Tornado Warning 14, NWS Topeka, KS

979 
WWUS53 KTOP 240031
SVSTOP

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Topeka KS
731 PM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026

KSC111-139-240045-
/O.CON.KTOP.TO.W.0014.000000T0000Z-260424T0045Z/
Osage-Lyon-
731 PM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 745 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHWESTERN OSAGE AND NORTHEASTERN LYON COUNTIES...

At 730 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Osage City, moving east at 45 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Emergency management has reported a rotating wall cloud.

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...
  Osage City around 735 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 3854 9599 3868 9600 3876 9577 3850 9567
TIME...MOT...LOC 0030Z 266DEG 38KT 3861 9588 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN

$$

BD

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Topeka KS
632 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 /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SATURDAY/...
Issued at 625 PM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026

A line of storms continues to move east through the area. KMHK is now
on the backside of the line of storms and should see shower and storm
activity end within an hour. Winds should lighten, and become more
variable within 00-03Z.

KTOP and KFOE are both expected to be hit by the line of storms
around 00Z. The line has had a history of producing tornadoes.
Expected winds to shift out of the west and reach 35-50kts as the
line passes. The line and storm activity should end by 0130-0200Z.
Both terminals should then see winds become variable before
stabilizing from the north around 6-10kts. VFR conditions are
expected to hold when the storms pass.

&&

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

&&

DISCUSSION...Drake
AVIATION...GLD

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.

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

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

0519 PM     Funnel Cloud     Ogden                   39.12N 96.70W
04/23/2026                   Riley              KS   Storm Chaser

            Reporter noted rotating wall cloud and
            funnel looking west from northwest Wabaunsee
            County. Also verified with emergency manager
            via photo.

&&

JP

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

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

0535 PM     Hail             2 WNW Frankfort         39.71N 96.46W
04/23/2026  E1.75 Inch       Marshall           KS   Public

&&

JP

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

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

0626 PM     Tornado          1 W Dunlap              38.58N 96.39W
04/23/2026                   Morris             KS   Storm Chaser

            Confirmed by photo on social media.

&&

JP

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

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

0630 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     4 SW Dunlap             38.53N 96.42W
04/23/2026                   Morris             KS   Emergency Mngr

            Roof blown off of home near Kahola Lake.

&&

JP

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

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

0629 PM     Tornado          4 SW Dunlap             38.53N 96.42W
04/23/2026                   Morris             KS   Emergency Mngr

            Time estimated by radar. Delayed report from
            EM on at least 3 homes damaged near Lake
            Kahola from a tornado.

&&

JP

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

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

0654 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     7 WSW Topeka            39.02N 95.80W
04/23/2026  E60 MPH          Shawnee            KS   Trained Spotter

            dime size hail.

&&

JP