Alert archive / Nebraska / Tornado Warnings in 1998

Tornado Warning 8, NWS Omaha, NE

April 14, 1998Butler County, Seward County, Nebraska

NWS Omaha, NE issued this tornado warning at Apr 14, 1998, 7:10 PM CDT for Butler County, Seward County, Nebraska. It was in force for 35 min. 1 report 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
Apr 14, 1998, 7:10 PM CDT (00:10 UTC)
Expired
Apr 14, 1998, 7:45 PM CDT
In force
35 min
Issued by
NWS Omaha, NE
Area
Whole counties

Counties Butler County, NE, Seward County, NE

The radar

The Omaha radar (KOAX), 71 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:09 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Apr 14, 7:18 PM CDTHail 1.75Utica, 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.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Apr 14, 3:00 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 00:00Z, 0.2 hours before the alert went out and 71 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, Omaha, NE at 00:00Z on 1998-04-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 3 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Omaha, NE at 00:00Z on 1998-04-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 141 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
3 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-139 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1639 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
51 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
141 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
444 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.

000 
TTAA00 KOMA 150010 RRA
TOROMA
NEC023-159-150045-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
710 PM CDT TUE APR 14 1998

* TORNADO WARNING FOR
  BUTLER COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL NEBRASKA
  NORTHERN SEWARD COUNTY IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

* UNTIL 745 PM CDT
 
* SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED
  BEE                          BY AROUND 715 PM CDT
  ULYSSES                      BY AROUND 715 PM CDT
  GARRISON                     BY AROUND 735 PM CDT

* AT 708 PM CDT...A POSSIBLE TORNADO WAS INDICATED BY DOPPLER RADAR
  21 MILES EAST NORTHEAST OF YORK OR 7 MILES SOUTH OF ULYSSES MOVING
  NORTH AT 30 MPH.
 
PERSONS IN THE WARNED AREA SHOULD TAKE SHELTER IN A BASEMENT IF
AVAILABLE. Z OTHERWISE GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR.  CARS AND MOBILE HOMES SHOULD BE ABANDONED.

GW

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.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 14, 2:50 PM CDT, 4 hours 20 minutes before
NEZ011-012-015>018-030>034-042>045-050>053-065>068-078-088>093-
IAZ043-055-056-069-079-080-090-091-151200-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
250 PM CDT TUE APR 14 1998

...SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR EASTERN NEBRASKA AND SOUTHWEST IOWA...

...SPOTTER ACTION...
SPOTTERS SHOULD MAINTAIN A HIGH STATE OF READINESS IN SOUTHEASTERN
NEBRASKA THROUGH THE EVENING.  A TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR
PARTS OF SOUTHERN AND EASTERN NEBRASKA UNTIL 9 PM CDT.  SOME STORMS
COULD ALSO BECOME SEVERE IN THE AREA JUST NORTH AND EAST OF THE WATCH.

DISCUSSION...
A WARM FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO LIFT NORTH INTO THE AREA...PROVIDING
A FOCUSING MECHANISM FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT.  A STRONG UPPER
LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL BE MOVING IN FROM THE WEST...WHILE LOW LEVEL
MOISTURE INCREASES FROM THE SOUTH.  THE AMOUNT OF WIND SHEAR
INDICATES POTENTIAL FOR SUPERCELLS WITH TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING WINDS.

MILLER
Special weather statement, Apr 14, 2:50 PM CDT, 4 hours 20 minutes before
NEZ011-012-015>018-030>034-042>045-050>053-065>068-078-088>093-
IAZ043-055-056-069-079-080-090-091-151200-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
250 PM CDT TUE APR 14 1998

...SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR EASTERN NEBRASKA AND SOUTHWEST IOWA...

...SPOTTER ACTION...
SPOTTERS SHOULD MAINTAIN A HIGH STATE OF READINESS IN SOUTHEASTERN
NEBRASKA THROUGH THE EVENING.  A TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR
PARTS OF SOUTHERN AND EASTERN NEBRASKA UNTIL 9 PM CDT.  SOME STORMS
COULD ALSO BECOME SEVERE IN THE AREA JUST NORTH AND EAST OF THE WATCH.

