Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 2026

Tornado Warning 20, NWS Topeka, KS

April 26, 2026Douglas County, Osage County, Shawnee County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this tornado warning at Apr 26, 2026, 3:28 PM CDT for Douglas County, Osage County, Shawnee County, Kansas. It was in force for 19 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Apr 26, 2026, 3:28 PM CDT (20:28 UTC)
Expired
Apr 26, 2026, 3:47 PM CDT
In force
19 min
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.75 in

Counties Douglas County, KS, Osage County, KS, Shawnee County, KS

The radar

The Topeka radar (KTWX), 67 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:29 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this tornado warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Apr 26, 12:07 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC9 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 12:00Z, 8.5 hours before the alert went out and 23 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 12:00Z on 2026-04-26Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 54 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Topeka, KS at 12:00Z on 2026-04-26The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 54 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
54 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-242 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
980 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
37 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
54 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
6 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

361 
WFUS53 KTOP 262028
TORTOP
KSC045-139-177-262115-
/O.NEW.KTOP.TO.W.0020.260426T2028Z-260426T2115Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Topeka KS
328 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

The National Weather Service in Topeka has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Southeastern Shawnee County in east central Kansas...
  Southwestern Douglas County in east central Kansas...
  Northeastern Osage County in east central Kansas...

* Until 415 PM CDT.

* At 327 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located near Richland, moving east at 30 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado.

  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.

* Locations impacted include...
  Southwestern Lawrence, Richland, Overbrook, Clinton, Lone Star,
  Pleasant Grove, Clinton Lake, and Globe.

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 3877 9565 3892 9566 3892 9523 3876 9526
TIME...MOT...LOC 2027Z 268DEG 26KT 3885 9559 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN

$$

CP
2 follow-up statements
331 
WWUS53 KTOP 262041
SVSTOP

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Topeka KS
341 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

KSC139-177-262050-
/O.CAN.KTOP.TO.W.0020.000000T0000Z-260426T2115Z/
Shawnee-Osage-
341 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN SHAWNEE AND NORTHEASTERN
OSAGE COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

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

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 700 PM CDT for
east central Kansas.

&&

LAT...LON 3876 9526 3877 9550 3892 9550 3892 9523
TIME...MOT...LOC 2040Z 268DEG 26KT 3885 9546 

$$

KSC045-262115-
/O.CON.KTOP.TO.W.0020.000000T0000Z-260426T2115Z/
Douglas-
341 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 415 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHWESTERN DOUGLAS COUNTY...

At 340 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 4 miles southeast of Richland, moving east at 30 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado.

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.

Locations impacted include...
Southwestern Lawrence, Clinton, Lone Star, Pleasant Grove, Clinton
Lake, and Globe.

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 3876 9526 3877 9550 3892 9550 3892 9523
TIME...MOT...LOC 2040Z 268DEG 26KT 3885 9546 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN

$$

CP
759 
WWUS53 KTOP 262047
SVSTOP

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Topeka KS
347 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

KSC045-262057-
/O.CAN.KTOP.TO.W.0020.000000T0000Z-260426T2115Z/
Douglas-
347 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHWESTERN DOUGLAS COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...

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 Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 700 PM CDT for
east central Kansas.

Remember, a Severe Thunderstorm Warning still remains in effect for
southern Douglas County.

&&

LAT...LON 3876 9526 3877 9550 3892 9550 3892 9523
TIME...MOT...LOC 2044Z 268DEG 26KT 3885 9539 

$$

CP

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado 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 tornado warning went out at Apr 26, 2:26 PM CDT, 1 hour 2 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Complicated severe weather setup tonight. Likely two rounds of severe, one afternoon and another late evening into the overnight hours. The second round will carry the largest severe threat, but large hail, damaging winds will be a the main threat. A few tornadoes will be possible across the southeast counties late Tonight.
  • A few storms may linger into Monday, but severe weather threat mostly shifts to our east.
  • Cooler pattern arrives for the rest of the week behind Monday's cold front. A few chances for light rain by mid week.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 26, 2:26 PM CDT, 1 hour 2 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Topeka KS
226 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Complicated severe weather setup tonight. Likely two rounds of
  severe, one afternoon and another late evening into the overnight
  hours. The second round will carry the largest severe threat, but
  large hail, damaging winds will be a the main threat. A few
  tornadoes will be possible across the southeast counties late
  Tonight.

