Alert archive / Nebraska / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 40, NWS Omaha, NE

May 4, 2003Douglas County, Sarpy County, Nebraska

NWS Omaha, NE issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 4, 2003, 3:21 PM CDT for Douglas County, Sarpy County, Nebraska. It was in force for 54 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, 3:21 PM CDT (20:21 UTC)
Expired: May 4, 2003, 4:15 PM CDT
In force: 54 min
Issued by: NWS Omaha, NE
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Douglas County, NE, Sarpy County, NE

The radar

The Omaha radar (KOAX), 16 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:22 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 watch it was issued in

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

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
May 4, 12:45 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 12:00Z, 8.4 hours before the alert went out and 17 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.

577 
WUUS53 KOAX 042021
SVROAX
NEC055-153-042115-

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  DOUGLAS COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL NEBRASKA
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF OMAHA
  SARPY COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL NEBRASKA

* UNTIL 415 PM CDT

* AT 317 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WIND 15 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
  VALLEY...OR ABOUT 27 MILES NORTH OF LINCOLN...MOVING EAST AT 40
  MPH.

THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAIL UP TO GOLFBALL SIZE. GO TO A
SAFE PLACE INSIDE YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND
GLASS DOORS.

DAMAGING WINDS ARE LIKELY. FOR YOUR PROTECTION...GO TO THE LOWEST
LEVEL OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS...AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM CDT SUNDAY EVENING FOR
SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA. A TORNADO WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700
PM CDT SUNDAY EVENING FOR SOUTHWEST IOWA AND SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA.

LAT...LON 4109 9631 4127 9633 4138 9643 4138 9601
          4112 9593

$$

ERVIN

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 Omaha, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 4, 2:35 PM CDT, 46 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 4, 2:35 PM CDT, 46 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
235 PM CDT SUN MAY 4 2003

POTENT SEVERE STORM SCENARIO OCCURING OVER THE OAX CWA.  SFC WRMFNT
HAS MOVED NWD ACRS LNK AND MAY NEAR OMA AREA IN THE NXT CPL OF HRS.
SFC LO IS W OF BIE AT 19Z IS XPCD TO MOV NEWD ACRS SERN NEBRASKA
INTO SWRN IA LATER THIS AFTN AND EVE.  ALL PARAMETERS INDC A CLASSIC
TORNADO OUTBREAK TAKING SHAPE FOR THE PLNS AND MID MS VLY. OAX CWA
APPRS TO BE ON THE NRN FRINGE OF THE TORNADO AREA.  BUT WITH SFC LO
AND DRYLN MOVG NEWD...AREA OF CONCERN IS WHERE THE TRIPLE POINT
INTERSECTS THE WRMFNT. THIS COULD AFFECT AREAS E OF LNK TO NR OMA TO
SERN IA.

AFT LO MOVS NEWD...SWRS ARE PSBL BHND THE SYS.  ON MONDAY...UPR LO
WILL BE JUST TO THE NE OF THE AREA. CLOUDY SKIES AND SHWRS ARE ALSO
PSBL DURG THE DY.

HAVE NOT CHANGED EXTENDED MUCH.  CHC OF SHWRS AND THUNDERSTORMS
THURS AND AGAIN SAT NGT INTO SUN.

.OMA...NONE.

SMITH

Hazardous weather outlook, May 4, 12:30 PM CDT, 2 hours 51 minutes before

IAZ043-055-056-069-079-080-090-091-NEZ011-012-015>018-030>034-
042>045-050>053-065>068-078-088>093-042315-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
1230 PM CDT SUN MAY 4 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PARTS OF EASTERN NEBRASKA
AND SOUTHWEST IOWA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A POTENT SEVERE WEATHER SITUATION IS DEVELOPING ACROSS THE AREA
TODAY WITH THE LIKELIHOOD OF TORNADOES AND WIDESPREAD SEVERE
WEATHER ACTIVITY.
A TORNADO WATCH HAS ALREADY BEEN ISSUED FOR PARTS OF SOUTHEAST
NEBRASKA.  AN INTENSE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER NORTH CENTRAL
KANSAS WILL MOVE NORTHEAST ACROSS SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING.	ABUNDANT LOW LEVEL MOISTURE...STRONG
VERTICAL WIND SHEAR...AND INSTABILITY WILL ALLOW FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF SUPERCELL STORMS.

