Tornadoes · United States · Kansas · 2005
F0 tornado, Thayer, Kansas, September 13, 2005
This F0 tornado ran 0.5 miles across Neosho County on September 13, 2005, touching down at 6:22 PM CDT and reaching 55 yards wide. It killed nobody.
The rating scale
Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.
F040 to 72 mphthis tornado
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
F173 to 112 mph
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
F2113 to 157 mph
Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.
F3158 to 206 mph
Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.
F4207 to 260 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
F5261 to 318 mph
Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.
Unrated
The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.
The record
- Rating
- F0
- Date
- September 13, 2005
- Touchdown
- 6:22 PM CDT (23:22 UTC)
- Path length
- 0.5 miles (0.8 km)
- Path width
- 55 yards (50 m)
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- County
- Neosho County
- Touchdown point
- 37.480, -95.480
- Lift-off point
- 37.480, -95.480
- Record number
- 1158
What the Weather Service recorded
No damage reported.
From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the tornado touched down, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Wichita, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the tornado touched down at Sep 13, 3:33 PM CDT, 2 hours 49 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Sep 13, 3:33 PM CDT, 2 hours 49 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 333 PM CDT TUE SEP 13 2005 .DISCUSSION... MAIN FORECAST CONCERN IS POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER THIS EVENING. TONIGHT: 19Z SURFACE ANALYSIS DEPICTED A COMPLEX PATTERN WITH WEAK MESOLOW OVER MCPHERSON COUNTY WITH A TRAILING WEAK SURFACE TROF AXIS SOUTHWARD THROUGH EAST WICHITA TO NEAR PONCA CITY. AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY WAS DRAPED ACROSS SOUTHEAST KS AND THE FLINT HILLS. THE COLD FRONT EXTENDS FROM THE SURFACE LOW THROUGH HUTCHINSON INTO FAR NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA. SOUTHEAST OF THE COLD FRONT AND SURFACE TROF, CAPE VALUES ON THE ORDER OF 3,000 TO 4,000 J/KG - SO EXTREMELY UNSTABLE. DEEP LAYER SHEAR, MOSTLY RESULTING FROM SPEED SHEAR, IS ON THE ORDER OF 35-45 KTS INTO THIS EVENING. LIMITING FACTOR FOR SEVERE CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT THUS FAR HAS BEEN WEAK CONVERGENCE. HOWEVER, A 105 KT UPPER SPEED MAX IS NOSING OUT OF THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES INTO SOUTHERN KS WITH A STRONGLY DIFFLUENT PATTERN OVER EASTERN KS INTO THIS EVENING. THIS WILL LIKELY PROVIDE LARGE SCALE ASCENT, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SURFACE BOUNDARIES TO PROMOTE SCATTERED STRONG-SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS INTO THIS EVENING. MAIN THREATS EXPECTED ARE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS, ALTHOUGH AN ISOLATED TORNADO CANNOT BE RULED OUT FOR ANY STORM TRAVELING ALONG AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY. BY 12Z WEDNESDAY, COLD FRONT SHOULD EXTEND FROM EXTREME NORTHERN OKLAHOMA ACROSS EXTREME SOUTHEAST KS. THE GFS AND ESPECIALLY NAM, SHOW ISENTROPIC LIFT DEVELOPING OVER WESTERN AND CENTRAL KS LATE TONIGHT, SO ALSO CARRYING LOW POPS WELL NORTH OF FRONT IN CENTRAL KS. WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY: 850 FRONT WILL REMAIN STALLED NEAR THE KS/OK BORDER. CHANCES OF SHOWERS/T-STORMS WILL CONTINUE OVER SOUTHERN KS WEDNESDAY. CLOUDS, PRECIPITATION, AND EASTERLY WINDS WILL KEEP HIGHS DOWN IN LOWER 70S, SO IT SHOULD FEEL MUCH COOLER. NEXT SOUTHERN STREAM SHORTWAVE WILL LIFT OUT ACROSS KS/OK WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY. NAM AND GFS SHOW COUPLED UPPER JET STRUCTURE ACROSS NORTHERN OKLAHOMA INTO SOUTHERN MISSOURI AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. SO WOULD EXPECT HEAVY RAINFALL POTENTIAL JUST SOUTHEAST OF SOUTHEAST KS. THIS COULD CHANGE WITH LATER MODEL RUNS, SO WILL CONTINUE TO WATCH. NEVETHELESS, HIGH CHANCE POPS FOR SOUTHEAST KS LOOK WARRANTED. THURSDAY NIGHT-FRIDAY NIGHT: WARM AIR ADVECTION/ISENTROPIC LIFT PATTERN WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE KANSAS REGION AHEAD OF AN UPPER TROF DIGGING INTO THE GREAT BASIN. STRONGEST MOISTURE TRANSPORT/ISENTROPIC LIFT SIGNAL IS FOR FRIDAY NIGHT PER 12Z GFS. THEREFORE