Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 2026

Tornado Warning 38, NWS Topeka, KS

May 18, 2026Clay County, Geary County, Riley County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this tornado warning at May 18, 2026, 5:15 PM CDT for Clay County, Geary County, Riley County, Kansas. It was in force for 30 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, 2026, 5:15 PM CDT (22:15 UTC)
Expired: May 18, 2026, 5:45 PM CDT
In force: 30 min
Issued by: NWS Topeka, KS
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 2.0 in

Counties Clay County, KS, Geary County, KS, Riley County, KS

The radar

The Topeka radar (KTWX), 72 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:14 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

Time	Report	Where	Remark
May 18, 5:30 PM CDT	TORNADO	1 N Wakefield, KS	NWS employee confirmed a brief tornado just north of Wakefield.

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 one storm report to this tornado warning; the first came 15 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.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
May 18, 12:50 PM CDT	Tornado Watch PDS	SPC	7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 12:00Z, 10.3 hours before the alert went out and 121 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: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL: 963 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 56 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 71 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 271 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 4.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

019 
WFUS53 KTOP 182215
TORTOP
KSC027-061-161-182245-
/O.NEW.KTOP.TO.W.0038.260518T2215Z-260518T2245Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Topeka KS
515 PM CDT Mon May 18 2026

The National Weather Service in Topeka has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Northwestern Geary County in east central Kansas...
  Southwestern Riley County in northeastern Kansas...
  Southeastern Clay County in north central Kansas...

* Until 545 PM CDT.

* At 515 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located 7 miles southwest of Wakefield, moving northeast at 30
  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...
  Wakefield and Milford.

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 3932 9699 3925 9688 3915 9686 3913 9701
      3913 9719 3919 9720
TIME...MOT...LOC 2215Z 241DEG 25KT 3916 9713 

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

$$

Griesemer

2 follow-up statements

062 
WWUS53 KTOP 182230
SVSTOP

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Topeka KS
530 PM CDT Mon May 18 2026

KSC027-061-161-182245-
/O.CON.KTOP.TO.W.0038.000000T0000Z-260518T2245Z/
Geary-Riley-Clay-
530 PM CDT Mon May 18 2026

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 545 PM CDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN GEARY...SOUTHWESTERN RILEY AND SOUTHEASTERN CLAY
COUNTIES...

At 529 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Wakefield, moving northeast at 30 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.

Locations impacted include...
Wakefield and Milford.

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 3918 9687 3916 9702 3918 9708 3923 9713
      3932 9699 3925 9688
TIME...MOT...LOC 2229Z 241DEG 25KT 3921 9701 

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

$$

Griesemer

017 
WWUS53 KTOP 182238
SVSTOP

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Topeka KS
538 PM CDT Mon May 18 2026

KSC027-061-161-182245-
/O.CON.KTOP.TO.W.0038.000000T0000Z-260518T2245Z/
Geary-Riley-Clay-
538 PM CDT Mon May 18 2026

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 545 PM CDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN GEARY...SOUTHWESTERN RILEY AND SOUTHEASTERN CLAY
COUNTIES...

At 538 PM CDT, a confirmed tornado was located 4 miles east of
Wakefield, moving northeast at 30 mph.

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

SOURCE...Weather spotters confirmed brief tornado just north of 
         Wakefield at 535 PM.

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...
Wakefield and Milford.

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 3918 9687 3916 9702 3918 9708 3923 9713
      3932 9699 3925 9688
TIME...MOT...LOC 2238Z 241DEG 25KT 3924 9694 

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

$$

Griesemer

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 May 18, 2:01 PM CDT, 3 hours 14 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

Severe thunderstorms becoming numerous early to mid afternoon today and spreading east to southeast this evening. Very large hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes all quite possible.
Flash flooding remains a concern through tonight especially where heavy rain fall Sunday night.
Gusty south winds on track for the next several hours in southwestern areas.

Area forecast discussion, May 18, 2:01 PM CDT, 3 hours 14 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Topeka KS
201 PM CDT Mon May 18 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Severe thunderstorms becoming numerous early to mid afternoon today
  and spreading east to southeast this evening. Very large hail,
  damaging winds, and tornadoes all quite possible.

- Flash flooding remains a concern through tonight especially where
  heavy rain fall Sunday night.

