Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 2026

Tornado Warning 3, NWS Topeka, KS

April 13, 2026Franklin County, Osage County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this tornado warning at Apr 13, 2026, 6:58 PM CDT for Franklin County, Osage County, Kansas. It was in force for 32 min. 3 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
Apr 13, 2026, 6:58 PM CDT (23:58 UTC)
Expired
Apr 13, 2026, 7:30 PM CDT
In force
32 min
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
2.0 in

Counties Franklin County, KS, Osage County, KS

The radar

The Topeka radar (KTWX), 78 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:04 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
Apr 13, 7:07 PM CDTTORNADOQuenemo, KSDelayed report. Storm chaser reported a tornado occurred just southwest of town. Was on the ground approximately two minutes and damaged a sheet metal shed.
Apr 13, 7:10 PM CDTHAIL 22 W Pomona, KSHail was observed on the ground behind the storm.
Apr 13, 7:15 PM CDTTORNADO3 Ene Pomona, KSSpotter confirmed he was seeing debris but is about 15 miles south so can not fully see the actual tornado.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

Did it verify

Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched 2 storm reports to this tornado warning; the first came 9 minutes after it went out.

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 13, 6:33 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC4 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 12:00Z, 12.0 hours before the alert went out and 46 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 2026-04-13Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1257 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, Topeka, KS at 12:00Z on 2026-04-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 380 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
1257 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-253 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
833 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
38 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
380 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
330 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

743 
WFUS53 KTOP 132358
TORTOP
KSC059-139-140030-
/O.NEW.KTOP.TO.W.0003.260413T2358Z-260414T0030Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Topeka KS
658 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

The National Weather Service in Topeka has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Northwestern Franklin County in east central Kansas...
  East central Osage County in east central Kansas...

* Until 730 PM CDT.

* At 657 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located near Quenemo, moving east at 25 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado and hail up to two inches in diameter.

  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...
  Centropolis, Pomona, and Quenemo.

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 3856 9557 3863 9559 3872 9534 3856 9533
TIME...MOT...LOC 2357Z 255DEG 21KT 3861 9556 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...2.00 IN

$$

Jones
1 follow-up statement
435 
WWUS53 KTOP 140013
SVSTOP

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Topeka KS
713 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

KSC139-140023-
/O.CAN.KTOP.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-260414T0030Z/
Osage-
713 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EAST CENTRAL OSAGE 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 1100 PM CDT for east central
Kansas.

&&

LAT...LON 3856 9551 3866 9551 3872 9534 3856 9533
TIME...MOT...LOC 0013Z 262DEG 20KT 3861 9544 

$$

KSC059-140030-
/O.CON.KTOP.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-260414T0030Z/
Franklin-
713 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 730 PM CDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN FRANKLIN COUNTY...

At 713 PM CDT, a confirmed tornado was located over Pomona, moving
east at 25 mph.

HAZARD...Damaging tornado and two inch hail.

SOURCE...Weather spotters confirmed tornado south of Quenemo.

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...
Centropolis and Pomona.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

To repeat, a tornado is on the ground. 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 3856 9551 3866 9551 3872 9534 3856 9533
TIME...MOT...LOC 0013Z 262DEG 20KT 3861 9544 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
MAX HAIL SIZE...2.00 IN

$$

Jones

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 13, 5:22 PM CDT, 1 hour 36 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Red Flag Warning in north-central KS this afternoon and evening. A very high fire danger. -Storms could impact far eastern KS Tuesday evening, bringing a threat for severe weather. -Additional storm chances occur Wednesday and again Friday, with more uncertainty on timing/location. -Cooler weather expected this weekend. Possible freeze and frost early Sunday morning.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 13, 5:22 PM CDT, 1 hour 36 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Topeka KS
522 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Red Flag Warning in north-central KS this afternoon and
  evening. A very high fire danger.

-Storms could impact far eastern KS Tuesday evening, bringing a
 threat for severe weather.

-Additional storm chances occur Wednesday and again Friday, with
 more uncertainty on timing/location.

-Cooler weather expected this weekend. Possible freeze and
 frost early Sunday morning.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 140 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

Early this afternoon, water vapor satellite imagery showed an
upper level trough extending from the Great Basin southwest into
southern CA. Broad southwesterly mid level flow of 40 to to 50
KTS was noted from the base of the Southwest US trough,
extending northeast across the Plains, then northeast across the
Upper Midwest and Great Lakes States. A broad upper level ridge
was centered off the FL coast across the eastern Gulf.

