Alert archive / Nebraska / Tornado Watches in 2011

Tornado Watch 518

June 19, 20118 counties in Iowa; 52 counties in Nebraska

The Storm Prediction Center issued this tornado watch at Jun 19, 2011, 9:49 PM CDT for 8 counties in Iowa; 52 counties in Nebraska. It was in force for 6 hr.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Jun 19, 2011, 9:49 PM CDT (02:49 UTC)
Expired
Jun 20, 2011, 4:00 AM CDT
In force
6 hr
Issued by
the Storm Prediction Center
Largest hail expected
3 in
Strongest gust expected
70 kt
All 60 counties

Fremont County, IA, Harrison County, IA, Mills County, IA, Monona County, IA, Montgomery County, IA, Page County, IA, Pottawattamie County, IA, Shelby County, IA, Adams County, NE, Antelope County, NE, Boone County, NE, Buffalo County, NE, Burt County, NE, Butler County, NE, Cass County, NE, Clay County, NE, Colfax County, NE, Cuming County, NE, Dawson County, NE, Dodge County, NE, Douglas County, NE, Fillmore County, NE, Franklin County, NE, Furnas County, NE, Gage County, NE, Gosper County, NE, Greeley County, NE, Hall County, NE, Hamilton County, NE, Harlan County, NE, Howard County, NE, Jefferson County, NE, Johnson County, NE, Kearney County, NE, Lancaster County, NE, Madison County, NE, Merrick County, NE, Nance County, NE, Nemaha County, NE, Nuckolls County, NE, Otoe County, NE, Pawnee County, NE, Phelps County, NE, Pierce County, NE, Platte County, NE, Polk County, NE, Richardson County, NE, Saline County, NE, Sarpy County, NE, Saunders County, NE, Seward County, NE, Sherman County, NE, Stanton County, NE, Thayer County, NE, Thurston County, NE, Valley County, NE, Washington County, NE, Wayne County, NE, Webster County, NE, York County, NE

The radar

The Omaha radar (KOAX), 95 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:52 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 SPC expected

The probabilities SPC published with the watch, for the watch area over its life.

Two or more tornadoes
90%
One or more EF2 to EF5 tornadoes
40%
Ten or more severe wind reports
95%
One or more gusts of 65 knots or more
40%
Ten or more severe hail reports
95%
One or more hailstones of 2 inches or more
50%
Six or more combined severe hail and wind reports
95%

Warnings issued inside it

43 tornado, severe thunderstorm and flash flood warnings for its counties while it was in force.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 19, 9:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXFremont, Mills, Page49 min
Jun 19, 9:56 PM CDTTornado WarningGIDFurnas34 min
Jun 19, 10:02 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDFurnas, Gosper, Harlan, Phelps58 min
Jun 19, 10:12 PM CDTTornado WarningOAXFremont, Page48 min
Jun 19, 10:29 PM CDTTornado WarningGIDFurnas, Harlan46 min
Jun 19, 10:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXFremont, Mills, Page51 min
Jun 19, 10:47 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningOAXFremont, Page6 hr
Jun 19, 10:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDFranklin, Harlan, Kearney, Phelps67 min
Jun 19, 11:14 PM CDTTornado WarningGIDFranklin, Harlan, Kearney, Phelps31 min
Jun 19, 11:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDGreeley, Howard, Sherman, Valley45 min
Jun 19, 11:31 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXFremont, Mills, Montgomery, Page44 min
Jun 19, 11:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXLancaster, Saunders39 min
Jun 19, 11:52 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningOAXCass5 hr
Jun 19, 11:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDGreeley, Howard52 min
Jun 20, 12:03 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDDawson42 min
Jun 20, 12:13 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXDouglas, Saunders37 min
Jun 20, 12:21 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXButler, Colfax, Dodge, Saunders39 min
Jun 20, 12:30 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXSaunders24 min
Jun 20, 12:37 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDAdams, Buffalo, Hall, Kearney38 min
Jun 20, 12:37 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDFurnas, Gosper38 min
Jun 20, 12:39 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDGreeley, Howard, Merrick, Nance51 min
Jun 20, 12:42 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDDawson48 min
Jun 20, 12:48 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXDodge42 min
Jun 20, 12:52 AM CDTTornado WarningGIDFurnas, Gosper23 min
Jun 20, 1:08 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDFurnas, Gosper, Harlan, Phelps52 min
Jun 20, 1:24 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDMerrick, Nance51 min
Jun 20, 1:29 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDDawson, Gosper, Phelps31 min
Jun 20, 1:33 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXMonona42 min
Jun 20, 1:38 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXButler, Colfax, Platte52 min
Jun 20, 1:42 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDBuffalo, Kearney, Phelps48 min
Jun 20, 1:50 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXButler, Colfax, Platte40 min
Jun 20, 1:51 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDPolk39 min
Jun 20, 1:52 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXHarrison38 min
Jun 20, 2:02 AM CDTTornado WarningGIDMerrick, Polk28 min
Jun 20, 2:07 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDAdams, Buffalo, Hall, Kearney38 min
Jun 20, 2:25 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXButler, Colfax, Dodge, Platte, Saunders50 min
Jun 20, 2:30 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDGreeley, Howard, Nance14 min
Jun 20, 2:49 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXPottawattamie, Shelby41 min
Jun 20, 2:59 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXHarrison46 min
Jun 20, 3:25 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDHamilton, Merrick, Polk, York35 min
Jun 20, 3:27 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXHarrison, Shelby48 min
Jun 20, 3:55 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDMerrick, Polk, York32 min
Jun 20, 3:55 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXButler, Colfax, Platte, Seward50 min

Discussions around it

SPC mesoscale discussions over the same counties from four hours before the watch to its end.

