Alert archive / Kansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2023

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 213, NWS Topeka, KS

July 29, 2023Brown County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 29, 2023, 9:37 AM CDT for Brown County, Kansas. It was in force for 38 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 29, 2023, 9:37 AM CDT (14:37 UTC)
Expired
Jul 29, 2023, 10:15 AM CDT
In force
38 min
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS
Area
Storm-based polygon
Hail
1.0 in
Wind
60.0 mph

County Brown County, KS

The radar

The Topeka radar (KTWX), 109 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 14:37 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.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Jul 29, 7:16 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 12:00Z, 2.6 hours before the alert went out and 179 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, Omaha, NE at 12:00Z on 2023-07-29Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1175 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, Omaha, NE at 12:00Z on 2023-07-29The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -25 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
1175 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-237 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
849 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
18 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-25 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
50 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Topeka, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jul 29, 6:15 AM CDT, 3 hours 22 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 29, 6:15 AM CDT, 3 hours 22 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Topeka KS
615 AM CDT Sat Jul 29 2023

...Update to aviation forecast discussion...

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 258 AM CDT Sat Jul 29 2023

Key Messages:

- One final day of dangerous heat this afternoon before cooler
airmass brings a brief break for some Sunday and Monday.

- Several rounds of potential thunderstorms this morning and again
late this afternoon and overnight tonight.  A few may be severe with
large hail and damaging wind gusts.

- Dangerous heat becomes widespread once again mid next week with
continued slight storm chances overnight each evening, especially
north of I-70.

Upper ridge axis centered in vicinity of the four corners region
this morning, while broad westerly flow towards the northern plains
carries several embedded vort maxes into the region.  One of note to
potentially impact our area later today has developed two MCS's
towards northern NE. Models are continuing to struggle resolving
this MCS as it progresses southeast this morning with the NSSL WRF
and 00Z HRRR being the most consistent with current trends. This
complex is progged to encounter an area of theta-e advection along a
frontal boundary over southern NE and may intensify as elevated CAPE
values increase over 2000 J/KG near the KS/NE border mid morning. If
storms are able to reach far northern KS, a few severe wind gusts
and small hail are possible. Activity dissipates eastward by midday,
shifting the frontal boundary near or just south of the I-70
corridor by mid afternoon. Despite highs in the middle to upper 90s
today, dewpoints increasing into the middle 60s near and just north
of the boundary should still translate to heat indices from 104 to
108 in the Excessive Heat Warning area. Introduced low chance pops
by late afternoon along the frontal boundary, generally south of I-
70 where a few cams are developing scattered storms where weak
convergence resides despite lack of strong upper support. Inhibition
is minimal while CAPE values are up to 2000 J/KG. Effective bulk
shear is fairly week around 20 kts, but given how storms became
severe quickly last evening despite the weak wind shear, cannot rule
out isolated large hail and damaging wind gusts to 70 mph through
early evening.

Additional MCS develops off the high plains this evening,
tracking along the ridge axis towards northeast Kansas by early
Sunday morning. Details remain uncertain on location and timing,
but most likely impact areas north of I-70. Instability greatly
decreases below 1000 J/KG overnight so severe convection is
unlikely.

Cooler sfc ridge axis slides into far northeast Kansas on Sunday,
dropping highs to upper 80s near the NE border. Meanwhile along and
south of I-70 is still under the influence of the southerly flow,
warming temps into the middle and upper 90s.  Heat headlines may
need to be considered south of I-35 where heat indices peak around
103.

Expansive upper ridge to the southwest migrates east into the
southern plains early next week, ramping heat indices back above 100
area wide. Hottest days are still Tuesday and Wednesday with indices
from 104 to 110.  Storm chances remain minimal with the northwest
flow track clipping far northern Kansas Sunday through Tuesday
evenings. Fortunately the upper ridge begins to break down heading
into late week as several potent upper waves over the Great Lakes
region surges a cold front and increasing pops Thursday night into
Friday. Highs back in the 80s and low 90s return Friday onward,
welcoming the much needed relief to the prolonged heat these past
two weeks.

