Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 2023

Tornado Warning 13, NWS Topeka, KS

May 12, 2023Jackson County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this tornado warning at May 12, 2023, 7:44 PM CDT for Jackson County, Kansas. It was in force for 16 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 12, 2023, 7:44 PM CDT (00:44 UTC)
Expired
May 12, 2023, 8:00 PM CDT
In force
16 min
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Observed
Hail
0.75 in

County Jackson County, KS

The radar

The Topeka radar (KTWX), 88 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:44 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 12, 7:49 PM CDTTORNADO4 Nnw Whiting, KSA BRIEF TORNADO THAT FORMED FOR AROUND 30 SECONDS, IN AN INACCESSIBLE AREA NEAR THE DELAWARE RIVER NORTH OF WHITING. PHOTO EVIDENCE EXISTS FROM SEVERAL OBSERVERS OF THIS TORNADO, BUT NO DAMAGE WAS FOUND DO THE BRIEF AND RURAL NATURE OF THIS TORNADO. EXACT LOCA

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 12, 5:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC8 hr
May 12, 7:33 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC3 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 00:00Z, 0.7 hours before the alert went out and 69 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 2023-05-13Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 3056 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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 2023-05-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 153 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
3056 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-10 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1151 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
44 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
153 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
248 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
2.6
Supercell composite
16.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

631 
WFUS53 KTOP 130044
TORTOP
KSC085-130100-
/O.NEW.KTOP.TO.W.0013.230513T0044Z-230513T0100Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Topeka KS
744 PM CDT Fri May 12 2023

The National Weather Service in Topeka has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Northeastern Jackson County in northeastern Kansas...

* Until 800 PM CDT.

* At 744 PM CDT, a confirmed tornado was 2 miles north of Whiting, 
  moving northeast at 20 mph.

  HAZARD...Damaging tornado.

  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 thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of
  northeastern Jackson County.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

To repeat, a tornado is on the ground. 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.

Heavy rainfall may hide this tornado. Do not wait to see or hear the
tornado. TAKE COVER NOW!

&&

LAT...LON 3961 9557 3960 9557 3960 9562 3961 9564
      3965 9563 3965 9556
TIME...MOT...LOC 0044Z 224DEG 17KT 3961 9561 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN

$$
1 follow-up statement
330 
WWUS53 KTOP 130058
SVSTOP

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Topeka KS
758 PM CDT Fri May 12 2023

KSC085-130108-
/O.EXP.KTOP.TO.W.0013.000000T0000Z-230513T0100Z/
Jackson-
758 PM CDT Fri May 12 2023

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN JACKSON COUNTY WILL EXPIRE AT
800 PM CDT...
        
The storm which prompted the warning has moved out of the area.
Therefore, the warning will be allowed to expire.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1100 PM CDT for northeastern
Kansas.

Remember, a Severe Thunderstorm Warning still remains in effect for
northeastern Jackson County until 845 PM CDT. 


LAT...LON 3961 9557 3960 9557 3960 9562 3961 9564
      3965 9563 3965 9556
TIME...MOT...LOC 0058Z 224DEG 17KT 3965 9555 

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 12, 7:00 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedTOPBrown30 min
May 12, 7:01 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPBrown29 min
May 12, 7:13 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPJackson32 min
May 12, 7:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPCoffey20 min
May 12, 7:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPJackson, Shawnee41 min
May 12, 7:26 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPBrown49 min
May 12, 7:32 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPBrown17 min
May 12, 7:40 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedTOPBrown35 min
May 12, 7:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatTOPBrown, Jackson52 min
May 12, 8:35 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPBrown25 min
May 12, 8:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPBrown31 min
May 12, 8:59 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryTOPBrown, Jackson3 hr
May 12, 10:17 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPNemaha28 min
May 12, 10:54 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPNemaha36 min
May 12, 11:11 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPBrown49 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Kansas, 2023Every tornado warning in 2023Tornadoes 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.