DISCUSSION...
A WARM FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO LIFT NORTH INTO THE AREA...PROVIDING
A FOCUSING MECHANISM FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT.  A STRONG UPPER
LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL BE MOVING IN FROM THE WEST...WHILE LOW LEVEL
MOISTURE INCREASES FROM THE SOUTH.  THE AMOUNT OF WIND SHEAR
INDICATES POTENTIAL FOR SUPERCELLS WITH TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING WINDS.

MILLER
Special weather statement, Apr 14, 5:06 PM CDT, 2 hours 4 minutes before
NEZ011-012-015>018-030>034-042>045-050>053-065>068-078-088>093-
IAZ043-055-056-069-079-080-090-091-151200-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
250 PM CDT TUE APR 14 1998

...SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR EASTERN NEBRASKA AND SOUTHWEST IOWA...

...SPOTTER ACTION...
SPOTTERS SHOULD CONTINUE IN A HIGH STATE OF READINESS IN SOUTHEASTERN
NEBRASKA THROUGH THE EVENING.  A TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR
PARTS OF SOUTHERN AND EASTERN NEBRASKA UNTIL 9 PM CDT.  SOME STORMS
COULD ALSO BECOME SEVERE IN THE AREA JUST NORTH AND EAST OF THE WATCH.

DISCUSSION...
A WARM FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO LIFT NORTH INTO THE AREA...PROVIDING
A FOCUSING MECHANISM FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT.  A STRONG UPPER
LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL BE MOVING IN FROM THE WEST...WHILE LOW LEVEL
MOISTURE INCREASES FROM THE SOUTH.  THE AMOUNT OF WIND SHEAR
INDICATES POTENTIAL FOR SUPERCELLS WITH TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING WINDS.

MILLER
Special weather statement, Apr 14, 5:18 PM CDT, 1 hour 52 minutes before
NEZ011-012-015>018-030>034-042>045-050>053-065>068-078-088>093-
IAZ043-055-056-069-079-080-090-091-151200-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
518 PM CDT TUE APR 14 1998

...SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR EASTERN NEBRASKA AND SOUTHWEST IOWA...

...SPOTTER ACTION...
SPOTTERS SHOULD CONTINUE IN A HIGH STATE OF READINESS IN SOUTHEASTERN
NEBRASKA THROUGH THE EVENING.  A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHERN
AND EASTERN NEBRASKA UNTIL 9 PM CDT.  SOME STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE
IN THE AREA JUST NORTH AND EAST OF THE WATCH LATER.  SPOTTERS IN
SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA IN COUNTIES SUCH AS GAGE...PAWNEE AND JOHNSON
COUNTIES SHOULD BE DEPLOYED.

DISCUSSION...
A WARM FRONT CONTINUES TO LIFT NORTH INTO THE AREA...PROVIDING
A FOCUSING MECHANISM FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT.  THE FRONT AT 5 PM
WAS ALONG THE KANSAS-NEBRASKA BORDER. THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEGUN TO
DEVELOP ALONG THE WARM FRONT AND THE DRY LINE THAT TRAILS SOUTH OF THE
WARM FRONT ACROSS EASTERN KANSAS. AS THE WARM FRONT MOVES NORTH AND A
STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVES IN FROM THE WEST...STORMS MAY
BECOME SEVERE AND MOVE INTO SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA. THE AMOUNT OF WIND
SHEAR INDICATES SUPERCELLS ARE LIKELY WITH TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING WINDS.  IN ADDITION OTHER STORMS NORTH OF THE WARM FRONT MAY
ALSO BECOME SEVERE WITH THE MAIN THREAT LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

SMITH

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 14, 7:17 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXNemaha, Otoe33 min
Apr 14, 8:01 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXSaunders34 min
Apr 14, 8:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXDodge, Douglas, Washington45 min
Apr 14, 8:35 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXButler, Saunders50 min
Apr 14, 9:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXWashington46 min
Apr 14, 9:24 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXDodge, Douglas, Saunders46 min
Apr 14, 9:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXWashington44 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Nebraska, 1998Every tornado warning in 1998Tornadoes 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.