- Gusty south winds on track for the next several hours in
  southwestern areas.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 200 PM CDT Mon May 18 2026

Warm, humid airmass was surging north into central Kansas ahead of a
cold front toward a nearly-stationary front just northeast of
northeast Kansas with a modest upper wave just upstream. Instability
of 3000 J/kg already commonplace in central Kansas at 17Z with 40-50
knots of deep-layer shear. Vectors for this layer remain close to
parallel to the front so there is some uncertainty in how long
storms can remain discrete, but some backing of low-level flow and
otherwise good setup brings all severe hazards in play. Main area of
concern over the next few hours is north-central Kansas with storms
spreading east and southeast and becoming more widespread with time.
Threats should turn more to wind versus strong tornado in eastern
areas as mode shifts to more linear. Overall a more progressive
system should keep storm residence somewhat limited, but areas that
saw heavy rain Sunday night will not take much more rain to
experience flash flooding and intense updrafts with PW values around
1.5 inches will bring quick rainfall. Storms push southeast before
dawn with flash flooding threat falling off, though rivers and
creeks may be high for a few more days. Surface winds

Next few days continue to look benign with modified Canadian high
pressure in place with cooler temperatures. Moisture return in the
mid-levels supports at least moderate precipitation chances Thursday
into Thursday night but instability remains modest. A more unstable
airmass should return around the holiday weekend though forcing for
ascent is not readily apparent.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY/...
Issued at 1223 PM CDT Mon May 18 2026

Confidence is increasing in thunderstorm potential in the 23Z-04Z
window and went ahead with TEMPO inclusion. MVFR cloud should
diminish soon but be more consistent after FROPA around 06Z with some
chance for improvement late in the forecast.

&&

.TOP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Flood Watch through Tuesday morning for KSZ008-KSZ009-KSZ010-KSZ011-
KSZ012-KSZ020-KSZ021-KSZ022-KSZ023-KSZ024-KSZ026-KSZ034-KSZ035-
KSZ036-KSZ037-KSZ038-KSZ039-KSZ040-KSZ054-KSZ055-KSZ056-KSZ058-
KSZ059.
Wind Advisory until 9 PM CDT this evening for KSZ035-KSZ036-KSZ037-
KSZ038-KSZ054.

&&

DISCUSSION...Poage
AVIATION...Poage

Hazardous weather outlook, May 18, 1:38 PM CDT, 3 hours 37 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Topeka KS
138 PM CDT Mon May 18 2026

KSZ008>012-020>024-026-034>040-054>056-058-059-191845-
Republic-Washington-Marshall-Nemaha-Brown-Cloud-Clay-Riley-
Pottawatomie-Jackson-Jefferson-Ottawa-Dickinson-Geary-Morris-
Wabaunsee-Shawnee-Douglas-Lyon-Osage-Franklin-Coffey-Anderson-
138 PM CDT Mon May 18 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

South winds sustained around 25 MPH with gusts around 45 MPH are
forecast for locations southwest of a line from Abilene to Alma to
Emporia in to the evening.

Severe thunderstorms are expected through the middle of the
afternoon in north central Kansas. These storms may form into a
line as they move east and southeast late this afternoon and this
evening. Very large hail, damaging wind gusts, and a few strong
tornadoes are the main hazards.

Localized flooding is also a concern, especially if storms
persist over areas that received heavy rain Sunday night. A Flood
Watch remains in effect through 7 AM Tuesday morning.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday

The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotters will likely be needed this afternoon or tonight.

&&

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

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 18, 4:06 PM CDT, 1 hour 9 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Topeka KS
406 PM CDT Mon May 18 2026

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

0403 PM     Tornado          3 SE Palmer             39.60N 97.11W
05/18/2026                   Washington         KS   Public

            Social media photo of a tornado. Media
            confirmed the report.

&&

ST

Local storm report, May 18, 4:11 PM CDT, 1 hour 4 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Topeka KS
411 PM CDT Mon May 18 2026

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

0404 PM     Tornado          2 S Palmer              39.61N 97.14W
05/18/2026                   Washington         KS   Trained Spotter

            Spotter reports damage to trees around
            intersection of HWY 9 and HWY 15.

&&

SMB

Local storm report, May 18, 4:27 PM CDT, 48 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Topeka KS
427 PM CDT Mon May 18 2026

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

0415 PM     Hail             Summerfield             40.00N 96.35W
05/18/2026  E1.25 Inch       Marshall           KS   Public

&&

ST

Local storm report, May 18, 4:33 PM CDT, 42 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Topeka KS
433 PM CDT Mon May 18 2026

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

0432 PM     Hail             5 SSE Wells             39.07N 97.52W
05/18/2026  E1.00 Inch       Ottawa             KS   Trained Spotter

&&

ST

Local storm report, May 18, 4:40 PM CDT, 35 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Topeka KS
440 PM CDT Mon May 18 2026

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

0430 PM     Hail             4 E Morganville         39.50N 97.13W
05/18/2026  E1.00 Inch       Clay               KS   Public

            Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.).

