     | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | May 28, 2019 6:05 p.m.CDT (UTC−05:00) |
| Dissipated | May 28, 2019 7:00 p.m. CDT (UTC−05:00) |
| Duration | 55 minutes[1] |
| EF4 tornado | |
| on theEnhanced Fujita scale | |
| Max width | 1,760 yards (1.00 mi; 1.61 km) |
| Path length | 29.07 miles (46.78 km) |
| Highest winds |
|
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 18[4] |
| Damage | $48 million (2019USD)[5][6][1] |
| Areas affected | Western Kansas City metro area, SpecificallyLawrence andLinwood, Kansas, United States |
Part of theTornado outbreak sequence of May 2019 andTornadoes of 2019 | |
During the early evening hours of May 28, 2019, a large and heavily rainwrappedtornado struck the westernKansas City metropolitan area, acrossDouglas andLeavenworth counties in easternKansas. It was the second violent tornado to occur during a record14-day long tornado outbreak sequence, which spawned approximately 400 tornadoes with thefirst EF4 tornado occurring a day prior inOhio. In its wake, the tornado caused $48 millionUSD in total damages within the two counties, with nearby areas in the vicinity or within southeasternLawrence, andLinwood taking the worst damage during the event. According to theNational Weather Service weather forecasting offices (WFOs) in bothTopeka, Kansas andPleasant Hill,Missouri, the tornado was ultimately rated as low-end EF4 on theEnhanced Fujita scale, with estimated winds of 170 mph (270 km/h), though a storm chasing research team found winds of 190 mph (310 km/h) from a rocket probe.[2][3] It caused 18 injuries but no fatalities before dissipating west ofBonner Springs, Kansas.
The tornado traveled along a long path of 29.07 miles (46.78 km) across the two counties. It reached a maximum width of a mile, or 1,760 yards (1.61 km) during its 55-minute lifespan across portions of the westernKansas City metropolitan area.[1]
On the morning of May 28, a closed mid-levellow pressure system and an accompanyingjet streak overspread the centralUnited States, creating a highly favorable large-scale environment forsevere weather.[7] The mid-level system promoted surfacecyclogenesis across theCentral Plains, resulting in a deepening surface low. In response, richGulf moisture rapidlyadvected northward, reaching as far north assouthern Iowa and overspreading much of the state of Kansas.[8] Asmoisture increased across the region, forecasters at theStorm Prediction Center identified a growing potential for asignificant severe weather outbreak, prompting the issuance of a moderate risk with a 10% probability of significant tornadoes over primarilynortheastern Kansas, andnorthern Missouri.[9]
By the afternoon, extremeconvective instability andwind shear were present across central and northeastern Kansas.Surface-based CAPE values approached 2,000J/kg, while effectivestorm-relative helicity values reached nearly 300 m²/s², indicative of a strongly sheared environment supportive ofrotating supercells.[10] Adryline was established across central Kansas and served as a focus for convective initiation later in the day. However, a discretesupercell developed farther east within thewarm sector along a northward-liftingwarm front. This supercell initially produced an EF2 tornado to the east ofOverbrook, and to the south-southwest ofLone Star Lake before continuing northeastward, and intensifying into the long-track EF4 tornado near Linwood.[11] In this region, enhanced low-level shear and backed surface winds—associated with the surface low positioned southwest of the warm front—further increasedtornado potential. This combination of extremeinstability, strong vertical wind shear, and favorable boundary interactions created an environment highly conducive to significant and violent long-track tornadoes.[12]
At approximately 6:05 p.m.CDT (23:05 UTC) the tornado would touch down, immediately cloaked in rain and intensifying from EF0 to EF1 intensity along County Road 1 East, next to Lone Star Lake in southwest-central Douglas County. The tornado absorbed the circulation of the dissipating Overbrook EF2 tornado, as the supercell was cycling. After crossing North 750th Road, south-southeast ofLone Star the tornado would intensify to EF3 intensity, as it debarked trees along Chicken Creek at 140 mph (230 km/h). The tornado would also begin to widen as a swath of EF2 tree damage occurred, before the tornado reintensified to EF3 intensity again. Along East 1000 Road, the tornado impacted a home with winds at 160 mph (260 km/h), leveling the residence and destroying a garage that was properly bolted to its sill plates. Across the road, trees were debarked and outbuildings were completely destroyed at EF2-EF3 intensity.[1][13]