&&

.AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Sunday morning)
Issued at 615 AM CDT Sat Jul 29 2023

VFR as light southerly winds veer and become gusty from the
northeast with the passing MCS to the north aft 16Z. Terminals
should miss much of the TSRA, but maintained the VCTS as latest
guidance depicts trailing activity possible through 20Z. Frontal
boundary shifts south of terminals in the afternoon, decreasing
probs for additional TSRA so will leave out mention at this time.

&&

.TOP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Excessive Heat Warning until 9 PM CDT this evening for
KSZ020>024-026-034>040-054>056-058-059.

&&

DISCUSSION...22
AVIATION...22
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 29, 7:25 AM CDT, 2 hours 12 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Topeka KS
725 AM CDT Sat Jul 29 2023

KSZ008>012-020>024-026-034>040-054>056-058-059-301230-
Republic-Washington-Marshall-Nemaha-Brown-Cloud-Clay-Riley-
Pottawatomie-Jackson-Jefferson-Ottawa-Dickinson-Geary-Morris-
Wabaunsee-Shawnee-Douglas-Lyon-Osage-Franklin-Coffey-Anderson-
725 AM CDT Sat Jul 29 2023

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Kansas,
east central Kansas, north central Kansas, and northeast Kansas.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

Thunderstorms are possible across northern Kansas this morning,
mainly north of a line from Concordia to Lawrence. Some of these
storms could be severe and produce wind gusts up to 70 MPH and
large hail up to the size of half dollars.

Additional thunderstorms are possible in the mid to late
afternoon, mainly along and south of Interstate 70. There is some
potential for these to be severe as well.

Afternoon heat indices will peak from 104 to 108 along and south of a
line from Concordia to Holton.

A cluster of thunderstorms may develop and impact northern portions
of the outlook area late this evening. The threat for widespread
severe weather is low.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday

Excessive heat may return to the area in the middle of next week.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation should not be needed today or tonight.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 29, 8:08 AM CDT, 1 hour 29 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Topeka KS
808 AM CDT Sat Jul 29 2023

KSZ009-010-291345-
Washington-Marshall-
808 AM CDT Sat Jul 29 2023

...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of northern Washington
and western Marshall Counties through 845 AM CDT...

At 808 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from near Hollenberg to 4 miles southeast of Haddam.
Movement was east at 75 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects.

Locations impacted include...
Marysville, Washington, Blue Rapids, Hanover, Waterville, Greenleaf,
Barnes, Morrowville, Haddam, Mahaska, Oketo, Hollenberg and Bremen.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 200 PM CDT for
north central and northeastern Kansas.

&&

LAT...LON 4000 9644 3966 9659 3980 9735 4000 9736
TIME...MOT...LOC 1308Z 284DEG 63KT 4001 9701 3981 9726

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH

Gargan
Local storm report, Jul 29, 8:57 AM CDT, 40 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 29, 9:13 AM CDT, 24 minutes before
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The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 28, 7:10 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPRiley35 min
Jul 28, 7:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPClay, Riley26 min
Jul 28, 7:22 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPClay23 min
Jul 28, 7:28 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatTOPPottawatomie, Riley32 min
Jul 28, 7:33 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPOttawa27 min
Jul 28, 7:38 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPDickinson, Geary, Morris37 min
Jul 28, 7:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPRiley18 min
Jul 28, 7:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatTOPPottawatomie, Riley33 min
Jul 28, 8:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPPottawatomie17 min
Jul 28, 8:31 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPWabaunsee29 min
Jul 28, 8:43 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPPottawatomie32 min
Jul 28, 8:52 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPMarshall23 min
Jul 28, 9:20 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPJackson25 min
Jul 28, 9:23 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPNemaha37 min
Jul 28, 9:26 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPJackson34 min
Jul 28, 9:32 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPJackson13 min
Jul 28, 9:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPJackson31 min
Jul 28, 9:46 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPBrown29 min
Jul 28, 9:48 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPOttawa27 min
Jul 28, 9:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPBrown23 min
Jul 28, 10:04 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPJackson26 min
Jul 28, 10:13 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatTOPBrown, Jackson32 min
Jul 29, 8:08 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPWashington37 min
Jul 29, 8:33 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPMarshall, Nemaha, Washington42 min
Jul 29, 9:13 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPBrown, Nemaha47 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Kansas, 2023Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2023

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.