Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 2015

Tornado Warning 19, NWS Topeka, KS

May 6, 2015Washington County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this tornado warning at May 6, 2015, 10:39 PM CDT for Washington County, Kansas. It was in force for 36 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, 2015, 10:39 PM CDT (03:39 UTC)
Expired
May 6, 2015, 11:15 PM CDT
In force
36 min
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
1.75 in

County Washington County, KS

The radar

The Topeka radar (KTWX), 122 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 03:41 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, 10:47 PM CDTTORNADO3 Sw Hollenburg, KSRAIN WRAPPED TORNADO

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, 8:31 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Topeka, KS (KFOE), launched 00:00Z, 3.7 hours before the alert went out and 156 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 00:00Z on 2015-05-07Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 498 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 00:00Z on 2015-05-07The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 263 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
498 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-48 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1054 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
31 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
263 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
410 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.6
Supercell composite
9.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

037 
WFUS53 KTOP 070339
TORTOP
KSC201-070415-
/O.NEW.KTOP.TO.W.0019.150507T0339Z-150507T0415Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
1039 PM CDT WED MAY 6 2015

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TOPEKA HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHEASTERN WASHINGTON COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS...

* UNTIL 1115 PM CDT

* AT 1037 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A
  TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR WASHINGTON...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35
  MPH.

  HAZARD...TORNADO AND GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL.

  SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED ROTATION.

  IMPACT...FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE CAUGHT WITHOUT
           SHELTER. MOBILE HOMES WILL BE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. DAMAGE
           TO ROOFS...WINDOWS AND VEHICLES WILL OCCUR. TREE DAMAGE IS
           LIKELY.

* THIS DANGEROUS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  HOLLENBERG AROUND 1055 PM CDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

LAT...LON 3983 9699 3990 9717 4001 9709 4001 9681
TIME...MOT...LOC 0339Z 209DEG 29KT 3986 9706

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

$$
3 follow-up statements
893 
WWUS53 KTOP 070343
SVSTOP

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
1043 PM CDT WED MAY 6 2015

KSC201-070415-
/O.CON.KTOP.TO.W.0019.000000T0000Z-150507T0415Z/
WASHINGTON-
1043 PM CDT WED MAY 6 2015

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEASTERN WASHINGTON
COUNTY UNTIL 1115 PM CDT...

AT 1036 PM CDT...A CONFIRMED TORNADO WAS LOCATED 3 MILES NORTHWEST 
OF WASHINGTON...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

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

SOURCE...WEATHER SPOTTERS CONFIRMED TORNADO.

IMPACT...FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE CAUGHT WITHOUT
         SHELTER. MOBILE HOMES WILL BE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. DAMAGE
         TO ROOFS...WINDOWS AND VEHICLES WILL OCCUR. TREE DAMAGE IS
         LIKELY.

THIS TORNADIC STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  HOLLENBERG AROUND 1055 PM CDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

LAT...LON 3983 9699 3990 9717 4001 9709 4001 9681
TIME...MOT...LOC 0342Z 209DEG 29KT 3988 9704

TORNADO...OBSERVED
HAIL...1.75IN

$$
738 
WWUS53 KTOP 070354
SVSTOP

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
1054 PM CDT WED MAY 6 2015

KSC201-070415-
/O.CON.KTOP.TO.W.0019.000000T0000Z-150507T0415Z/
WASHINGTON-
1054 PM CDT WED MAY 6 2015

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTH CENTRAL WASHINGTON
COUNTY UNTIL 1115 PM CDT...

AT 1047 PM CDT...A CONFIRMED TORNADO WAS LOCATED 3 MILES SOUTHWEST 
OF HOLLENBERG...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

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

SOURCE...WEATHER SPOTTERS CONFIRMED TORNADO.

IMPACT...FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE CAUGHT WITHOUT
         SHELTER. MOBILE HOMES WILL BE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. DAMAGE
         TO ROOFS...WINDOWS AND VEHICLES WILL OCCUR. TREE DAMAGE IS
         LIKELY.

THIS TORNADIC STORM WILL AFFECT MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF NORTH CENTRAL
WASHINGTON COUNTY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

LAT...LON 3991 9695 3993 9711 4001 9707 4001 9701
      4001 9683
TIME...MOT...LOC 0354Z 211DEG 33KT 4001 9700

TORNADO...OBSERVED
HAIL...1.75IN

$$
220 
WWUS53 KTOP 070408
SVSTOP

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
1108 PM CDT WED MAY 6 2015

KSC201-070418-
/O.EXP.KTOP.TO.W.0019.000000T0000Z-150507T0415Z/
WASHINGTON-
1108 PM CDT WED MAY 6 2015

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTH CENTRAL WASHINGTON COUNTY WILL
EXPIRE AT 1115 PM CDT...

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

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

LAT...LON 3991 9695 3993 9711 4001 9707 4001 9701
      4001 9683
TIME...MOT...LOC 0408Z 211DEG 33KT 4011 9690

$$

SANDERS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 6, 7:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPCloud, Ottawa39 min
May 6, 7:12 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningTOPRepublic6 hr
May 6, 7:15 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPRepublic15 min
May 6, 7:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPCloud, Republic37 min
May 6, 7:35 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPRepublic25 min
May 6, 7:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPRepublic34 min
May 6, 7:41 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedTOPRepublic19 min
May 6, 8:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPOttawa40 min
May 6, 8:05 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPRepublic25 min
May 6, 8:20 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPOttawa25 min
May 6, 8:28 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPClay, Cloud, Republic, Washington32 min
May 6, 8:43 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedTOPOttawa17 min
May 6, 8:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPCloud, Republic, Washington53 min
May 6, 8:58 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPClay, Cloud, Ottawa32 min
May 6, 9:04 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPRepublic29 min
May 6, 9:14 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPWashington31 min
May 6, 9:26 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPClay, Cloud34 min
May 6, 9:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPWashington24 min
May 6, 9:50 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedTOPClay, Cloud, Washington25 min
May 6, 10:11 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPWashington34 min
May 7, 12:13 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningTOPRepublic33 hr
May 7, 12:55 AM CDTAreal Flood WarningTOPRepublic6 hr
May 7, 9:07 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPOsage23 min
May 7, 9:14 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPLyon31 min
May 7, 9:18 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPCoffey, Lyon, Osage42 min
May 7, 9:44 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPOsage46 min
May 7, 9:53 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPCoffey37 min
May 7, 10:17 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPFranklin58 min
May 7, 10:29 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPDouglas10 min
May 7, 2:53 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPWashington37 min
May 7, 3:13 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningTOPMarshall5 days
May 7, 3:13 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningTOPMarshall3 days
May 7, 3:19 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPOttawa26 min
May 7, 3:32 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPMarshall28 min
May 7, 3:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPCloud, Ottawa29 min
May 7, 4:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPWashington30 min
May 7, 4:17 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPOttawa28 min
May 7, 4:29 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPWashington31 min
May 7, 4:33 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningTOPWashington57 hr
May 7, 4:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPClay, Washington24 min
May 7, 4:54 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningTOPMarshall, Washington4 hr
May 7, 4:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPWashington10 min
May 7, 5:16 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPWashington29 min
May 7, 5:41 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPOttawa34 min
May 7, 5:54 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPWashington36 min
May 7, 6:06 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPDickinson24 min
May 7, 6:39 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPDickinson36 min
May 7, 6:41 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPNemaha34 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Kansas, 2015Every tornado warning in 2015Tornadoes in 2015

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.