The large and shrouded wedge tornado continued to move across portions of central Douglas County, at EF2 intensity until it was closing in onUS 59, south of Lawrence. Just before crossing the highway, the tornado caused exterior wall collapses and roof damage to two homes along North 1000 Road at EF3 intensity, with winds of 138 mph (222 km/h). As the tornado was about to pass over the busy road, storm chaserReed Timmer alongside Team Dominator launched a rocket probe from a specialized interceptor vehicle. The rocket was launched into the tornado and recorded winds of 190 mph (310 km/h) within the storm's circulation, whilst also recordingbarometric pressure drops.[2][3][14] Shortly after crossing US 59, the tornado would impact a cul-de-sac, where one home sustained severe EF3 damage, with winds estimated at 145 mph (233 km/h). To the northeast along North 1100 Road, two residences were impacted at EF3 intensity, with one of the homes heavily destroyed and a pickup truck was rolled in a shed at 150 mph (240 km/h).[1][13]
Remaining at EF2 intensity, the tornado would impact the far southeastern outskirts of Lawrence as it crossedK-10. The tornado only impacted a few structures, and mostly trees as it paralleled the highway at EF0-EF1 intensity. After leaving the Lawrence area, crossing a highway interchange, the tornado would continue into open farmland and caused EF1 damage trees in the area. Shortly after crossing the three-way junction connecting both North 1400 and East 1850 Roads, the tornado rapidly intensified to EF3 intensity, as it struck a daycare center. The director, alongside her children and three employees were inside when the tornado struck, with walls collapsed and parts of the building destroyed at 145 mph (233 km/h).[15] From this point on to theKansas River, the tornado stayed over open fields and occasionally caused EF3 damage northwest ofEudora, in parts of northeastern Douglas County to a few homes and trees.[1][13]
Upon crossing the Kansas River into Leavenworth County, the National Weather Service WFO in Pleasant Hill, Missouri issued aPDS tornado warning forDe Soto,Reno and Linwood at 6:20 p.m. CDT (23:20 UTC), sighting a damaging tornado was in progress.[16] The heavily rainwrapped tornado continued to go along the meandering river at EF2 intensity for around 3.5 mi (5.6 km) before impacting the western neighborhoods of the small city of Linwood.[1][13]
Along Golden Road, the tornado would suddenly become violent as it destroyed an anchored home at EF4 intensity, with estimated winds of 170 mph (270 km/h). Sill plates that were bolted down to the foundation were ripped out by the tornado. It weakened to EF3 intensity as two impacted neighboring homes alongK-32 were heavily destroyed with 140–152 mph (225–245 km/h) winds. North to northeast of town, the tornado continued causing significant EF2 damage, as a plant wholesaler was leveled to the ground, and along 198th Street a residence was destroyed alongside stubbed trees with winds of 135 mph (217 km/h). The last area where EF2+ damage occurred was along 170th Street, where a house had all of its exterior walls torn down at 122 mph (196 km/h). For the remainder of its time, the tornado caused EF0-EF1 damage to homes and outbuildings before dissipating west of Bonner Springs at 7:00 p.m. CDT (00:00 UTC).[1][13]
Following after, the supercell responsible for EF4 tornado crossed state lines and passed over the northern suburbs of Kansas City, dropping a third significant tornado, rated EF2 that impacted areas in betweenKearney andExcelsior Springs, Missouri before dissipating.[17][1][13]
This was the first time a violent tornado struck Kansas inover 3 years. Throughout the2019 season, this was the third and last tornado to be rated that high in the United States, as well was it the last such tornado ofthe decade in the country. For the Kansas City area alone, this tornado was the strongest to occur sinceF4 tornadoes impacted the region in 2003.[1]
A day after the tornado occurred, the National Weather Service forecasting office covering the Kansas City area, located in Pleasant Hill, Missouri, released their preliminary surveys of the tornado. The tornado was given a rating of low-end EF4, with estimated winds of 170 miles per hour (270 km/h) along a path of 31.82 miles (51.21 km). The tornado also was a mile wide or 1,760 yards (1.61 km). 18 people were reportedly injured during the event in this post, and no fatalities occurred with this tornado.[18]