- A few storms may linger into Monday, but severe weather threat
mostly shifts to our east.

- Cooler pattern arrives for the rest of the week behind Monday's
  cold front. A few chances for light rain by mid week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 201 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

Early this afternoon water vapor satellite showed an upper level
trough across the Four Corners region.

A complex surface pattern showed a cold front extending south-
southwest from central NE into northwest OK. A warm front was located
from Alva, OK, east-northeast across northern OK, just south of the
KS/OK border.

Currently a QLCS was located across Dickinson County, southward to
Newton KS.  This QLCS will move east-northeast across much of east
central KS and portions of northeast KS through the mid and late
afternoon hours. Additionally, elevated storms may produce quarter
size hail across the northern counties of the CWA.

There is a component of 0-3KM shear vector perpendicular to the line
of storms may provide a low chance for weak and brief meso vortex
tornadoes as this line moves into a slightly more favorable
environment across east central and portions of northeast KS.
However, the primary threat with this QLCS will be damaging wind
gusts and large hail

The QLCS should exit the CWA after 4 PM and we may see a break in
the thunderstorm activity through much of the evening hours.

The cold front across western KS is not showing signs of frontolysis
and the newer CAMs are showing a surface low developing across
northwest OK and tracking northeast to ICT, then northeast into
the far southeast counties of the CWA. This will only allow the
surface warm front to reach south central and southeast KS. The
dryline will punch northeast from northwest OK into south central KS
late this evening. The CAMs continue to show the potential for
supercell thunderstorms developing across south central KS and north
central OK, moving east-northeast northeast into southeast KS. The
northern supercells may reach into the far southeast counties of the
CWA. If these supercell thunderstorms become surface based, they may
produce a few tornadoes, given forecast hodographs with strong
sfc-3km low-level shear. The uncertainty in a supercell being
surface based may preclude any damaging tornado threat during the
early morning hours of Monday. Elevated supercell will be possible
north of the warm front across much of northeast and east central KS.
These rotating storms may produce large hail and possibly isolated
damaging wind gusts. A few CAMs show the potential for training
thunderstorms across northeast KS where 2 to 4 inches of rainfall may
occur and cause some flooding of rivers and creeks. Therefore a
flood watch has been issued for the northeast and portion of east
central KS.

The next shift may need to issue a flood watch for our southeast
counties if training of supercell thunderstorms occur, but the
current thinking is these training supercells will remain southeast
of the CWA.

The storms should move east as a cold front pushes east of the CWA
during the mid and late morning hours of Monday.

We will see a break from the severe weather through the next 7 days.
The surface front will become stationary across central TX and
southern stream H5 troughs will move east across TX. There may be
some showers and thunderstorms Thursday into Thursday night as the
H5 trough passes south of the area and surface cold front pushes
southward across the CWA.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z MONDAY/...
Issued at 201 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

The line of storms that moved through the KMHK terminals will move
east across the TOP terminals. Expect brief heavy rainfall with visby
reducing down to 1 SM with the line and wind gusts of 40 to 50 KTS as
the line moves through. May see scattered showers the rest of the
evening. Another round of thunderstorms will move in around 3 AM
Monday. There will be MVFR ceilings this evening into Monday morning.

|&&

.TOP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Flood Watch from 7 PM CDT this evening through Monday afternoon for
KSZ010-KSZ011-KSZ012-KSZ023-KSZ024-KSZ026-KSZ039-KSZ040.

