Alert archive / Kansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 72, NWS Topeka, KS

April 23, 20266 counties in Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 23, 2026, 5:18 PM CDT for 6 counties in Kansas. It was in force for 42 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: Apr 23, 2026, 5:18 PM CDT (22:18 UTC)
Expired: Apr 23, 2026, 6:00 PM CDT
In force: 42 min
Issued by: NWS Topeka, KS
Area: Storm-based polygon
Damage threat: Considerable
Hail: 1.75 in
Wind: 70.0 mph

Counties Dickinson County, KS, Geary County, KS, Morris County, KS, Pottawatomie County, KS, Riley County, KS, Wabaunsee County, KS

The radar

The Topeka radar (KTWX), 35 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:19 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
Apr 23, 2:04 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	9 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 12:00Z, 10.3 hours before the alert went out and 86 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: 759 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -225 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 565 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 24 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 307 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 437 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 2.5

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 Apr 23, 2:16 PM CDT, 3 hours 2 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

Severe storms possible this afternoon into early evening as storms develop along a cold front over north central areas and move east. Very large hail, damaging winds along with potential for tornadoes is possible. Flooding also can't be ruled out over areas that see repeated storms.
A brief window for very high fire danger may set up behind the cold front as winds change to the northwest over north central counties and the relative humidity falls to around or just below 20 percent but overall the winds are expected to remain under 20 mph.
Additional rounds of severe storms may be possible late day on Saturday and then again late day into the overnight hours on Sunday. Sunday may be the more impactful storm system but details still remain uncertain at this time.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 23, 2:16 PM CDT, 3 hours 2 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Topeka KS
216 PM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Severe storms possible this afternoon into early evening as storms
  develop along a cold front over north central areas and move east.
  Very large hail, damaging winds along with potential for tornadoes
  is possible. Flooding also can't be ruled out over areas that see
  repeated storms.

- A brief window for very high fire danger may set up behind the cold
  front as winds change to the northwest over north central counties
  and the relative humidity falls to around or just below 20 percent
  but overall the winds are expected to remain under 20 mph.

- Additional rounds of severe storms may be possible late day on
  Saturday and then again late day into the overnight hours on
  Sunday. Sunday may be the more impactful storm system but details
  still remain uncertain at this time.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 212 PM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026

The main period of concern for today is focused on this afternoon
and evening. Currently, the upper low is over the northern Plains
region with a negatively tilted trough and the best forcing
extending into northeastern Nebraska where storms have been ongoing
for a couple of hours. The surface cold front is just west of the
area through north central Kansas into central and southwestern
Kansas areas. The dryline is further south into north central
Oklahoma.

Storms are expected to initiate across the local area this afternoon
but may initially struggle with strong capping sampled from the 18Z
KTOP sounding. Much of the area today has been under a quite
expansive area of stratus but clearing has taken place over western
areas. Perhaps this has allowed for the cap to weaken sufficiently
over western areas. The lift from the cold front should allow for
storms in an area of steeper low level lapse rates to initiate due
to the slightly better and more long lasting insolation that has
taken place. Mid-level lapse rates are very steep so any storms that
breach the cap should rapidly intensify. If the clearing can continue
over the next couple of hours then the low level moisture in place
will allow for rapid destabilization as well. With environmental
southerly flow in place the low level hodograph structures should
allow for support of tornadoes if the winds can become locally backed
with initial supercellular storms but also 0-3km shear vectors
appear to be forecast to become more orthogonal to the any developing
line of storms later as storms grow upscale along the front. Long
story short, expect initial semi-discrete supercells mainly possible
of very large hail and a tornado or two. Then storms congeal into a
line over the next 3-4 hrs as they advance east focusing more on the
damaging wind threat and possible flooding but also QLCS type tornado
potential. The hail threat appears to diminish with eastward motion.
Two concerns with eastward motion is the cap strength combined with
prior resident time of the stratus. What impact does that have on the
evolution of storms remains to be seen but it wouldn't be surprising
to see storms initiate and rapidly intensify then struggle with
eastward progression.

This weekend, the potential for two more quick moving weather
systems move through the area with severe weather impacts Saturday
afternoon/evening and then again on Sunday evening/night. The time
of day the forcing shifts over the area on Sunday will be critical
to the development of any storms as well as the severity.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY/...
Issued at 1213 PM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026

Cigs continue to lift overall and some areas continue to see clearing
but these have tended to quickly fill back in with the inversion
holding strong aloft and continued moist advection into the area. The
trends point to BKN to SCT cigs that remain above VFR levels into
and through this afternoon. The cold front is west of KMHK and will
continue to push into and through the area this afternoon into this
evening. Expect thunderstorms to form along the front by mid to late
this afternoon but should progressively move through so have TEMPO
groups indicating the best time frame with storm potential to impact
terminals. Winds change to the WNW post frontal passage.

