This alert expired on 18 May 2026 at 20:00 UTC. It is kept here as a record.
No stronger detection stands among the 80 recorded within 20 km of this point since 15 May 2026 — 2 others scored the same. Another comparable one was recorded here earlier the same day. 19 more were recorded here in the fortnight before it.
What the source measured
NOAA reported: Tornado Warning issued May 18 at 2:17PM CDT until May 18 at 3:00PM CDT by NWS Topeka KS
An estimated 47,813 people live within 50 km of this point.
Nearby, since 15 May 2026
- July 24, 2026 · score 34 · 8.2 km
- July 26, 2026 · score 28 · 9.7 km
- July 25, 2026 · score 34 · 9.7 km
How we know
Confirmed by 3 independent sources, including NOAA.
Our own score for this event is 58 out of 100, at 90 % confidence.
The score is ours, computed from intensity, exposed population and local history — not the source’s.
Event Data
| Type | Severe weather |
| Severity | critical |
| Calamity Score (ours) | 58 / 100 |
| Our confidence | 90% |
| Coordinates | 39.0842, -97.9227 |
| Nearest City | Salina (38 km) |
| Population Exposed | 47.8K within 50 km |
| Impact Tier | significant |
| Timestamp | 2026-05-18T19:17:00.000Z |
| Source | https://api.weather.gov/alerts/merged_Tornado Warning_noaa_urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.cfd7eb6a1f3a07a680029c8399c2908a |
Score Breakdown
Technical Details
| Event | Tornado Warning |
| Urgency | Immediate |
| Certainty | Observed |
| AreaDesc | Ottawa, KS; Lincoln, KS |
| Headline | Tornado Warning issued May 18 at 2:17PM CDT until May 18 at 3:00PM CDT by NWS Topeka KS |
| Expires | 2026-05-18T15:00:00-05:00 |
| SenderName | NWS Topeka KS |
| HasExactCoords | true |
| MergedCount | 2 |
| MergedIds | ["noaa_urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.cfd7eb6a1f3a07a680029c8399c2908a4b014f04.001.1","noaa_urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.26d6a4c43cfb4ff4e71cd1471096a7f8ec7e9626.001.1"] |
| Iem TypeSummary | H |
| Iem Magnitude | 1 |
| Iem Unit | Inch |
| Iem City | 2 E Lincoln |
| Iem County | Lincoln |
| Iem State | KS |
| Iem Wfo | ICT |
| Iem Remark | Storm chaser also reported a low hanging wall cloud. |
| MergedSources | [{"id":"iem_H_39.000_-98.150_1779130680000","source":"iem","severity":"low","severityValue":25,"timestamp":1779130680000,"latitude":39,"longitude":-98.15},{"id":"iem_H_39.040_-98.110_1779130860000","source":"iem","severity":"low","severityValue":25,"timestamp":1779130860000,"latitude":39.04,"longitude":-98.11}] |
Safety Information
If a tornado warning is issued: go to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor, away from windows. A vehicle and a mobile home are not shelter. Cover your head and neck. Wait for the official all-clear before going outside, and watch for downed power lines and gas leaks afterwards.
Series begins 10 February 2026. Comparisons refer to that period only. Collection gap: 14-26 August 2026.
This data is aggregated algorithmically from scientific sources. Not a replacement for official emergency warnings.
Calamity.live data shows a weather event with CalamityScore 58/100 (United States), based on data from noaa. Source: Calamity.live, a platform aggregating real-time data from 188 scientific monitoring sources.