&&

DISCUSSION...Gargan
AVIATION...Gargan
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 26, 3:44 AM CDT, 11 hours 44 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Topeka KS
344 AM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

KSZ008>012-020>024-026-034>040-054>056-058-059-270845-
Republic-Washington-Marshall-Nemaha-Brown-Cloud-Clay-Riley-
Pottawatomie-Jackson-Jefferson-Ottawa-Dickinson-Geary-Morris-
Wabaunsee-Shawnee-Douglas-Lyon-Osage-Franklin-Coffey-Anderson-
344 AM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

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

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Several rounds of thunderstorms are expected across the entire area
today and tonight, with some of these storms being severe. Large
hail, damaging winds, locally heavy rain, and a few tornadoes will
all be possible, particularly late this evening into the overnight
hours.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday.

The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low.

.SPOTTER MESSAGE

Weather spotters are encouraged to relay reports of hail, damaging
wind, tornadoes and flooding.

&&

More detailed information can be found at:
www.weather.gov/media/top/DssPacket.pdf

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 26, 12:38 PM CDT, 2 hours 50 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Topeka KS
1238 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

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

1229 PM     Hail             Carlton                 38.69N 97.29W
04/26/2026  E1.00 Inch       Dickinson          KS   Emergency Mngr

&&

BD
Local storm report, Apr 26, 12:53 PM CDT, 2 hours 35 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Topeka KS
1253 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

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

1250 PM     Hail             6 NNW Hope              38.77N 97.11W
04/26/2026  M1.00 Inch       Dickinson          KS   Public

&&

BD
Local storm report, Apr 26, 1:10 PM CDT, 2 hours 18 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Topeka KS
110 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

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

0108 PM     Hail             4 W White City          38.80N 96.82W
04/26/2026  M1.00 Inch       Morris             KS   Trained Spotter

&&

BD
Local storm report, Apr 26, 3:14 PM CDT, 14 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Topeka KS
314 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

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

0303 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     4 ENE Reading           38.55N 95.90W
04/26/2026  M70 MPH          Osage              KS   Storm Chaser

            measured with hand held anemometer.

&&

BD

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 25, 7:14 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPCloud31 min
Apr 25, 7:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPClay, Cloud, Ottawa34 min
Apr 25, 8:10 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPClay, Cloud, Ottawa35 min
Apr 25, 8:20 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPOttawa25 min
Apr 25, 8:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPClay36 min
Apr 25, 9:10 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPClay, Dickinson, Geary, Riley35 min
Apr 25, 9:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPClay, Dickinson, Geary, Riley18 min
Apr 25, 9:54 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPGeary, Riley36 min
Apr 25, 10:27 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPRiley33 min
Apr 25, 10:57 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPRiley33 min
Apr 26, 11:03 AM CDTFlood WatchTOPBrown, Douglas, Jackson, Jefferson, Marshall, Nemaha and 2 more20 hr
Apr 26, 11:48 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatTOPDickinson42 min
Apr 26, 12:26 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatTOPDickinson34 min
Apr 26, 12:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPClay, Dickinson, Geary, Riley42 min
Apr 26, 12:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPDickinson, Geary, Morris, Riley54 min
Apr 26, 1:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPClay, Geary, Pottawatomie, Riley45 min
Apr 26, 1:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPGeary, Lyon, Morris, Pottawatomie, Riley, Wabaunsee46 min
Apr 26, 1:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPMarshall, Nemaha, Pottawatomie, Riley39 min
Apr 26, 2:07 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPJackson, Lyon, Morris, Osage, Pottawatomie, Shawnee and 1 more53 min
Apr 26, 2:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPLyon64 min
Apr 26, 2:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPLyon, Osage, Shawnee, Wabaunsee51 min
Apr 26, 3:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPCoffey, Lyon, Osage42 min
Apr 26, 3:11 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPOsage22 min
Apr 26, 3:24 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatTOPDouglas, Franklin, Osage, Shawnee66 min
Apr 26, 3:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPAnderson, Coffey54 min
Apr 26, 4:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatTOPAnderson29 min
Apr 26, 4:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPFranklin24 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Kansas, 2026Every tornado warning in 2026Tornadoes 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.