Alert archive / Kansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2021

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 180, NWS Topeka, KS

December 15, 20215 counties in Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Dec 15, 2021, 4:20 PM CST for 5 counties in Kansas. It was in force for 40 min. 4 reports 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
Dec 15, 2021, 4:20 PM CST (22:20 UTC)
Expired
Dec 15, 2021, 5:00 PM CST
In force
40 min
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS
Area
Storm-based polygon
Damage threat
Destructive
Hail
0.75 in
Wind
80.0 mph

Counties Lyon County, KS, Morris County, KS, Osage County, KS, Shawnee County, KS, Wabaunsee County, KS

The radar

The Topeka radar (KTWX), 33 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:23 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
Dec 15, 4:50 PM CSTTSTM WND DMG7 Wsw Topeka, KSDELAYED REPORT FROM MPING: 1-INCH TREE LIMBS BROKEN; SHINGLES BLOWN OFF.
Dec 15, 4:59 PM CSTTSTM WND DMG6 Wsw Topeka, KSDELAYED REPORT: 8 INCH TREE LIMB DOWN. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
Dec 15, 5:00 PM CSTTSTM WND DMG2 S Topeka, KSDELAYED REPORT FROM MPING: 3-INCH TREE LIMBS BROKEN; POWER POLES BROKEN.
Dec 15, 5:04 PM CSTTSTM WND GST 643 Ene Topeka, KSASOS STATION KTOP TOPEKA.

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
Dec 15, 3:18 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 12:00Z, 10.3 hours before the alert went out and 48 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 2021-12-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Topeka, KS at 12:00Z on 2021-12-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 466 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1036 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
51 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
466 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
477 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

208 
WUUS53 KTOP 152220
SVRTOP
KSC111-127-139-177-197-152300-
/O.NEW.KTOP.SV.W.0180.211215T2220Z-211215T2300Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service Topeka KS
420 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

The National Weather Service in Topeka has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
  Southeastern Morris County in east central Kansas...
  Southern Shawnee County in east central Kansas...
  Wabaunsee County in east central Kansas...
  Northwestern Osage County in east central Kansas...
  Northern Lyon County in east central Kansas...

* Until 500 PM CST.

* At 418 PM CST, severe thunderstorms were located along a line
  extending from 4 miles northwest of McFarland to 5 miles east of
  Alta Vista to 7 miles west of Dunlap, moving east at 50 mph.

  THESE ARE DESTRUCTIVE STORMS!

  HAZARD...80 mph wind gusts.

  SOURCE...Trained weather spotters. Spotters have reported wind 
           damage and winds in excess of 80 mph with these storms. 

  IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
           shelter. Mobile homes will be heavily damaged. Expect 
           considerable damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles. 
           Extensive tree damage and power outages are likely.

* Locations impacted include...
  Topeka, Osage City, Council Grove, Alma, Eskridge, Dover, Auburn,
  Burlingame, Harveyville, Allen, Admire, Bushong, Dunlap, Pauline
  and Keene.

This includes the following highways...
 Interstate 70 between mile markers 346 and 355.
 Kansas Turnpike between mile markers 137 and 182.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

This is an EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION. These storms are producing 
widespread wind damage across the warned area. SEEK SHELTER NOW 
inside a sturdy structure and stay away from windows!

&&

LAT...LON 3855 9589 3851 9635 3852 9635 3852 9653
      3902 9636 3909 9560 3906 9559
TIME...MOT...LOC 2218Z 253DEG 46KT 3910 9631 3884 9639 3854 9649 

THUNDERSTORM DAMAGE THREAT...DESTRUCTIVE
HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN
WIND THREAT...OBSERVED
MAX WIND GUST...80 MPH

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 15, 1:57 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threatTOPCloud, Ottawa, Republic48 min
Dec 15, 2:42 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threatTOPClay, Cloud, Dickinson, Marshall, Ottawa, Republic and 2 more48 min
Dec 15, 3:00 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threatTOPDickinson, Geary, Morris45 min
Dec 15, 3:01 PM CSTBlowing Dust AdvisoryTOPClay, Cloud, Dickinson, Ottawa, Republic, Washington3 hr
Dec 15, 3:19 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threatTOPClay, Dickinson, Geary, Jackson, Marshall, Nemaha and 4 more41 min
Dec 15, 3:29 PM CSTTornado WarningTOPDickinson, Geary, Riley13 min
Dec 15, 3:33 PM CSTTornado WarningTOPPottawatomie, Riley15 min
Dec 15, 3:39 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threatTOPGeary, Morris, Wabaunsee51 min
Dec 15, 3:54 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threatTOPBrown, Geary, Jackson, Marshall, Nemaha, Pottawatomie and 3 more51 min
Dec 15, 3:57 PM CSTTornado WarningTOPJackson, Pottawatomie10 min
Dec 15, 4:10 PM CSTTornado WarningTOPNemaha, Pottawatomie20 min
Dec 15, 4:33 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threatTOPBrown, Jackson, Jefferson, Shawnee27 min
Dec 15, 4:35 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threatTOPCoffey, Lyon, Osage40 min
Dec 15, 4:53 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threatTOPDouglas, Franklin, Jefferson, Lyon, Osage, Shawnee and 1 more37 min
Dec 15, 4:54 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threatTOPBrown, Douglas, Jackson, Jefferson, Shawnee51 min
Dec 15, 5:09 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatTOPFranklin, Osage36 min
Dec 15, 5:15 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threatTOPAnderson, Coffey, Franklin, Lyon, Osage45 min
Dec 15, 5:24 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threatTOPDouglas, Franklin, Jefferson, Osage, Shawnee36 min
Dec 15, 5:42 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatTOPFranklin, Osage33 min
Dec 15, 5:54 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatTOPAnderson, Coffey, Franklin, Osage36 min
Dec 15, 5:57 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPDouglas, Franklin18 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Kansas, 2021Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2021

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.