Tornadoes · United States · Kansas · 2008

EF0 tornado, Hollis, Kansas, April 25, 2008

This EF0 tornado ran 0.1 miles across Cloud County on April 25, 2008, touching down at 1:26 AM CDT and reaching 25 yards wide. It killed nobody.

The rating scale

Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Enhanced Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.

  1. EF065 to 85 mphthis tornado

    Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.

  2. EF186 to 110 mph

    Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.

  3. EF2111 to 135 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.

  4. EF3136 to 165 mph

    Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.

  5. EF4166 to 200 mph

    Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.

  6. EF5over 200 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.

  7. 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
EF0
Date
April 25, 2008
Touchdown
1:26 AM CDT (06:26 UTC)
Lifted
1:27 AM CDT (06:27 UTC)
On the ground
1 minutes
Path length
0.1 miles (0.2 km)
Path width
25 yards (23 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
County
Cloud County
Touchdown point
39.640, -97.520
Lift-off point
39.640, -97.520
Record number
0804250026-01

What the Weather Service recorded

Elevated convection developed on the nose of the low level jet late the evening of the 24th, and continued through the morning of the 25th. Severe hail was the primary threat with the elevated storms, but a lone, long track supercell the developed over the northwestern part of the state was able to sustain it's strength through Cloud County. A relatively long track tornado crossed through Jewell County to just south of Jamestown in Cloud County before lifting. EF-1 damage was sustained in the Topeka Warning area.

Brief touch down reported in an open field. No significant damage was reported.

From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.

The warnings

45 minutes of warning. NWS TOP issued a tornado warning for this county at 05:41 UTC, 45 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 06:30 UTC.

The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 06:15 UTC and running to 08:57 UTC.

Issued (UTC)ExpiredProductOffice
03:21 UTC06:14 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WatchTOP
05:26 UTC06:15 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOP
05:41 UTC06:30 UTCTornado WarningTOP
06:15 UTC08:57 UTCTornado WatchTOP
06:30 UTC06:50 UTCTornado WarningTOP
10:00 UTC15:05 UTCWind AdvisoryTOP

Every warning and watch covering the touchdown point that day, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service products. Lead time is measured from the issue of the warning in force to the touchdown time in the database, both of which were recorded to the minute by different people.

The 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.

Topeka, KS (KTOP), 00:00Z

6.4 hours before the tornado, 177 km from the path. April 25, 2008.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Topeka, KS at 00:00Z on 2008-04-25Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 956 joules per kilogram, CIN -138, lifted condensation level 777 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.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. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Topeka, KS at 00:00Z on 2008-04-25The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 140 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 31 knots.1939587897Sfc1 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. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
956 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-138 J/kg
Surface CAPE
1273 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
777 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
31 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
21 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
140 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
219 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.2
Supercell composite
1.3
0-3 km lapse rate
5.1 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Topeka, KS (KTOP), 12:00Z

5.6 hours after it, 177 km from the path. April 25, 2008.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Topeka, KS at 12:00Z on 2008-04-25Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 1558 joules per kilogram, CIN -15, lifted condensation level 726 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.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. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Topeka, KS at 12:00Z on 2008-04-25The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 95 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 49 knots.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. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
1558 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-15 J/kg
Surface CAPE
1374 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
726 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
49 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
36 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
95 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
111 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.0
Supercell composite
3.6
0-3 km lapse rate
5.2 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The surface observations

Concordia (CNK), 15 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

Time (UTC)Temp (°F)Dew point (°F)WindGust (kt)Pressure (mb)Weather
04:39 UTC64.462.6100° 3 kt1001BR
04:55 UTC6462120° 4 kt1000.3BR
05:34 UTC66.264.4150° 10 kt161000.3VCTS
05:48 UTC66.262.6340° 12 kt161000.7VCTS
05:55 UTC6764350° 27 kt331000TS
05:59 UTC69.864.4350° 23 kt331000TS
06:18 UTC62.657.2350° 22 kt311002.4+TSRA BR
06:21 UTC5957.2360° 21 kt311001.7+TSRA BR
06:23 UTC57.255.410° 25 kt321001+TSRA BR
06:30 UTC57.255.420° 22 kt351000.3+TSRA BR
06:33 UTC57.255.420° 19 kt351000.7+TSRA BR
06:36 UTC57.255.440° 12 kt281001-TSRA BR
06:55 UTC585640° 14 kt231000-TSRA
07:10 UTC57.2330° 16 kt251001.7TSRA
07:13 UTC55.440° 16 kt251000+TSRA
07:15 UTC55.450° 16 kt251000+TSRA
07:24 UTC55.440° 10 kt321001TSRA
07:32 UTC57.240° 15 kt1000.7-TSRA
07:45 UTC57.250° 15 kt261000.7VCTS -RA
07:55 UTC5710° 13 kt1002VCTS
08:02 UTC57.2330° 10 kt201002.7VCTS

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.

