Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 2025

Tornado Warning 5, NWS Dodge City, KS

May 18, 2025Edwards County, Pawnee County, Kansas

NWS Dodge City, KS issued this tornado warning at May 18, 2025, 7:36 PM CDT for Edwards County, Pawnee County, Kansas. It was in force for 24 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
May 18, 2025, 7:36 PM CDT (00:36 UTC)
Expired
May 18, 2025, 8:00 PM CDT
In force
24 min
Issued by
NWS Dodge City, KS
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Observed
Damage threat
Considerable
Hail
1.75 in

Counties Edwards County, KS, Pawnee County, KS

The radar

The Dodge City radar (KDDC), 69 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:39 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 18, 7:39 PM CDTTORNADO3 N Lewis, KSBeginning of Garfield tornado.
May 18, 7:50 PM CDTTORNADO1 Sw Garfield, KSVideos of the tornado from the broadcast media.
May 18, 7:50 PM CDTTORNADO1 Sw Garfield, KSVideos of the tornado from the broadcast media.
May 18, 7:56 PM CDTTORNADO2 Wnw Garfield, KSEnd of Garfield 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 18, 3:38 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Dodge City, (KDDC), launched 00:00Z, 0.6 hours before the alert went out and 63 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, Dodge City, at 00:00Z on 2025-05-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2754 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, Dodge City, at 00:00Z on 2025-05-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 599 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
2754 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-64 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
616 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
74 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
599 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
675 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
11.3
Supercell composite
45.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

804 
WFUS53 KDDC 190036
TORDDC
KSC047-145-190100-
/O.NEW.KDDC.TO.W.0005.250519T0036Z-250519T0100Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Dodge City KS
736 PM CDT Sun May 18 2025

The National Weather Service in Dodge City has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Southeastern Pawnee County in south central Kansas...
  Central Edwards County in south central Kansas...

* Until 800 PM CDT.

* At 735 PM CDT, a confirmed dangerous tornado
  was located 2 miles northwest of Lewis, moving northeast at 25 mph.

  This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. TAKE COVER NOW!

  HAZARD...Damaging tornado.

  SOURCE...Broadcast media confirmed tornado.

  IMPACT...You are in a life-threatening situation. Flying debris 
           may be deadly to those caught without shelter. Mobile 
           homes will be destroyed. Considerable damage to homes, 
           businesses, and vehicles is likely and complete 
           destruction is possible.

* The tornado will be near...
  Lewis around 740 PM CDT.
  Garfield around 745 PM CDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

To repeat, a large, extremely dangerous and potentially deadly
tornado is ongoing. To protect your life, 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.

&&

LAT...LON 3792 9929 3794 9937 3817 9929 3809 9898
TIME...MOT...LOC 0035Z 212DEG 21KT 3796 9931 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
TORNADO DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.75 IN

$$

UMSCHEID
1 follow-up statement
948 
WWUS53 KDDC 190049
SVSDDC

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Dodge City KS
749 PM CDT Sun May 18 2025

KSC047-190058-
/O.CAN.KDDC.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-250519T0100Z/
Edwards KS-
749 PM CDT Sun May 18 2025

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR CENTRAL EDWARDS COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

The tornadic thunderstorm which prompted the warning has moved out
of the warned area. Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT for south central
Kansas.

&&

LAT...LON 3800 9924 3800 9933 3817 9929 3812 9908
TIME...MOT...LOC 0048Z 219DEG 18KT 3803 9926 

$$

KSC145-190100-
/O.CON.KDDC.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-250519T0100Z/
Pawnee KS-
749 PM CDT Sun May 18 2025

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM CDT FOR SOUTH
CENTRAL PAWNEE COUNTY...
  
At 748 PM CDT, a confirmed tornado was located near Garfield, moving
northeast at 20 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 tornado will be near...
  Garfield around 755 PM CDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

To repeat, a tornado is ongoing. 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.

&&

LAT...LON 3800 9924 3800 9933 3817 9929 3812 9908
TIME...MOT...LOC 0048Z 219DEG 18KT 3803 9926 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.75 IN

$$

UMSCHEID

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 18, 7:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatDDCEdwards, Pawnee39 min
May 18, 7:18 PM CDTTornado WarningDDCEdwards27 min
May 18, 7:28 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDDCEllis, Ness, Trego47 min
May 18, 7:56 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedDDCPawnee34 min
May 18, 8:12 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDDCPawnee, Stafford18 min
May 18, 8:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatDDCBarber, Comanche28 min
May 18, 8:57 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDDCKiowa33 min
May 18, 9:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatDDCClark, Comanche, Edwards, Ford, Kiowa, Pratt49 min
May 18, 9:19 PM CDTTornado WarningDDCClark, Comanche, Kiowa26 min
May 18, 9:32 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedConsiderable damage threatDDCEdwards, Kiowa43 min
May 18, 9:48 PM CDTTornado Warning EmergencyTornado observedCatastrophic damage threatDDCKiowa42 min
May 18, 10:10 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedDDCKiowa, Pratt28 min
May 18, 10:20 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedConsiderable damage threatDDCEdwards, Kiowa, Pratt40 min
May 18, 10:52 PM CDTTornado WarningDDCPratt, Stafford38 min
May 18, 11:23 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedConsiderable damage threatDDCPratt, Stafford20 min
May 19, 1:25 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDDCRush50 min
May 19, 5:13 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDDCScott47 min
May 19, 5:26 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDDCLane, Scott49 min
May 19, 6:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDDCLane, Scott52 min
May 19, 6:50 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDDCLane40 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Kansas, 2025Every tornado warning in 2025Tornadoes in 2025

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.