Info on the April 19th 2000 Parsons Tornado

April 19th 2000 Parsons Tornado

Severe thunderstorms developed ahead of a pre-frontal dryline just after 7 pm CDT, as a strong upper-level storm system moved northeast across the central Plains. The first supercell developed across Montgomery county, with the first brief tornado touchdown (F0) near Havana just before 8 pm. The same supercell produced another brief tornado (F0) as it passed just south of Cherryvale. This storm intensified as it moved across northern Labette county, producing a longer track tornado (12 mile path) with F3 damage occurring in the city of Parsons, KS around 850 pm.

The second supercell storm moved across Neosho county, with the initial touchdown about 6 miles southwest of Erie, KS, around 825 pm. The tornado stayed on the ground for about 13 miles across Neosho county, passing across the south edge of Erie around 831 pm, before exiting the county just west of Walnut, KS. This tornado produced F2 damage along its entire track across Neosho county.

Satellite & radar images

Radar animation from the radar located in Tulsa

Storm relative velocity image from Tulsa's radar

NESDIS GOES 8 Satellite Image around 7:15 PM CDT, April 19, 2000, showing developing severe thunderstorms along a pre-frontal dryline over southeastern Kansas. The first tornado touched down just before 8 PM CDT.

0.5 degree reflectivity image at 826 pm cdt, 4/19/00 from the NWS Wichita WSR-88D radar showing two tornadic supercell thunderstorms.

0.5 degree Storm Relative Velocity Map image at 826 pm cdt, 4/19/00 from the NWS Wichita WSR-88D radar of the same two supercells in the left picture.

Radar image of the Neosho county tornadic storm

Storm relative velocity of the Neosho county tornado

Damage pictures

Click here for the final damage assessment, in the form of a Public Information Statement from the NWS in Wichita.