Alert archive / Nebraska / Tornado Warnings in 1998

Tornado Warning 23, NWS Hastings, NE

May 21, 1998Furnas County, Gosper County, Phelps County, Nebraska

NWS Hastings, NE issued this tornado warning at May 21, 1998, 7:59 PM CDT for Furnas County, Gosper County, Phelps County, Nebraska. It was in force for 31 min. 3 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued: May 21, 1998, 7:59 PM CDT (00:59 UTC)
Expired: May 21, 1998, 8:30 PM CDT
In force: 31 min
Issued by: NWS Hastings, NE
Area: Whole counties

Counties Furnas County, NE, Gosper County, NE, Phelps County, NE

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where
May 21, 8:05 PM CDT	Hail 1.5	Arapahoe, NE
May 21, 8:15 PM CDT	Hail 2.75	Elwood, NE
May 21, 8:30 PM CDT	Hail 2.75	Holdrege, NE

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in.

The watch it was issued in

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

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
May 21, 3:15 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

N. Platte/Lee Bi, NE (KLBF), launched 00:00Z, 1.0 hours before the alert went out and 110 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 685 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -16 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 548 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 45 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 34 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 73 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

151 
WFUS1 KGRI 220058 RRA
TORGRI
NEC065-073-137-220130-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
759 PM CDT THU MAY 21 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HASTINGS HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR PEOPLE IN...
  NORTHERN FURNAS COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA
  GOSPER COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA
  PHELPS COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA

* UNTIL 830 PM CDT

* AT AT 755 PM... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
TWO DEVELOPING TORNADOS 2 MILES NORTHEAST OF HOLBROOK...5 MILES
NORTH OF ARAPAHOE OR ABOUT 30 MILES SOUTHWEST OF LEXINGTON. THE
THIRD POSSIBLE TORNADO WAS 5 MILES SOUTHEAST OF HOLDREGE OR 25
MILES SOUTHWEST OF KEARNEY...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

* THESE TORNADOS ARE EXPECTED TO BE NEAR...
  JUST NORTH OF ARAPAHOE AROUND 805 PM
  RURAL SECTIONS OF SOUTHERN GOSPER AND PHELPS COUNTIES THROUGH 830
  PM

TAKE SHELTER IN A BASEMENT OR A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS

JAB

What forecasters said that day

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

NWS Hastings, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at May 21, 2:40 PM CDT, 5 hours 19 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 21, 2:40 PM CDT, 5 hours 19 minutes before

CENTRAL NEBRASKA/NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
240 PM CDT THU MAY 21 1998

...MAIN FOCUS WILL BE PERIODS OF CONVECTION OVER THE NEXT FEW
   DAYS...

THIS MORNINGS 12Z RUNS SHOWING SOME INTERESTING DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
THE ETA AND NGM. BOTH SHOW TROF INCR NEG TILT WITH TIME INTO THE REGION
WHICH WILL HELP ENHANCE CONVECTION ACROSS THE HSI CWA. A SERIES OF SHORT
WAVES WILL AFFECT OUR CWA ALLOWING FOR A CHANCE OF PCPN THRU THE ENTIRE
FCST PERIODS. ONCE AGAIN THE NGM SEEMS TOO FAR NORTH WITH SURFACE FEATURES.
WITH NGM SHOWING ITS TYPICAL BIASES AGAIN...ETA SEEMS TO BE MODEL OF CHOICE.
T-SEC SHOWING STRONG UVV BOTH LATE TONITE & SAT MORNING...THEREFORE HIGHER
POPS DURING THESE PERIODS ARE PROBABLY WARRANTED. WINDS LOOK TO REMAIN FOR
THE MOST OUT OF THE SOUTHEAST 10-20 THRU SAT.

GRI CC 058/085/057/078 535
HEB CC 060/084/057/077 535
ODX CC 058/082/056/075 535
LXN CC 060/085/055/077 634
BEL CC 062/087/059/080 646

DEE

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 21, 2:30 PM CDT, 5 hours 29 minutes before

NEZ049-064-077-087-212005-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
230 PM CDT THU MAY 21 1998

...SEVRE THUDNERSTORM WATCH 385 IS CANCELLED FOR ALL OF CENTRAL
NEBRASKA...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS CANCELLED THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WATCH 385 FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTINES...POLK...YORL...FILLMORE AND
THAYER COUNTIES.

GRIFFITH

Special weather statement, May 21, 2:30 PM CDT, 5 hours 29 minutes before

NEZ049-064-077-087-212005-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
230 PM CDT THU MAY 21 1998

...SEVRE THUDNERSTORM WATCH 385 IS CANCELLED FOR ALL OF CENTRAL
NEBRASKA...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS CANCELLED THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WATCH 385 FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTINES...POLK...YORL...FILLMORE AND
THAYER COUNTIES.

GRIFFITH

Local storm report, May 21, 3:39 PM CDT, 4 hours 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE  HASTINGS NE
339 PM CDT THU MAY 21 1998

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

0845 AM    JOHNSON LAKE              NE   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   GOSPER

0850 AM    JOHNSON LAKE              NE   1.00 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   GOSPER

0848 AM    JOHNSON LAKE              NE   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   GOSPER

0900 AM    ELWOOD                    NE   TORNADO
05/21/98   GOSPER                         SPOTTED BY TRUCKER
                                          NORTHEAST OF ELWOOD

0904 AM    LEXINGTON                 NE   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   DAWSON

0913 AM    3W OVERTON                NE   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   DAWSON

0914 AM    OVERTON                   NE   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   DAWSON

0916 AM    LEXINGTON                 NE   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   DAWSON                         WINDSHIELDS BROKEN