CURRENT SLIGHT CHANCE POPS LOOK GOOD FOR FRIDAY NIGHT WITH ELEVATED CONVECTION POSSIBLE. SATURDAY-TUESDAY: UPPER TROF OVER THE SOUTHWEST WILL LIFT OUT ACROSS THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL PLAINS LATE SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING. THE 12Z GFS AND 00Z ECMWF HAVE THE ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT PUSHING SOUTHWARD AND STALLING IN CENTRAL/SOUTH CENTRAL KS SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. THIS LOOKS TO BE THE NEXT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS IN OUR AREA. THESE MODELS THEN SHOW ANOTHER UPPER TROF DIGGING INTO THE NORTHERN ROCKIES FROM SOUTHWEST CANADA BY 00Z TUESDAY. THIS MAY ALLOW THE FRONT TO TEMPORARILY LIFT NORTHWARD ON TUESDAY, BEFORE THE FRONT COMES BACK DOWN INTO OUR AREA PERHAPS TUESDAY NIGHT. THAT WILL BE SOMETHING TO WATCH FOR IN LATER MODEL RUNS. THERMAL PATTERN AND SOUTHERLY FLOW FAVORS ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES OVER THE WEEKEND AHEAD OF THE STALLING COLD FRONT, AND WILL THEN MAINTAIN NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES MONDAY-TUESDAY. CARUSO && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WICHITA-KICT 62 73 60 81 / 40 60 40 20 HUTCHINSON 59 72 59 81 / 30 40 30 10 NEWTON 62 72 59 81 / 40 40 30 20 ELDORADO 62 72 60 81 / 40 50 40 20 WINFIELD-KWLD 63 73 61 81 / 70 60 50 30 RUSSELL 54 73 55 81 / 20 20 20 10 GREAT BEND 55 72 57 81 / 30 30 20 10 SALINA 58 73 57 81 / 20 30 20 10 MCPHERSON 58 73 58 81 / 30 30 30 10 COFFEYVILLE 64 76 62 81 / 80 60 70 50 CHANUTE 63 76 60 80 / 70 60 60 30 IOLA 63 75 59 80 / 60 50 50 20 && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. &&
Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 13, 4:15 PM CDT, 2 hours 7 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 415 PM CDT TUE SEP 13 2005 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-141200- RUSSELL-LINCOLN-BARTON-ELLSWORTH-SALINE-RICE-MCPHERSON-MARION-CHASE- RENO-HARVEY-BUTLER-GREENWOOD-WOODSON-ALLEN-KINGMAN-SEDGWICK-HARPER- SUMNER-COWLEY-ELK-WILSON-NEOSHO-CHAUTAUQUA-MONTGOMERY-LABETTE- 415 PM CDT TUE SEP 13 2005 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT SCATTERED STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEASTERN KANSAS INTO THIS EVENING. THE MAIN THREATS WILL BE LARGE HAIL TO GOLFBALL SIZE OR LARGER AND DAMAGING WINDS. A TORNADO CANNOT BE RULED OUT IN SOUTHEASTERN KANSAS THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL POSSIBLE TONIGHT IN EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN KANSAS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY THUNDERSTORMS WILL AGAIN BE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT OVER MUCH OF THE AREA WITH THE THREAT SHIFTING TO SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS FOR THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT. THESE STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE SEVERE BUT MAY BRING SOME LOCALIZED FLOODING, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE COUNTIES NEAR THE OKLAHOMA BORDER. THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE FRIDAY NIGHT, SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. AT THIS TIME IT IS TOO EARLY OUT TO SPECULATE ON THE SEVERITY OF THESE STORMS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAYBE NEEDED THIS EVENING ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEASTERN KANSAS. && FOR A GRAPHICAL VERSION OF THIS INFORMATION, SEE OUR WEBPAGE AT (LOWERCASE) HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/WICHITA/HWO/HWOICT.HTM LAWSON/JMC
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Sep 13, 5:26 PM CDT, 56 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 526 PM CDT TUE SEP 13 2005 KSZ072-132300- ALLEN- 526 PM CDT TUE SEP 13 2005 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR ALLEN COUNTY... AT 525 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THAT THUNDERSTORMS WERE RAPIDLY DEVELOPING NEAR LA HARPE...OR 9 MILES EAST OF IOLA...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. PENNY TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IN THE EVENT THESE STORMS INTENSIFY AND BECOME SEVERE, OR A WARNING IS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. BOWMAN
