant damage threat	ICT	Harper, Sumner	43 min
Apr 14, 9:19 PM CDT	Tornado Warning EmergencyTornado observedSignificant damage threat	ICT	Sumner	41 min
Apr 14, 9:30 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observedSignificant damage threat	ICT	Sedgwick	45 min
Apr 14, 9:32 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	ICT	Barton, Reno, Rice	43 min
Apr 14, 10:09 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observedSignificant damage threat	ICT	Sedgwick	51 min
Apr 14, 10:10 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observedSignificant damage threat	ICT	Ellsworth, McPherson, Rice	32 min
Apr 14, 10:13 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	ICT	Ellsworth, McPherson, Rice, Saline	37 min
Apr 14, 10:27 PM CDT	Tornado Warning EmergencyTornado observedCatastrophic damage threat	ICT	Butler, Sedgwick	33 min
Apr 14, 10:38 PM CDT	Areal Flood Warning	ICT	Sedgwick	3 hr
Apr 14, 10:40 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observedSignificant damage threat	ICT	McPherson, Saline	50 min
Apr 14, 10:41 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observedSignificant damage threat	ICT	Butler	49 min
Apr 14, 10:47 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	ICT	Ellsworth, Rice	43 min
Apr 14, 11:03 PM CDT	Areal Flood Warning	ICT	Butler	3 hr
Apr 14, 11:12 PM CDT	Areal Flood Warning	ICT	Barton, Ellsworth, Rice, Saline	4 hr
Apr 14, 11:24 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	ICT	Butler, Chase, Greenwood	51 min
Apr 15, 12:11 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	ICT	Ellsworth, Rice	34 min
Apr 15, 12:33 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ICT	Rice	27 min
Apr 15, 12:48 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ICT	Harper	42 min
Apr 15, 1:02 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ICT	Kingman	43 min
Apr 15, 1:29 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ICT	Harvey, Reno, Sedgwick, Sumner	46 min
Apr 15, 2:36 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	ICT	Butler	39 min
Apr 15, 3:40 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	ICT	Cowley	35 min
Apr 15, 4:03 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	ICT	Chautauqua, Elk, Greenwood, Montgomery, Wilson, Woodson	27 min
Apr 15, 4:03 AM CDT	Wind Advisory	ICT	Allen, Barton, Butler, Chase, Chautauqua, Cowley and 20 more	16 hr
Apr 15, 5:01 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ICT	Allen, Labette, Montgomery, Neosho, Wilson, Woodson	59 min
Apr 15, 6:03 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ICT	Labette, Montgomery	42 min

Nearby

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