THE GREATEST THREAT FOR TORNADOES IS EXPECTED TO BE SOUTH OF A
COLUMBUS TO WAHOO TO BELLEVUE.	THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION
WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGING TORNADOES IN THIS AREA.
NORTHWEST OF THIS LINE...SOME SEVER THUNDERSTORMS WITH LARGE HAIL
AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE POSSIBLE.

THE SEVERE WEATHER ACTIVITY WILL BEGIN TO SUBSIDE AFTER 8 OR 9 PM
TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS COULD MOVE BACK INTO WEDNESDAY THROUGH
FRIDAY...AND THEN AGAIN SATURDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY TODAY...SPOTTERS SHOULD BE
READY TO DEPLOY THIS AFTERNOON DUE TO THE POTENT NATURE OF THIS
SEVERE WEATHER SITUATION.

SMITH

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 4, 2:04 PM CDT, 1 hour 17 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
204 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003

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

0200 PM    LEIGH                     NE   .75 INCH HAIL
05/04/03   COLFAX                         REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

Local storm report, May 4, 2:16 PM CDT, 1 hour 5 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
216 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003

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

0205 PM    2 W DUNCAN                NE   .75 INCH HAIL
05/04/03   PLATTE                         REPORTED BY EMERGENCY
                                          MANAGEMENT.

Local storm report, May 4, 2:27 PM CDT, 54 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
227 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003

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

0226 PM    9 N COLUMBUS              NE   .75 INCH HAIL
05/04/03   PLATTE                         REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

Local storm report, May 4, 2:33 PM CDT, 48 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
233 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003

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

0228 PM    8 S STANTON               NE   .75 INCH HAIL
05/04/03   STANTON                        REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.

Local storm report, May 4, 3:07 PM CDT, 14 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
307 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003

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

0240 PM    8 N COLUMBUS              NE   .88 INCH HAIL
05/04/03   PLATTE                         REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

0245 PM    BELLWOOD                  NE   .88 INCH HAIL
05/04/03   BUTLER                         REPORTED BY HAM RADIO
                                          OPERATOR.

0245 PM    8 S STANTON               NE   1 INCH HAIL
05/04/03   STANTON                        REPORTED BY EMERGENCY
                                          MANAGEMENT.

0250 PM    SCHUYLER                  NE   .88 INCH HAIL
05/04/03   COLFAX                         REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.

0255 PM    PENDER                    NE   .88 INCH HAIL
05/04/03   THURSTON                       REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.

Local storm report, May 4, 3:15 PM CDT, 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
315 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003

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

0305 PM    8 W WAHOO                 NE   1.25 INCH HAIL
05/04/03   SAUNDERS                       REPORTED BY FIRE AND
                                          RESCUE.

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 4, 2:04 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Johnson	26 min
May 4, 2:14 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Otoe	31 min
May 4, 2:43 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Boone, Platte	47 min
May 4, 2:46 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Butler, Seward	44 min
May 4, 3:04 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Nemaha	41 min
May 4, 3:21 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Saunders	29 min
May 4, 4:32 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Washington	28 min
May 4, 4:50 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Cuming, Thurston	40 min
May 4, 12:01 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Colfax, Stanton	29 min
May 4, 1:00 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Platte	60 min
May 4, 1:45 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Colfax, Stanton	45 min
May 4, 2:00 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Platte	30 min
May 4, 2:26 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Colfax, Platte	34 min
May 4, 2:36 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Butler	54 min
May 4, 2:58 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Saunders	47 min
May 4, 2:59 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Colfax, Cuming, Dodge, Stanton	46 min
May 4, 3:03 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Thurston	42 min
May 4, 3:17 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Platte	28 min
May 4, 3:18 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	OAX	Platte	6 hr
May 4, 3:28 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Saunders	32 min
May 4, 3:35 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Douglas, Sarpy	55 min
May 4, 3:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Burt, Cuming, Dodge, Washington	38 min
May 4, 4:16 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Cass	44 min
May 4, 4:19 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Washington	26 min
May 4, 4:21 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Douglas, Sarpy	54 min
May 4, 4:23 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Cass	37 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.