Special weather statement, Sep 13, 5:29 PM CDT, 53 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 529 PM CDT TUE SEP 13 2005 KSZ095-096-132300- NEOSHO-WILSON- 529 PM CDT TUE SEP 13 2005 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NEOSHO AND WILSON COUNTIES... AT 525 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CHANUTE...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. PENNY TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IN THE EVENT THESE STORMS INTENSIFY AND BECOME SEVERE, OR A WARNING IS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. BOWMAN
Special weather statement, Sep 13, 5:31 PM CDT, 51 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 531 PM CDT TUE SEP 13 2005 KSZ094-132300- ELK- 531 PM CDT TUE SEP 13 2005 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR ELK COUNTY... AT 529 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 10 MILES EAST OF LATHAM...OR 31 MILES SOUTHEAST OF EL DORADO...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. PENNY TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IN THE EVENT THESE STORMS INTENSIFY AND BECOME SEVERE, OR A WARNING IS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. BOWMAN
Local storm report, Sep 13, 5:46 PM CDT, 36 minutes before
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</html>Local storm report, Sep 13, 5:46 PM CDT, 36 minutes before
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</html>Local storm report, Sep 13, 5:59 PM CDT, 23 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
559 PM CDT TUE SEP 13 2005
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0546 PM HAIL HUMBOLDT 37.81N 95.44W
09/13/2005 4.25 INCH ALLEN KS LAW ENFORCEMENT
SOFTBALL SIZE HAIL ON THE GROUND
&&
RECThe air that afternoon
The radiosonde launches on either side of the tornado, from the nearest station that was launching then, drawn and analyzed the way Storm Lab does: the same diagram, the same parcel and shear definitions SPC's mesoanalysis uses.
Springfield, MO (KSGF), 12:00Z
11.4 hours before the tornado, 162 km from the path. September 13, 2005.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 379 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -121 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1161 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 17 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 23 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 93 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 173 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 4.7 K/km
Springfield, MO (KSGF), 00:00Z
0.6 hours after it, 162 km from the path. September 14, 2005.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 1509 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -14 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 1469 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 2064 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 32 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 9 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 44 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 76 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 1.5
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 8.6 K/km
The surface observations
Parsons (PPF), 17 km from the path, in the two hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Temp (°F) | Dew point (°F) | Wind | Gust (kt) | Pressure (mb) | Weather |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 00:00 UTC |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.
The radar
The Tulsa radar (KINX), 145 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 23:21 UTC.
Open the radar archive at this moment, over the track
Reflectivity and velocity, decoded from the Level II archive in the browser. Volumes take a few seconds to open the first time.
This ground now
The live radar over the trackEvery 2005 tornado in KansasEvery tornado in Kansas since 1950Warnings in force in Kansas nowThe forecast where you are
The other tornadoes of September 13, 2005
5 more were confirmed in the United States that day.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 13 | 3:17 PM CDT | F1 | La Crosse, WI | 2.0 | 65 | $10,000 | ||
| September 13 | 4:57 PM CDT | F0 | Barton, MO | 0.2 | 20 | |||
| September 13 | 5:06 PM CDT | F0 | Crawford, KS | 6.0 | 20 | |||
| September 13 | 6:09 PM CDT | F0 | Brown, WI | 1.9 | 50 | $10,000 | ||
| September 13 | 6:38 PM CDT | F0 | Elk, KS | 0.5 | 55 |
What this means
Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.
Sources
NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.