At the surface, an area of low pressure was located across the
northeast NE. A warm front extended east northeast across southern
MN. A dryline extended west-southwest across eastern NE, to the far
western counties of the CWA, into western OK. Winds ahead of the
dryline were south-southwesterly at 15 to 25 MPH and gusts to 40
MPH. West of the dryline, winds veered more to the southwest and
dewpoints have dropped down into the mid 30s to lower 40s.

This afternoon and Tonight:

The dryline will move east to a Washington, to Clay center, to
Abilene line late this afternoon. Most CAM soundings do not
show much of cap but weak confluence along the dryline will not
be enough surface convergence to develop thunderstorms. The 3 KM
NAM is showing sfc based storms developing across north central
OK late this afternoon, which may develop northeastward during
the evening hours but most other CAMs do not show any
convection developing along the dryline across the CWA. If
isolated storms were able to develop ahead of the dryline they
would become severe with wind and hail as the primary hazard
given MLCAPES around 2000 J/kg and 35 KTS of effective shear.
The low level winds may be too veered for a tornado threat. but
the probability for storms is below 14 percent across much of
the eastern counties of the CWA. But I may place a 15 percent
chance in Anderson county in case the 3K NAM is accurate with
dryline storms building northeast up towards the southeast
counties. Later shifts may need to update this forecast.

Tonight, as the LLJ increases to 40 to 50 KTS across east central
KS, I cannot rule out a few elevated storms across portions of east
central KS but most of the CAMs do not show storms developing late
Tonight into early Tuesday morning.

Tuesday through Wednesday night:

The upper trough across the southwest US will fill as it lifts
northeast across the Plains Wednesday night.

Tuesday, the dryline will move east across the central part of the
CWA. There will not be as much QG forcing, since the H5 trough will
still be farther west across UT/AZ. The surface shows more
confluence along the dryline, so most of the area will remain
dry. Most CAMs develop surface based storms across northern
OK/south central KS and these storms may move northeast along
across east central KS. The primary hazards will be large hail
and damaging wind gusts but any discrete supercell may spawn a
few tornadoes. However, the low-level wind fields looks to be
veered, so the chances are much lower.

Wednesday afternoon into Wednesday night will provide a better
chance for thunderstorms as the H5 trough shifts east into the
Plains. DCVA ahead of the trough axis will provide for stronger
ascent. At the surface a cold front will shift southeast into the
northern counties and dryline will push east across the southwest
counties. Thunderstorms will develop along the front and possibly
south along the dryline. Some of these storms may be severe with the
primary hazards being large hail and damaging wind gusts. Through the
evening hours a line of storms will congeal along the cold front,
and the threat will become isolated damaging wind gusts. The
front should push southeast of the CWA during the early morning
hours of Thursday.

Thursday through Thursday night:

Early Thursday, an upper level trough will move onshore across the
Pacific northwest and dig southeast into the Great Basin. We may see
a break from any thunderstorms as the Pacific front will push east
into western MO. Frontolysis will occur through the afternoon hours
and westerly winds will diminish and become southerly through
Thursday night.

Friday through Sunday:

The extended range models are in fair agreement. The GFS is a bit
more progressive and maybe more favorable for severe
thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening hours.The H5
trough across the Great Basin will dig east-southeast across
the central Rockies, then across the Plains Friday night into
Saturday Morning. A cold front will push southeast across the
northern High plains, then southeast across NE through the day.
A surface low and dryline across western KS will shift east.
Thunderstorms will develop across central KS through the
afternoon hour. If discrete thunderstorms develop within the
warm sector where there will be sufficient vertical wind shear
and instability for supercell thunderstorms. The hazards from
supercell thunderstorms would be large hail, damaging wind
gusts, and possibly a few tornadoes. It still remains uncertain
if these discrete supercells will remain south of the area
Friday afternoon. Though the slightly more progressive GFS
solution would provide a better chance for supercell
thunderstorms developing ahead of the cold front/dryline during
the afternoon hours before the storms congeal into a squall
line. The slower ECMWF solution shows most storms developing
ahead of the cold front during the mid and late evening hours.
If a line of storms develop the the primary hazard would be
isolated damaging wind gusts along the squall line. The cold
front will move southeast of the CWA during the morning hours of
Saturday and the rain and thunderstorms will shift east of the
area. We will see a cool down by the weekend with highs in the
mid 50s north to lower 60s south. Highs Sunday will be in the
lower to mid 60s. Low temperatures early Sunday morning may fall
below freezing across the northern counties of the CWA with mid
30s across much of the area. Therefore, a freeze warning and
frost of advisory may be needed Saturday night into Sunday
morning.