&&

ST

Local storm report, May 18, 4:49 PM CDT, 26 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Topeka KS
449 PM CDT Mon May 18 2026

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

0443 PM     Hail             1 E Solomon             38.92N 97.34W
05/18/2026  M0.88 Inch       Dickinson          KS   Emergency Mngr

&&

SMB

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 17, 7:11 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Washington	19 min
May 17, 7:30 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	TOP	Ottawa	45 min
May 17, 7:35 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Washington	40 min
May 17, 7:35 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Cloud	25 min
May 17, 7:38 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	TOP	Ottawa	26 min
May 17, 7:51 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Cloud, Republic	24 min
May 17, 8:03 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	TOP	Cloud, Ottawa	42 min
May 17, 8:05 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Marshall, Washington	40 min
May 17, 8:10 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	TOP	Cloud, Republic, Washington	35 min
May 17, 8:16 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	TOP	Ottawa	44 min
May 17, 8:16 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	TOP	Marshall, Washington	29 min
May 17, 8:29 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Clay, Cloud, Riley, Washington	46 min
May 17, 8:41 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Marshall, Washington	34 min
May 17, 8:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Marshall, Washington	34 min
May 17, 8:57 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	TOP	Ottawa	48 min
May 17, 9:10 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Marshall, Washington	35 min
May 17, 9:16 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Clay, Riley	29 min
May 17, 9:26 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Marshall	34 min
May 17, 9:40 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	TOP	Ottawa	99 min
May 17, 9:41 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	TOP	Clay, Dickinson, Ottawa	34 min
May 17, 9:46 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Marshall, Nemaha	44 min
May 17, 10:13 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Ottawa	18 min
May 17, 10:25 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	TOP	Brown, Nemaha	65 min
May 17, 10:30 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	TOP	Clay	30 min
May 17, 10:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Brown, Jackson, Nemaha	32 min
May 17, 11:19 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	TOP	Ottawa	3 hr
May 17, 11:37 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Ottawa	38 min
May 18, 12:06 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Dickinson, Ottawa	24 min
May 18, 12:23 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Clay, Dickinson, Geary, Morris, Riley	37 min
May 18, 2:37 AM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	TOP	Ottawa	4 hr
May 18, 4:47 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	TOP	Ottawa	5 hr
May 18, 1:08 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Cloud, Republic	67 min
May 18, 2:02 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Cloud, Republic, Washington	58 min
May 18, 2:05 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	TOP	Ottawa	55 min
May 18, 2:17 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	TOP	Ottawa	43 min
May 18, 2:21 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	TOP	Cloud, Republic, Washington	39 min
May 18, 2:28 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	TOP	Washington	32 min
May 18, 2:50 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	TOP	Cloud, Ottawa	40 min
May 18, 2:55 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	TOP	Republic, Washington	38 min
May 18, 3:08 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	TOP	Washington	4 hr
May 18, 3:10 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Cloud, Ottawa	35 min
May 18, 3:22 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	TOP	Clay, Cloud, Washington	21 min
May 18, 3:40 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Clay, Cloud, Ottawa	35 min
May 18, 3:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Clay, Cloud, Washington	33 min
May 18, 4:02 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	TOP	Washington	29 min
May 18, 4:04 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	TOP	Clay, Cloud, Ottawa	56 min
May 18, 4:10 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Clay, Dickinson, Ottawa	35 min
May 18, 4:13 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Marshall, Nemaha	17 min
May 18, 4:28 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Republic	32 min
May 18, 4:30 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	TOP	Clay, Marshall, Riley, Washington	45 min
May 18, 4:33 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	TOP	Clay, Dickinson, Ottawa	42 min
May 18, 5:07 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	TOP	Marshall, Washington	53 min
May 18, 5:11 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Clay, Dickinson, Geary, Ottawa, Riley	49 min
May 18, 5:11 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	TOP	Clay, Riley, Washington	12 min
May 18, 5:40 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	TOP	Clay, Marshall, Washington	3 hr
May 18, 5:42 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	TOP	Clay, Pottawatomie, Riley	27 min
May 18, 5:43 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	TOP	Clay	3 hr
May 18, 5:51 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	TOP	Marshall, Nemaha	54 min
May 18, 5:54 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Clay, Dickinson, Geary, Morris, Riley	36 min
May 18, 6:09 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	TOP	Marshall	3 hr
May 18, 6:21 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	TOP	Dickinson, Geary, Morris, Pottawatomie, Riley, Wabaunsee	24 min
May 18, 6:31 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Nemaha	44 min
May 18, 6:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	TOP	Geary, Jackson, Nemaha, Pottawatomie, Riley, Shawnee and 1 more	48 min
May 18, 6:46 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	TOP	Geary, Pottawatomie, Riley	3 hr
May 18, 6:49 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	TOP	Brown, Nemaha	26 min
May 18, 6:52 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	TOP	Jackson, Pottawatomie, Shawnee, Wabaunsee	23 min
May 18, 6:54 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	TOP	Brown, Jackson, Nemaha, Pottawatomie	36 min
May 18, 6:59 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TOP	Dickinson, Geary, Morris, Wabaunsee	46 min

Nearby

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