Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 2021

Tornado Warning 10, NWS Topeka, KS

December 15, 2021Pottawatomie County, Riley County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this tornado warning at Dec 15, 2021, 3:33 PM CST for Pottawatomie County, Riley County, Kansas. It was in force for 15 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: Dec 15, 2021, 3:33 PM CST (21:33 UTC)
Expired: Dec 15, 2021, 3:48 PM CST
In force: 15 min
Issued by: NWS Topeka, KS
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 0.75 in

Counties Pottawatomie County, KS, Riley County, KS

The radar

The Topeka radar (KTWX), 54 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:34 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
Dec 15, 1:23 PM CST	Tornado Watch	SPC	7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 12:00Z, 9.6 hours before the alert went out and 93 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: 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.

365 
WFUS53 KTOP 152133
TORTOP
KSC149-161-152200-
/O.NEW.KTOP.TO.W.0010.211215T2133Z-211215T2200Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Topeka KS
333 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

The National Weather Service in Topeka has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  West central Riley County in northeastern Kansas...
  Northwestern Pottawatomie County in northeastern Kansas...

* Until 400 PM CST.
    
* At 332 PM CST, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located 4 miles southwest of Riley, moving northeast at 60 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado.

  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...
  Tuttle Creek Lake around 345 PM CST.
  Olsburg around 350 PM CST.
  Westmoreland around 400 PM CST.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

This line of thunderstorms is capable of producing tornadoes and 
widespread significant wind damage. Do not wait to see or hear the 
tornado. For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest 
floor of a building.

&&

LAT...LON 3934 9636 3922 9692 3931 9695 3957 9650
      3957 9649
TIME...MOT...LOC 2132Z 239DEG 53KT 3927 9690 

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

$$

Gargan

3 follow-up statements

943 
WWUS53 KTOP 152138
SVSTOP

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Topeka KS
338 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

KSC149-161-152200-
/O.CON.KTOP.TO.W.0010.000000T0000Z-211215T2200Z/
Riley-Pottawatomie-
338 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 400 PM CST FOR WEST
CENTRAL RILEY AND NORTHWESTERN POTTAWATOMIE COUNTIES...
    
At 337 PM CST, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 2 miles north of Riley, moving northeast at 65 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and quarter 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...
  Tuttle Creek Lake around 345 PM CST.
  Olsburg around 350 PM CST.
  Westmoreland around 355 PM CST.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

This cluster of thunderstorms is capable of producing tornadoes and
widespread significant wind damage. Do not wait to see or hear the
tornado. For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest
floor of a building.

&&

LAT...LON 3939 9639 3928 9680 3935 9686 3957 9650
      3957 9649
TIME...MOT...LOC 2137Z 236DEG 55KT 3934 9680 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN

$$

Gargan

624 
WWUS53 KTOP 152143
SVSTOP

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Topeka KS
343 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

KSC149-161-152200-
/O.CON.KTOP.TO.W.0010.000000T0000Z-211215T2200Z/
Riley-Pottawatomie-
343 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 400 PM CST FOR NORTHERN
RILEY AND NORTHWESTERN POTTAWATOMIE COUNTIES...
    
At 342 PM CST, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Randolph, and is nearly stationary.

HAZARD...Tornado and quarter 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...
  Olsburg around 415 PM CST.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

This cluster of thunderstorms is capable of producing tornadoes and
widespread significant wind damage. Do not wait to see or hear the
tornado. For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest
floor of a building.

&&

LAT...LON 3942 9641 3933 9675 3939 9680 3947 9667
      3956 9651 3957 9649
TIME...MOT...LOC 2142Z 288DEG 2KT 3938 9675 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN

$$

Gargan

855 
WWUS53 KTOP 152148
SVSTOP

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Topeka KS
348 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

KSC149-161-152157-
/O.CAN.KTOP.TO.W.0010.000000T0000Z-211215T2200Z/
Riley-Pottawatomie-
348 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHERN RILEY AND NORTHWESTERN
POTTAWATOMIE COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...
    
The tornado threat has diminished and the Tornado Warning has been
cancelled. However, large hail and damaging winds remain likely and a
Severe Thunderstorm Warning remains in effect for the area.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 800 PM CST for northeastern
Kansas.

Remember, a Severe Thunderstorm Warning still remains in effect for
Portions of Riley and Pottawatomie County.

LAT...LON 3942 9641 3933 9675 3939 9680 3947 9667
      3956 9651 3957 9649
TIME...MOT...LOC 2145Z 239DEG 53KT 3942 9666 

$$

Gargan

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Dec 15, 1:57 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	TOP	Cloud, Ottawa, Republic	48 min
Dec 15, 2:42 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	TOP	Clay, Cloud, Dickinson, Marshall, Ottawa, Republic and 2 more	48 min
Dec 15, 3:00 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	TOP	Dickinson, Geary, Morris	45 min
Dec 15, 3:01 PM CST	Blowing Dust Advisory	TOP	Clay, Cloud, Dickinson, Ottawa, Republic, Washington	3 hr
Dec 15, 3:19 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	TOP	Clay, Dickinson, Geary, Jackson, Marshall, Nemaha and 4 more	41 min
Dec 15, 3:29 PM CST	Tornado Warning	TOP	Dickinson, Geary, Riley	13 min
Dec 15, 3:39 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	TOP	Geary, Morris, Wabaunsee	51 min
Dec 15, 3:54 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	TOP	Brown, Geary, Jackson, Marshall, Nemaha, Pottawatomie and 3 more	51 min
Dec 15, 3:57 PM CST	Tornado Warning	TOP	Jackson, Pottawatomie	10 min
Dec 15, 4:10 PM CST	Tornado Warning	TOP	Nemaha, Pottawatomie	20 min
Dec 15, 4:20 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	TOP	Lyon, Morris, Osage, Shawnee, Wabaunsee	40 min
Dec 15, 4:33 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	TOP	Brown, Jackson, Jefferson, Shawnee	27 min
Dec 15, 4:35 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	TOP	Coffey, Lyon, Osage	40 min
Dec 15, 4:53 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	TOP	Douglas, Franklin, Jefferson, Lyon, Osage, Shawnee and 1 more	37 min
Dec 15, 4:54 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	TOP	Brown, Douglas, Jackson, Jefferson, Shawnee	51 min
Dec 15, 5:09 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	TOP	Franklin, Osage	36 min
Dec 15, 5:15 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	TOP	Anderson, Coffey, Franklin, Lyon, Osage	45 min
Dec 15, 5:24 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	TOP	Douglas, Franklin, Jefferson, Osage, Shawnee	36 min
Dec 15, 5:42 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	TOP	Franklin, Osage	33 min
Dec 15, 5:54 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	TOP	Anderson, Coffey, Franklin, Osage	36 min
Dec 15, 5:57 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Douglas, Franklin	18 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Kansas, 2021 Every tornado warning in 2021 Tornadoes 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.