0920 AM    OVERTON                   NE   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   DAWSON

0932 AM    1W JOHNSON LAKE           NE   FUNNEL CLOUD
05/21/98   GOSPER

0935 AM    4W OVERTON                NE   2.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   GOSPER

1010 AM    BERTRAND                  NE   1.00 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   GOSPER

1020 AM    AMHERST                   NE   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   BUFFALO

1048 AM    RIVERDALE                 NE   0.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   BUFFALO

1053 AM    KEARNEY                   NE   0.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   BUFFALO

1100 AM    KEARNEY AIRPORT           NE   0.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   BUFFALO

1105 AM    6NE KEARNEY               NE   0.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   BUFFALO

1110 AM    7N AXTELL                 NE   1.00 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   KEARNEY

1110 AM    7W KEARNEY                NE   FLOODING
05/21/98   BUFFALO                        WATER OVER HIGHWAY 30

1130 AM    KEARNEY                   NE   0.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   BUFFALO

1200 PM    E OF HEARTWELL            NE   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   KEARNEY

1200 PM    KENESAW                   NE   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   ADAMS

1235 PM    5S GRAND ISLAND           NE   1.00 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   HALL

1250 PM    2S GILTNER                NE   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   HAMILTON

1256 PM    GILTNER I80 EXIT          NE   0.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   HAMILTON

1237 PM    7N HASTINGS               NE   1.00 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   ADAMS

0100 PM    HARVARD                   NE   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   CLAY

0126 PM    3N SUTTON                 NE   0.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   CLAY

0155 PM    4N GRAFTON                NE   0.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   FILLMORE

GRIFFITH

Local storm report, May 21, 3:39 PM CDT, 4 hours 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE  HASTINGS NE
339 PM CDT THU MAY 21 1998

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

0845 AM    JOHNSON LAKE              NE   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   GOSPER

0850 AM    JOHNSON LAKE              NE   1.00 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   GOSPER

0848 AM    JOHNSON LAKE              NE   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   GOSPER

0900 AM    ELWOOD                    NE   TORNADO
05/21/98   GOSPER                         SPOTTED BY TRUCKER
                                          NORTHEAST OF ELWOOD

0904 AM    LEXINGTON                 NE   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   DAWSON

0913 AM    3W OVERTON                NE   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   DAWSON

0914 AM    OVERTON                   NE   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   DAWSON

0916 AM    LEXINGTON                 NE   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   DAWSON                         WINDSHIELDS BROKEN

0920 AM    OVERTON                   NE   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   DAWSON

0932 AM    1W JOHNSON LAKE           NE   FUNNEL CLOUD
05/21/98   GOSPER

0935 AM    4W OVERTON                NE   2.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   GOSPER

1010 AM    BERTRAND                  NE   1.00 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   GOSPER

1020 AM    AMHERST                   NE   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   BUFFALO

1048 AM    RIVERDALE                 NE   0.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   BUFFALO

1053 AM    KEARNEY                   NE   0.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   BUFFALO

1100 AM    KEARNEY AIRPORT           NE   0.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   BUFFALO

1105 AM    6NE KEARNEY               NE   0.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   BUFFALO

1110 AM    7N AXTELL                 NE   1.00 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   KEARNEY

1110 AM    7W KEARNEY                NE   FLOODING
05/21/98   BUFFALO                        WATER OVER HIGHWAY 30

1130 AM    KEARNEY                   NE   0.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   BUFFALO

1200 PM    E OF HEARTWELL            NE   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   KEARNEY

1200 PM    KENESAW                   NE   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   ADAMS

1235 PM    5S GRAND ISLAND           NE   1.00 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   HALL

1250 PM    2S GILTNER                NE   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   HAMILTON

1256 PM    GILTNER I80 EXIT          NE   0.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   HAMILTON

1237 PM    7N HASTINGS               NE   1.00 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   ADAMS

0100 PM    HARVARD                   NE   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   CLAY

0126 PM    3N SUTTON                 NE   0.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   CLAY

0155 PM    4N GRAFTON                NE   0.75 INCH HAIL
05/21/98   FILLMORE

GRIFFITH

The office that day

Everything else NWS Hastings, NE issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 21, 7:22 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	GID	Phelps	38 min
May 21, 7:27 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Gosper	33 min
May 21, 7:32 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	GID	Gosper	28 min
May 21, 7:40 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	GID	Kearney	50 min
May 21, 8:30 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	GID	Kearney, Phelps	30 min
May 21, 9:01 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	GID	Adams, Kearney	29 min
May 21, 9:01 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	GID	Phelps	29 min
May 21, 9:32 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Kearney	28 min
May 21, 9:42 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	GID	Kearney	33 min
May 21, 10:14 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	GID	Adams, Kearney	31 min
May 21, 10:17 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Hall	43 min
May 21, 10:23 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Polk, York	37 min
May 21, 10:30 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	GID	Gosper	45 min
May 21, 10:47 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Adams	43 min
May 21, 11:02 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Hall, Hamilton, Merrick	43 min
May 21, 11:02 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Buffalo	43 min
May 21, 11:17 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	GID	Gosper, Phelps	43 min
May 21, 11:21 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Polk, York	39 min
May 21, 11:24 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Clay	36 min
May 21, 11:40 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Buffalo	35 min
May 21, 11:44 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Hall, Hamilton	46 min
May 21, 11:57 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	GID	Kearney, Phelps	48 min
May 22, 12:01 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Clay, Fillmore, York	49 min
May 22, 12:47 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Fillmore	33 min
May 22, 12:48 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Adams, Franklin, Kearney, Webster	47 min
May 22, 2:31 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Thayer	29 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Nebraska, 1998 Every tornado warning in 1998 Tornadoes 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.