Alert archive / Nebraska / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 41, NWS Cheyenne, WY

May 20, 1998Sioux County, Nebraska

NWS Cheyenne, WY issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 20, 1998, 4:13 PM MDT for Sioux County, Nebraska. It was in force for 32 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 20, 1998, 4:13 PM MDT (22:13 UTC)
Expired
May 20, 1998, 4:45 PM MDT
In force
32 min
Issued by
NWS Cheyenne, WY
Area
Whole counties

County Sioux County, NE

The radar

The Cheyenne radar (KCYS), 172 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:13 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 20, 1:30 PM MDTTornado WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Denver, CO (KDNR), launched 12:00Z, 10.2 hours before the alert went out and 294 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Denver, CO at 12:00Z on 1998-05-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Denver, CO at 12:00Z on 1998-05-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 110 square meters per square second.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.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
2106 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
39 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
110 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
87 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

735 
WUUS1 KCYS 202214 RRA
SVRCYS
NEC165-202245-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY
413 PM MDT WED MAY 20 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHEYENNE HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN SIOUX COUNTY IN NORTHWESTERN NEBRASKA PANHANDLE

* UNTIL 445 PM MDT

* AT 411 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 25 MILES SOUTH OF HARRISON NEBRASKA... MOVING
  NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE...
  OVER OPEN COUNTRY

GO INSIDE A STURDY BUILDING AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS A TORNADO
WATCH IS IN EFFECT. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO
PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.


SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH...
DESTRUCTIVE HAIL... DEADLY LIGHTNING... AND VERY HEAVY RAIN. FOR
YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF
YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS. HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY SO DONT
DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.

PAL

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 20, 12:30 PM MDT, 3 hours 43 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE  CHEYENNE WY
1230 PM MDT WED MAY 20 1998

TIME(MDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0402 PM    3 NE BURNS                WY   TORNADO
05/19/98   LARAMIE                        TOUCHED DOWN BRIEFLY THEN
                                          DISSIPATED

0432 PM    5 SSE PINE BLUFFS         NE   TORNADO
05/19/98   KIMBALL                        ON GROUND LESS THAN A
                                          MINUTE

END
Local storm report, May 20, 12:30 PM MDT, 3 hours 43 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE  CHEYENNE WY
1230 PM MDT WED MAY 20 1998

TIME(MDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0402 PM    3 NE BURNS                WY   TORNADO
05/19/98   LARAMIE                        TOUCHED DOWN BRIEFLY THEN
                                          DISSIPATED

0432 PM    5 SSE PINE BLUFFS         NE   TORNADO
05/19/98   KIMBALL                        ON GROUND LESS THAN A
                                          MINUTE

END
Special weather statement, May 20, 1:50 PM MDT, 2 hours 23 minutes before
NEZ001>003-019>021-054-055-WYZ059-060-067-068-070-210100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY
150 PM MDT WED MAY 20 1998

...A TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR MUCH OF EASTERN WYOMING UNTIL 7
PM MDT...

THE STORM PREDICTIONS CENTER HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH FOR MUCH OF
EASTERN WYOMING AND THE NEBRASKA PANHANDLE UNTIL 7 PM MDT.

AT 145 PM MDT...DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM NEAR DOUGLAS TO JUST EAST OF WHEATLAND TO
NEAR CHEYENNE.  THE STRONGEST STORM WAS LOCATED 12 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
WHEATLAND.  ANOTHER STRONG STORM WAS LOCATED 20 MILES NORTH OF
CHEYENNE.  THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF STRONG GUSTY WINDS...SMALL
HAIL...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

A WATCH MEANS THAT WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE FORMATION
OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND NEAR THAT AREA. STEPS SHOULD BE TAKEN TO
FIND THE SAFEST AREA IN YOUR LOCATION.

PEOPLE IN EASTERN WYOMING AND THE NEBRASKA PANHANDLE SHOULD BE ALERT FOR
THUNDERSTORMS.  IF A STORM APPROACHES YOUR AREA MOVE TO A SAFE SHELTER
UNTIL IT PASSES.

WCJIN-WYNE-WYSE
LRE
Special weather statement, May 20, 1:50 PM MDT, 2 hours 23 minutes before
NEZ001>003-019>021-054-055-WYZ059-060-067-068-070-210100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY
150 PM MDT WED MAY 20 1998

...A TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR MUCH OF EASTERN WYOMING UNTIL 7
PM MDT...

THE STORM PREDICTIONS CENTER HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH FOR MUCH OF
EASTERN WYOMING AND THE NEBRASKA PANHANDLE UNTIL 7 PM MDT.

AT 145 PM MDT...DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM NEAR DOUGLAS TO JUST EAST OF WHEATLAND TO
NEAR CHEYENNE.  THE STRONGEST STORM WAS LOCATED 12 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
WHEATLAND.  ANOTHER STRONG STORM WAS LOCATED 20 MILES NORTH OF
CHEYENNE.  THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF STRONG GUSTY WINDS...SMALL
HAIL...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

A WATCH MEANS THAT WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE FORMATION
OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND NEAR THAT AREA. STEPS SHOULD BE TAKEN TO
FIND THE SAFEST AREA IN YOUR LOCATION.

PEOPLE IN EASTERN WYOMING AND THE NEBRASKA PANHANDLE SHOULD BE ALERT FOR
THUNDERSTORMS.  IF A STORM APPROACHES YOUR AREA MOVE TO A SAFE SHELTER
UNTIL IT PASSES.

WCJIN-WYNE-WYSE
LRE
Special weather statement, May 20, 2:59 PM MDT, 1 hour 14 minutes before
NEZ001>003-019>021-054-055-WYZ059-060-067-068-070-202155-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY
259 PM MDT WED MAY 20 1998

...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF SOUTHEAST WYOMING
AND THE WESTERN NEBRASKA PANHANDLE...

AT 255 PM MDT DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR INDICATED SCATTERED SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS OVER MAINLY SOUTHEAST WYOMING.  THE STRONGEST
THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 10 MILES WEST OF TORRINGTON WYOMING. THE
STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.  ANOTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORM
WAS LOCATED JUST SOUTH OF HARRRISON NEBRASKA.  THESE STORMS ARE
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL... STRONG GUSTY WINDS...AND DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING.

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THESE TFHUNDERSTORMS TAKE SHELTER IN A
STURDY BUILDING UNTIL THE STORM PASSES.

LRE
WCJIN-WYSE-WYNE

The office that day

Everything else NWS Cheyenne, WY issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 19, 6:09 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCYSDawes46 min
May 19, 6:27 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCYSMorrill33 min
May 19, 6:38 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCYSDawes32 min
May 19, 6:56 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCYSCheyenne29 min
May 19, 7:26 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCYSCheyenne44 min
May 19, 9:19 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCYSMorrill31 min
May 19, 9:39 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCYSCheyenne31 min
May 20, 4:46 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCYSScotts Bluff34 min
May 20, 5:28 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCYSMorrill32 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Nebraska, 1998Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1998

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.