Alert archive / Nebraska / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 61, NWS Hastings, NE

May 4, 2003Polk County, Nebraska

NWS Hastings, NE issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 4, 2003, 2:31 PM CDT for Polk County, Nebraska. It was in force for 59 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: May 4, 2003, 2:31 PM CDT (19:31 UTC)
Expired: May 4, 2003, 3:30 PM CDT
In force: 59 min
Issued by: NWS Hastings, NE
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Polk County, NE

The radar

The Omaha radar (KOAX), 107 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:31 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 12:00Z, 7.5 hours before the alert went out and 107 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: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL: 558 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 49 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 375 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 509 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.

397 
WUUS53 KGID 041931
SVRGID
NEC143-042030-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
229 PM CDT SUN MAY 4 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HASTINGS HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  POLK COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL NEBRASKA

* UNTIL 330 PM CDT

* AT 227 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF POLK...OR ABOUT 22 MILES
  NORTHWEST OF YORK...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS SEVERE STORM INCLUDE...
  STROMSBURG
  OSCEOLA
  SHELBY
  POLK

PEOPLE IN POLK COUNTY SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE AND
STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

THE PRIMARY SEVERE WEATHER THREAT IS LARGE HAIL THE SIZE OF 
GOLFBALLS.

A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND
OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING.

LAT...LON 4121 9779 4105 9781 4105 9738 4138 9741
$$
GUYER
NNNN

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.

NWS Hastings, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 4, 2:56 AM CDT, 11 hours 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 4, 2:56 AM CDT, 11 hours 35 minutes before

SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA/NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
256 AM CDT SUN MAY 4 2003

THUNDERSTORMS ON GOING IN FORECAST AREA ASSOCIATED WITH UPPER SYSTEM
MOVING THROUGH CENTRAL PLAINS.  THIS WILL KEEP STORMS IN AREA AT
LEAST THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS.  SURFACE SYSTEM STILL TO OUR WEST
AND GOOD MOISTURE CONTINUES TO MOVE NORTHWARD THROUGH CENTRAL
KANSAS.  WOULD EXPECT BEST CHANCES FOR STORMS TO BE ALONG STATE LINE
WHERE BOUNDARY FROM AM STORMS TO SET UP.

SYSTEM TO BE EAST OF THE AREA BY LATE AFTERNOON TAKING PRECIP WITH
IT.  CLOUDS TO REMAIN IN NORTHERN PORTION OF AREA AS THEY WRAP
AROUND UPPER SYSTEM.  SOUTHERN AREAS TO BE PARTLY CLOUDY.

NEXT CHANCES FOR PRECIP COMES TOWARD THE END OF THE WEEK AS ANOTHER
ACTIVE PERIOD SETTING UP.

.GID...NONE.

KISNER

Hazardous weather outlook, May 4, 11:23 AM CDT, 3 hours 8 minutes before

KSZ005>007-017>019-NEZ039>041-046>049-060>064-072>077-082>087-051200-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
1123 AM CDT SUN MAY 4 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA AND
PARTS OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO REDEVELOP ALONG AND EAST OF
THE U S 281 CORRIDOR TOWARD OR SHORTLY AFTER THE NOON HOUR. SOME OF
THESE STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE WITH VERY LARGE HAIL AND ISOLATED
DAMAGING WINDS POSSIBLE. IN ADDITION...AN ISOLATED TORNADO IS
POSSIBLE ALONG AND SOUTH OF A FRANKLIN TO YORK LINE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

MORE THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECAST FOR THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
SATURDAY AS ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM MOVES INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON EAST
OF U S HIGHWAY 281.

T

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 4, 1:44 PM CDT, 47 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
144 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003

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

0138 PM    3 NE HASTINGS             NE    1 INCH HAIL
05/04/03   ADAMS

Local storm report, May 4, 1:58 PM CDT, 33 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
158 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003

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

0145 PM    2 N PAULINE               NE    TORNADO
05/04/03   ADAMS                           OFF DUTY NATIONAL
                                           WEATHER SERVICE
                                           METEOROLOGIST REPORTED
                                           WEAK TORNADO FROM 140
                                           PM TO 145 PM LOCATED 2
                                           TO 3 MILES NORTH OF
                                           PAULINE.  ESTIMATED 80
                                           MPH WIND GUSTS REPORTED
                                           AT SAME LOCATIONS.

Local storm report, May 4, 2:07 PM CDT, 24 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
207 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003

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

0125 PM    2 SW AXTELL               NE    .75 INCH HAIL
05/04/03   KEARNEY                         LAW ENFORCEMENT
                                           REPORTED HAIL ALONG
                                           HIGHWAY 6 AND HIGHWAY
                                           34 ALONG THE KEARNEY
                                           AND PHELPS COUNTY LINES.

Local storm report, May 4, 2:12 PM CDT, 19 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
212 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003

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

0206 PM    GILTNER                   NE    .75 INCH HAIL
05/04/03   HAMILTON

Local storm report, May 4, 2:20 PM CDT, 11 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
220 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003

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

0210 PM    GILTNER                   NE    .88 INCH HAIL
05/04/03   HAMILTON

Local storm report, May 4, 2:22 PM CDT, 9 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
222 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003

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

0137 PM    4 N HASTINGS              NE    .88 INCH HAIL
05/04/03   ADAMS                           HASTINGS NATIONAL
                                           WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE
                                           REPORT.

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 4, 1:16 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Buffalo, Hall	44 min
May 4, 1:28 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Sherman	62 min
May 4, 1:30 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Sherman	30 min
May 4, 1:33 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Howard	27 min
May 4, 1:42 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Hamilton, Merrick	48 min
May 4, 1:49 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Valley	56 min
May 4, 1:57 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Greeley, Howard, Nance	63 min
May 4, 2:03 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	GID	Howard	42 min
May 4, 2:24 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Merrick	51 min
May 4, 2:29 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Polk	61 min
May 4, 5:51 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Sherman	39 min
May 4, 11:18 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Hall	42 min
May 4, 11:35 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Phelps	55 min
May 4, 11:38 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Buffalo	52 min
May 4, 11:52 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Hamilton	53 min
May 4, 11:59 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Howard	61 min
May 4, 12:01 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Merrick	59 min
May 4, 12:28 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Kearney	62 min
May 4, 12:31 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Buffalo	59 min
May 4, 12:58 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Phelps	62 min
May 4, 1:01 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Hall, Howard	64 min
May 4, 1:04 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Merrick	26 min
May 4, 1:11 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Nance	49 min
May 4, 1:27 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	GID	Adams	48 min
May 4, 1:39 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Kearney	66 min
May 4, 1:46 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	GID	Clay	59 min
May 4, 1:57 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Hamilton	63 min
May 4, 2:27 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	Merrick	48 min
May 4, 2:28 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GID	York	62 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Nebraska, 2003 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2003

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.