Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 12, NWS Topeka, KS

April 14, 2012Clay County, Riley County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this tornado warning at Apr 14, 2012, 8:01 PM CDT for Clay County, Riley County, Kansas. It was in force for 29 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, 8:01 PM CDT (01:01 UTC)
Expired: Apr 14, 2012, 8:30 PM CDT
In force: 29 min
Issued by: NWS Topeka, KS
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Observed
Hail: 1.0 in

Counties Clay County, KS, Riley County, KS

The radar

The Topeka radar (KTWX), 71 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:01 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, 1.0 hours before the alert went out and 116 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.

044 
WFUS53 KTOP 150101
TORTOP
KSC027-161-150130-
/O.NEW.KTOP.TO.W.0012.120415T0101Z-120415T0130Z/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TOPEKA HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  EAST CENTRAL CLAY COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS...
  WEST CENTRAL RILEY COUNTY IN NORTHEAST KANSAS...

* UNTIL 830 PM CDT

* AT 757 PM CDT...A CONFIRMED TORNADO WAS LOCATED 4 MILES NORTH OF 
WAKEFIELD...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 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...
  RILEY AND LEONARDVILLE.

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.

&&

LAT...LON 3946 9691 3944 9677 3930 9677 3924 9697
      3935 9701
TIME...MOT...LOC 0101Z 228DEG 32KT 3929 9699

TORNADO...OBSERVED
HAIL...1.00IN

$$

LEIGHTON

2 follow-up statements

219 
WWUS53 KTOP 150113
SVSTOP

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
813 PM CDT SAT APR 14 2012

KSC027-150123-
/O.CAN.KTOP.TO.W.0012.000000T0000Z-120415T0130Z/
CLAY KS-
813 PM CDT SAT APR 14 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EAST CENTRAL CLAY COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

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

LAT...LON 3937 9677 3932 9696 3940 9696 3946 9691
      3946 9688 3945 9688 3945 9685 3944 9677
TIME...MOT...LOC 0113Z 226DEG 33KT 3938 9689

$$

KSC161-150130-
/O.CON.KTOP.TO.W.0012.000000T0000Z-120415T0130Z/
RILEY KS-
813 PM CDT SAT APR 14 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WEST CENTRAL RILEY COUNTY
UNTIL 830 PM CDT...

AT 811 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 
WAS LOCATED 4 MILES WEST OF LEONARDVILLE...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 
40 MPH.

HAZARD...DEVELOPING TORNADO.

SOURCE...WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED FUNNEL CLOUD.

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 RILEY COUNTY.

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.

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

&&

LAT...LON 3937 9677 3932 9696 3940 9696 3946 9691
      3946 9688 3945 9688 3945 9685 3944 9677
TIME...MOT...LOC 0113Z 226DEG 33KT 3938 9689

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

LEIGHTON

236 
WWUS53 KTOP 150124
SVSTOP

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
824 PM CDT SAT APR 14 2012

KSC161-150134-
/O.EXP.KTOP.TO.W.0012.000000T0000Z-120415T0130Z/
RILEY KS-
824 PM CDT SAT APR 14 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR WEST CENTRAL RILEY COUNTY WILL EXPIRE AT
830 PM CDT...

THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS WEAKENED BELOW SEVERE
LIMITS...AND NO LONGER POSES AN IMMEDIATE THREAT TO LIFE OR PROPERTY.

ADDITIONAL STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL POSSIBLE...AND A TORNADO 
WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 200 AM CDT SUNDAY.

LAT...LON 3937 9677 3932 9696 3940 9696 3946 9691
      3946 9688 3945 9688 3945 9685 3944 9677
TIME...MOT...LOC 0124Z 226DEG 33KT 3945 9679

$$

LEIGHTON

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 14, 7:24 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	TOP	Clay, Dickinson	51 min
Apr 14, 8:43 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	TOP	Dickinson, Morris	47 min
Apr 14, 9:22 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	TOP	Geary, Morris, Wabaunsee	38 min
Apr 14, 11:08 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	TOP	Dickinson	37 min
Apr 14, 11:31 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Ottawa	29 min
Apr 14, 11:36 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Clay, Dickinson, Geary, Riley	20 min
Apr 14, 11:48 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	TOP	Lyon	42 min
Apr 15, 12:00 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Clay, Dickinson, Ottawa	45 min
Apr 15, 12:41 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Clay, Dickinson, Geary, Riley	49 min
Apr 15, 12:47 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	TOP	Clay, Dickinson, Geary, Riley	28 min
Apr 15, 12:52 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Brown, Marshall, Nemaha, Pottawatomie	38 min
Apr 15, 1:15 AM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	TOP	Pottawatomie, Riley	15 min
Apr 15, 1:30 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	TOP	Marshall, Nemaha, Pottawatomie	30 min
Apr 15, 1:38 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Clay, Riley, Washington	37 min
Apr 15, 1:51 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Jackson, Marshall, Nemaha, Pottawatomie	34 min
Apr 15, 2:13 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Marshall, Pottawatomie, Riley	24 min
Apr 15, 3:15 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	TOP	Wabaunsee	15 min
Apr 15, 3:24 AM CDT	Wind Advisory	TOP	Anderson, Brown, Clay, Cloud, Coffey, Dickinson and 17 more	17 hr
Apr 15, 3:30 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	TOP	Jackson, Shawnee	30 min
Apr 15, 3:59 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	TOP	Jefferson	31 min
Apr 15, 4:13 AM CDT	Areal Flood Warning	TOP	Nemaha	3 hr
Apr 15, 4:22 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	TOP	Riley	15 hr
Apr 15, 5:06 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	TOP	Anderson, Coffey, Douglas, Franklin, Osage	54 min
Apr 15, 7:40 AM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	TOP	Clay, Dickinson, Ottawa	2 hr
Apr 15, 7:53 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	TOP	Clay	7 hr
Apr 15, 8:32 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	TOP	Marshall	7 hr
Apr 15, 9:29 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	TOP	Cloud	4 hr
Apr 15, 9:45 AM CDT	Areal Flood Warning	TOP	Clay	3 hr

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.