An H5 ridge will move towards the Plains next week, which will cause
temperatres to warm into the 70s on Monday and the 80s by the middle
of next week.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY/...
Issued at 520 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

VFR at all TAF sites through the TAF period with gusty southerly
wind. Some thunderstorms have developed down near Emporia, but
confidence in these making it into the Topeka area are too low
right now to place any mention in the TAF.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
Issued at 340 AM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

While green up of vegetation is underway, a Red Flag Warning
will continue across north-central KS, where gusty winds and
low RH will combine to create extreme fire danger. Dew points
are forecast to drop this afternoon in this area as a dryline
moves east. Minimum RH behind the dryline could quickly fall to
around 20 percent. South-southwest winds will be sustained at 15
to 20 mph with gusts as high as 30 mph throughout the
afternoon. Similar conditions will be in place behind the
dryline (mainly in central KS) on Tuesday, with minimum RH
between 20 and 25 percent and continued gusty south-southwest
winds. Fire headlines are not currently anticipated Tuesday.
However, at this time the Range Land Fire Index has only a very
high fire danger for north central KS. All Burning should be
postponed through midweek.

&&

.TOP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Red Flag Warning until 9 PM CDT this evening for KSZ008-KSZ020-
KSZ034.

&&

DISCUSSION...Gargan
AVIATION...Jones
FIRE WEATHER...Gargan/Teefey
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 13, 2:32 PM CDT, 4 hours 26 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Topeka KS
232 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

KSZ008>012-020>024-026-034>040-054>056-058-059-141945-
Republic-Washington-Marshall-Nemaha-Brown-Cloud-Clay-Riley-
Pottawatomie-Jackson-Jefferson-Ottawa-Dickinson-Geary-Morris-
Wabaunsee-Shawnee-Douglas-Lyon-Osage-Franklin-Coffey-Anderson-
232 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 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

Red Flag Warning through 9 PM. A few isolated severe thunderstorms
may occur across the far southeast counties early this evening.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday

There is a chance for severe thunderstorms Tuesday through
Wednesday night. Then again Friday and Friday night. The primary
threats will be hail and wind.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

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 13, 5:57 PM CDT, 1 hour 1 minute before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Topeka KS
557 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

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

0558 PM     Hail             4 W Reading             38.51N 96.02W
04/13/2026  E1.25 Inch       Lyon               KS   Trained Spotter

&&

Flanagan
Local storm report, Apr 13, 6:00 PM CDT, 58 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Topeka KS
600 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

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

0558 PM     Hail             4 W Reading             38.52N 96.03W
04/13/2026  E1.75 Inch       Lyon               KS   Storm Chaser

&&

Flanagan
Local storm report, Apr 13, 6:14 PM CDT, 44 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Topeka KS
614 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

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

0605 PM     Hail             1 W Reading             38.52N 95.97W
04/13/2026  E2.00 Inch       Lyon               KS   Public

            Report from mPING: Hen Egg (2.00 in.).

&&

Flanagan
Local storm report, Apr 13, 6:30 PM CDT, 28 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Topeka KS
630 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

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

0630 PM     Hail             5 S Osage City          38.56N 95.83W
04/13/2026  E2.00 Inch       Osage              KS   Storm Chaser

&&

Flanagan
Local storm report, Apr 13, 6:32 PM CDT, 26 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Topeka KS
632 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

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

0632 PM     Hail             1 S Lyndon              38.60N 95.68W
04/13/2026  E1.25 Inch       Osage              KS   Trained Spotter

&&

Flanagan
Local storm report, Apr 13, 6:37 PM CDT, 21 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Topeka KS
637 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

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

0635 PM     Hail             Lyndon                  38.61N 95.69W
04/13/2026  E1.25 Inch       Osage              KS   Emergency Mngr

&&

Flanagan

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 13, 1:48 AM CDTRed Flag WarningTOPCloud, Ottawa, Republic19 hr
Apr 13, 4:53 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPMorris37 min
Apr 13, 5:07 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatTOPLyon53 min
Apr 13, 5:47 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTOPWabaunsee28 min
Apr 13, 5:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPLyon, Osage63 min
Apr 13, 6:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPLyon, Morris, Wabaunsee37 min
Apr 13, 6:38 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPOsage37 min
Apr 13, 6:46 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPLyon29 min
Apr 13, 6:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatTOPDouglas, Franklin, Osage54 min
Apr 13, 6:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPLyon, Osage, Wabaunsee35 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.