The radar

The Grand Island radar (KUEX), 109 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 06:25 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.

What was reported nearby

Local storm reports within 60 km of the path, in the three hours either side.

Time (UTC)ReportWhereCountyRemark
03:54 UTCHAIL 0.754 Wsw MundenRepublic, KSDIME SIZED HAIL.
03:55 UTCHAIL 1.5MundenRepublic, KSWALNUT SIZED HAIL IN THE CITY OF MUNDEN.
03:59 UTCHAIL 1Wnw MundenRepublic, KS
04:00 UTCHAIL 12 E MundenRepublic, KS
04:03 UTCHAIL 0.758 N MorrowvilleWashington, KS
04:03 UTCHAIL 0.889 N WashingtonWashington, KS
04:05 UTCHAIL 0.889 N WashingtonWashington, KS
04:09 UTCHAIL 0.758 N MorrowvilleWashington, KS
04:42 UTCHAIL 18 N MorrowvilleWashington, KS
05:00 UTCHAIL 16 N WashingtonWashington, KS
05:14 UTCTORNADO3 N BeloitMitchell, KSAT LEAST ONE HOME DESTROYED
05:15 UTCTSTM WND GST 604 N RepublicRepublic, KS
05:15 UTCHAIL 1.55 N RepublicRepublic, KS
05:19 UTCHAIL 1.755 Nw HanoverWashington, KSGOLFBALL SIZE HAIL NEAR 27TH AND XAVIER ROAD.
05:26 UTCTORNADO3 N BeloitMitchell, KSCONE SHAPED TORNADO AROUND 1/3 TO 1/2 MILE WIDE AT BASE. NUMEROUS POWER FLASHES VISIBLE. ROOF GONE OFF 1 HOME AND OUTBUILDING DESTROYED.
05:37 UTCTORNADO6 Ne BeloitMitchell, KSNUMEROUS POWER LINES AND TREES DOWN ALONG WITH SHED DESTROYED AT FARM.
05:45 UTCTSTM WND DMG4 Ssw JamestownCloud, KSPOSSIBLE TORNADO. SPOTTER REPORTED 3 POWER POLES SNAPPED...A ABANDONED ROCK HOME DESTROYED...AN OUT BUILDING DAMAGED...DAMAGE TO TREES. NEAR INTERSECTION OF PLUM AND 30TH ROADS.
06:01 UTCHAIL 16 Sse CourtlandRepublic, KS
06:11 UTCHAIL 0.88NorwayRepublic, KSALSO 50 MPH WIND GUSTS
06:16 UTCHAIL 13 Ne ConcordiaCloud, KS
06:26 UTCTORNADO7 Sw AgendaCloud, KSBRIEF TORNADO ABOUT 2 OR 3 MILES NORTHWEST OF AMES. LASTED 1 TO 2 MINUTES.
07:00 UTCHAIL 1AgendaRepublic, KS
07:15 UTCHAIL 0.755 Sse ConcordiaCloud, KS
07:50 UTCHAIL 16 S PalmerClay, KS

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.

This ground now

The live radar over the trackEvery 2008 tornado in KansasEvery tornado in Kansas since 1950Warnings in force in Kansas nowThe forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of April 25, 2008

9 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
April 251:35 PM CDTEF0Davis, IA0.830$25,000
April 253:08 PM CDTEF1Henry, IA1.320$10,000
April 253:15 PM CDTEF2Muscatine, IA6.5150$200,000
April 252:43 PM PDTEF0Ferry, WA0.120
April 255:18 PM CDTEF1Columbia, WI21.175$600,000
April 255:20 PM CDTEF0Columbia, WI0.225
April 255:44 PM CDTEF0Green Lake, WI7.130
April 256:20 PM CDTEF0Bell, TX1.450
April 256:47 PM CDTEF0Bell, TX0.750

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.