&&

.TOP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.

&&

DISCUSSION...Drake
AVIATION...Drake

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 23, 2:11 PM CDT, 3 hours 7 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Topeka KS
211 PM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026

KSZ008>012-020>024-026-034>040-054>056-058-059-241915-
Republic-Washington-Marshall-Nemaha-Brown-Cloud-Clay-Riley-
Pottawatomie-Jackson-Jefferson-Ottawa-Dickinson-Geary-Morris-
Wabaunsee-Shawnee-Douglas-Lyon-Osage-Franklin-Coffey-Anderson-
211 PM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026

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

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight

Severe storms possible this afternoon into early evening as storms
develop along a cold front over north central areas and move east.
Very large hail, damaging winds along with potential for tornadoes
is possible. Flooding also can't be ruled out over areas that see
repeated storms.

A brief window for very high fire danger may set up behind the
cold front as winds change to the northwest over north central
counties and the relative humidity falls to around or just below 20
percent but overall the winds are expected to remain under 20 mph.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday

Additional rounds of severe storms may be possible late day on
Saturday and then again late day into the overnight hours on Sunday.
Sunday may be the more impactful storm system but details still
remain uncertain at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotters are encouraged to report any severe hail, wind or
rainfall amounts over one inch to the National Weather Service in
Topeka.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 23, 4:39 PM CDT, 39 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Topeka KS
439 PM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0434 PM     Hail             5 SE Carlton            38.64N 97.22W
04/23/2026  M1.25 Inch       Dickinson          KS   Public

&&

Local storm report, Apr 23, 4:40 PM CDT, 38 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Topeka KS
440 PM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0437 PM     Hail             3 E Carlton             38.68N 97.23W
04/23/2026  E0.88 Inch       Dickinson          KS   Public

&&

JP

Local storm report, Apr 23, 4:42 PM CDT, 36 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Topeka KS
442 PM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0440 PM     Hail             4 E Carlton             38.69N 97.23W
04/23/2026  M1.75 Inch       Dickinson          KS   Public

&&

ng

Local storm report, Apr 23, 5:05 PM CDT, 13 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Topeka KS
505 PM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0503 PM     Hail             3 W Hope                38.69N 97.13W
04/23/2026  M1.75 Inch       Dickinson          KS   Emergency Mngr

&&

ng

Local storm report, Apr 23, 5:10 PM CDT, 8 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Topeka KS
510 PM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0503 PM     Hail             Hope                    38.69N 97.08W
04/23/2026  M1.75 Inch       Dickinson          KS   Trained Spotter

&&

ng

Local storm report, Apr 23, 5:18 PM CDT, 0 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Topeka KS
518 PM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0516 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     Herington               38.67N 96.94W
04/23/2026  E70 MPH          Dickinson          KS   Trained Spotter

&&

JP

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 23, 1:46 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	TOP	Washington	29 min
Apr 23, 2:24 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	TOP	Washington	36 min
Apr 23, 2:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Washington	10 min
Apr 23, 3:34 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Washington	26 min
Apr 23, 4:03 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Dickinson	27 min
Apr 23, 4:20 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Dickinson	25 min
Apr 23, 4:24 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Dickinson	36 min
Apr 23, 4:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Dickinson, Geary	33 min
Apr 23, 4:48 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Dickinson	27 min
Apr 23, 5:00 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Marshall	15 min
Apr 23, 5:01 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Geary, Riley, Wabaunsee	44 min
Apr 23, 5:08 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	TOP	Dickinson, Morris	52 min
Apr 23, 5:14 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Marshall	31 min
Apr 23, 5:17 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	TOP	Geary, Pottawatomie, Riley, Wabaunsee	20 min
Apr 23, 5:22 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	TOP	Geary, Riley, Wabaunsee	19 min
Apr 23, 5:38 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Marshall, Nemaha	37 min
Apr 23, 5:43 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	TOP	Marshall, Nemaha	47 min
Apr 23, 5:54 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	TOP	Riley, Wabaunsee	38 min
Apr 23, 5:57 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	TOP	Geary, Jackson, Lyon, Morris, Osage, Pottawatomie and 3 more	48 min
Apr 23, 6:01 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	TOP	Osage, Shawnee, Wabaunsee	31 min
Apr 23, 6:08 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Morris	37 min
Apr 23, 6:21 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Brown, Marshall, Nemaha	39 min
Apr 23, 6:24 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	TOP	Lyon, Morris, Wabaunsee	51 min
Apr 23, 6:31 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	TOP	Douglas, Jefferson, Shawnee, Wabaunsee	31 min
Apr 23, 6:40 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	TOP	Douglas, Jackson, Jefferson, Osage, Shawnee, Wabaunsee	35 min
Apr 23, 6:53 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Brown, Marshall, Nemaha	37 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Kansas, 2026 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2026

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.