Prior to the formation of the EF4 tornado, the preceding EF2 tornado from the same supercell storm that impacted areas east of Overbrook, struck a line of storm chasing vans operated by a tour group. A dozen people, mainly tour guests and operators were injured as this extremely rainwrapped tornado threw vehicles around without warning.[19][20][21]
Kansas City International Airport was closed for a brief period as debris was littered 47 miles (76 km) after the tornado, causing flights to be delayed.[22] More than 13,000 customers were left without power after the storms passed.[23] In Douglas County, monetary estimates from the tornado were up to $22 million USD.[24] In Leavenworth County, the tornado caused an estimated $26 million USD in damages. The city of Linwood and the surrounding areas suffered the worst of the destruction during the event.[1]
During the spring and early summer months of 2019, Kansas was impacted by severe storms, which were responsible for damaging straight-line winds and tornadoes. Flooding, alongside mudslides and landslides were also brought up in parts of the state, as part of the storms that went across the area.FEMA, under thefirst presidency of Donald Trump issued a disaster declaration (FEMA-4449-DR) for the state on June 20, noted in a six-month recovery report that $861,037.79 USD in Public Assistance funds were provided for the state's various projects. $581,000 USD was provided for state-wide projects, while the remainder was given toJefferson County. Approximately seven tens of counties throughout Kansas, including Leavenworth County were covered in the federal disaster declaration, with it especially due to the EF4 tornado on May 28th.[25][26]
In Douglas County, the local emergency management opened up a so-called "volunteer reception center", for individuals that can register themselves to help and give relief to the victims affected by the tornadoes. People from outside of Douglas County, and even outside of Kansas came in to support those in need.[27]
As the tornado was south of the city of Lawrence, Reed Timmer and Team Dominator would launch a custom-built meteorological probe attached to a miniature rocket, which was designed byCanadian engineer Mark Simpson, from theirDominator 3 storm research vehicle at 6:17:33 p.m. CDT (23:17:33 UTC). The rocket was launched into the tornado'sinflow region and lofted up to 34,000 ft (10,000 m) within the tornadic circulation and sampled the core flow. At 7.9 seconds after its launch, 1hz data showed live data that the probe's parachute deployed at 437 m (1,434 ft) above ground level (AGL), and entered the northwestern side of the then ongoing wedge tornado. The research group continued on US 59 to maintain communication with the probe, until connection was lost at 6:25:09 p.m. CDT (23:05:09 UTC) as the probe entered thetropopause at a distance of 10.4 km (6.5 mi), and at an altitude of 10,680 m (35,040 ft) above sea level (ASL), with a maximum height of 11,914 m (39,088 ft) ASL as the probe entered the uppertroposphere before descending. The probe was recovered a day later on the grounds of a church within the city ofLeavenworth, after having traveled a distance of 51.1 km (31.8 mi) to the northeast throughout its entire pseudo-Lagrangian flight.[28][2][29]
Throughout its stay within the circulation of the large EF4 tornado, the probe recorded a maximum pressure deficit of -113.5hPa at 475 m (1,558 ft) ASL, which dropped to less than -20 hPa by a height of 3,760 m (12,340 ft) ASL in the storm'smesocyclone. Alongside that the probe caught instantaneous winds of 85.1 m/s (306 km/h; 190 mph) during the first rotation at 858 m (2,815 ft) ASL. Measurements of the storm'supdraft were also taken in account, where a 1-second gust of 65 m/s (230 km/h; 150 mph) was documented at an altitude of 2,171.3 m (7,124 ft) ASL.Temperature,relative humidity,GPS,acceleration,gyroscope, andmagnetometer sensor data were all recorded at real-time as the probe was inflight for roughly 30 minutes in total.[2][3]
Team Dominator were the first ever storm chasing, and scientific research team to deploy the usage of a meteorological rocket probe into a tornado, to collect data that wasn't accessible before.[30] Tornadoes as a phenomenon usually destroy any type of measuring instruments, due to their extreme winds and large amount of lofted debris, that can act as high-speed, and potentially deadly projectiles. This new way of direct wind measurements unlocks capabilities to understandtornado intensity that was never recorded before, aside from usual proxies such as damage assessments.[31]
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