Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 2025

Tornado Warning 6, NWS Dodge City, KS

May 18, 2025Pawnee County, Kansas

NWS Dodge City, KS issued this tornado warning at May 18, 2025, 7:56 PM CDT for Pawnee County, Kansas. It was in force for 34 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 18, 2025, 7:56 PM CDT (00:56 UTC)
Expired
May 18, 2025, 8:30 PM CDT
In force
34 min
Issued by
NWS Dodge City, KS
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Observed
Hail
1.75 in

County Pawnee County, KS

The radar

The Dodge City radar (KDDC), 81 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:56 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, 7:56 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, 0.9 hours before the alert went out and 75 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.

310 
WFUS53 KDDC 190056
TORDDC
KSC145-190130-
/O.NEW.KDDC.TO.W.0006.250519T0056Z-250519T0130Z/

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

The National Weather Service in Dodge City has issued a

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

* Until 830 PM CDT.

* At 756 PM CDT, a confirmed tornado was located very near Garfield,
  moving northeast at 25 mph.

  HAZARD...Damaging tornado and golf ball size hail.

  SOURCE...Broadcast media 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.

* The tornado will be near...
  Frizell around 800 PM CDT.
  Larned around 810 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 3805 9920 3806 9928 3828 9930 3824 9893
TIME...MOT...LOC 0056Z 213DEG 23KT 3809 9925 

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

$$

UMSCHEID
3 follow-up statements
194 
WWUS53 KDDC 190107
SVSDDC

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

KSC145-190130-
/O.CON.KDDC.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-250519T0130Z/
Pawnee KS-
807 PM CDT Sun May 18 2025

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 830 PM CDT FOR EAST
CENTRAL PAWNEE COUNTY...

At 807 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 4 miles southwest of Larned, moving northeast at 25 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and golf ball 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...
  Larned around 810 PM CDT.

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.

&&

LAT...LON 3810 9913 3813 9920 3827 9921 3824 9893
TIME...MOT...LOC 0107Z 217DEG 21KT 3816 9915 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.75 IN

$$

UMSCHEID
738 
WWUS53 KDDC 190119
SVSDDC

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

KSC145-190130-
/O.CON.KDDC.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-250519T0130Z/
Pawnee KS-
819 PM CDT Sun May 18 2025

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 830 PM CDT FOR EAST
CENTRAL PAWNEE COUNTY...

At 819 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Larned, moving northeast at 25 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and ping pong ball 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 tornadic thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of
east central Pawnee County.

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.

&&

LAT...LON 3819 9902 3821 9916 3826 9915 3824 9893
TIME...MOT...LOC 0119Z 213DEG 23KT 3823 9909 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.50 IN

$$

UMSCHEID
047 
WWUS53 KDDC 190125
SVSDDC

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

KSC145-190134-
/O.EXP.KDDC.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-250519T0130Z/
Pawnee KS-
825 PM CDT Sun May 18 2025

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EAST CENTRAL PAWNEE COUNTY WILL EXPIRE AT
830 PM CDT...

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 1000 PM CDT for south central
Kansas.

&&

LAT...LON 3819 9902 3821 9916 3826 9915 3824 9893
TIME...MOT...LOC 0124Z 213DEG 23KT 3824 9908 

$$

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, 7:36 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedConsiderable damage threatDDCEdwards, Pawnee24 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.