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 00:00Z, 2.8 hours before the alert went out and 95 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 2011-06-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2452 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 2011-06-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -15 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
2452 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-12 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1426 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
39 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-15 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
106 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.2
Supercell composite
2.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

453 
WWUS20 KWNS 200251
SEL8
SPC WW 200251
IAZ000-NEZ000-200900-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 518
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
945 PM CDT SUN JUN 19 2011

THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF

       WESTERN IOWA
       CENTRAL AND EASTERN NEBRASKA

EFFECTIVE THIS SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY MORNING FROM 945 PM UNTIL
400 AM CDT.

TORNADOES...HAIL TO 3 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND
GUSTS TO 80 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE
AREAS.

THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 110 STATUTE
MILES EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 40 MILES NORTHWEST OF TEKAMAH
NEBRASKA TO 50 MILES WEST SOUTHWEST OF BEATRICE NEBRASKA.  FOR A
COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE ASSOCIATED WATCH OUTLINE
UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU8).

REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH
AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...CONTINUE...WW 513...WW 515...WW
516...WW 517...

DISCUSSION...DISCRETE SUPERCELLS IN CNTRL NEB EXPECTED TO CONTINUE
MOVING/DEVELOPING GENERALLY ENEWD...WITH OTHER STORMS EXPECTED TO
CONTINUE FORMING ALONG W-E WARM FRONT IN SE NEB/SW IA.  VERY STRONG
INSTABILITY /PER 00Z TOP SOUNDING/...BACKED NEAR-SFC  WINDS
RESULTING FROM DEEPENING OPF W KS LEE CYCLONE...40+ KT 1 KM SLY
FLOW...AND VERY RICH MOISTURE /850 MB DEWPOINT 20C AT TOP/ SUGGEST
GOOD CHANCE FOR LARGE HAIL AND TORNADOES...IN ADDITION TO DMGG WIND
AS CONVECTION ULTIMATELY EVOLVES INTO ONE OR TWO COMPLEX MCSS.

AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 3 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE
WIND GUSTS TO 70 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO
600. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 23030.


...CORFIDI

SPC that day

Everything else SPC issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 19, 9:16 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAdair, Adams, Appanoose, Audubon, Boone, Carroll and 31 more59 min
Jun 19, 11:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPCBenton, Cedar, Clinton, Des Moines, Henry, Iowa and 10 more6 hr
Jun 20, 1:40 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAdair, Adams, Appanoose, Audubon, Boone, Carroll and 24 more35 min
Jun 20, 3:27 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAdair, Adams, Appanoose, Audubon, Boone, Carroll and 28 more33 min
Jun 20, 3:46 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPCAdair, Audubon, Black Hawk, Boone, Calhoun, Carroll and 26 more5 hr
Jun 20, 4:08 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCBenton, Cedar, Clinton, Davis, Des Moines, Henry and 12 more67 min
Jun 20, 7:29 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCBlack Hawk, Grundy, Hamilton, Hardin, Jasper, Mahaska and 6 more61 min
Jun 20, 3:08 PM CDTTornado WatchSPCAudubon, Carroll, Cass, Crawford, Fremont, Harrison and 6 more7 hr
Jun 20, 5:55 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAdair, Audubon, Boone, Calhoun, Carroll, Dallas and 15 more65 min
Jun 20, 6:17 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCFremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona, Plymouth, Woodbury58 min
Jun 20, 6:53 PM CDTTornado WatchSPCAdair, Adams, Audubon, Boone, Buena Vista, Calhoun and 41 more6 hr
Jun 19, 8:24 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAdams, Blaine, Boone, Buffalo, Chase, Clay and 35 more96 min
Jun 20, 12:45 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPCChase, Dundy, Frontier, Hayes, Hitchcock, Red Willow2 hr
Jun 20, 8:05 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCFurnas, Red Willow55 min
Jun 20, 8:38 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPCAdams, Buffalo, Dawson, Franklin, Frontier, Furnas and 8 more6 hr
Jun 20, 12:22 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAdams, Boone, Buffalo, Clay, Custer, Dawson and 17 more83 min
Jun 20, 1:00 PM CDTTornado Watch PDSSPCAdams, Antelope, Boone, Buffalo, Butler, Clay and 34 more10 hr
Jun 20, 2:19 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAdams, Boone, Buffalo, Clay, Dawson, Franklin and 17 more86 min
Jun 20, 2:52 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCHayes, Hitchcock, Lincoln, Logan, Red Willow53 min
Jun 20, 3:59 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAdams, Antelope, Boone, Buffalo, Clay, Custer and 21 more61 min

Nearby

Tornado Watches in Nebraska, 2011Tornado Watches in Iowa, 2011Every tornado watch in 2011

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.