Alert archive / Nebraska / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 12, NWS Omaha, NE

May 24, 2012Colfax County, Platte County, Nebraska

NWS Omaha, NE issued this tornado warning at May 24, 2012, 5:55 PM CDT for Colfax County, Platte County, Nebraska. It was in force for 22 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 24, 2012, 5:55 PM CDT (22:55 UTC)
Expired: May 24, 2012, 6:17 PM CDT
In force: 22 min
Issued by: NWS Omaha, NE
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Colfax County, NE, Platte County, NE

The radar

The Omaha radar (KOAX), 94 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:57 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 12:00Z, 10.9 hours before the alert went out and 93 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: 13 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -551 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 701 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 69 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 209 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 291 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 3.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

006 
WFUS53 KOAX 242255
TOROAX
NEC037-141-242330-
/O.NEW.KOAX.TO.W.0012.120524T2255Z-120524T2330Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA
555 PM CDT THU MAY 24 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHWESTERN COLFAX COUNTY IN NORTHEAST NEBRASKA...
  EXTREME NORTHEASTERN PLATTE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST NEBRASKA...

* UNTIL 630 PM CDT

* AT 550 PM CDT...EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTED A TORNADO NEAR 
  CRESTON...OR 20 MILES NORTH OF COLUMBUS. DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED THIS 
  TORNADO MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.  THIS STORM CAUSED DAMAGE TO A 
  FARMSTEAD NEAR LINDSAY AFTER 5 PM.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  LEIGH...CRESTON AND HUMPHREY. 

THIS INCLUDES HIGHWAY 81 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 133 AND 136.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW. MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE 
LOWEST FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE 
HOME OR OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND 
PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 4174 9749 4174 9717 4166 9716 4169 9750
TIME...MOT...LOC 2250Z 269DEG 26KT 4172 9746 

$$

DEE

4 follow-up statements

218 
WWUS53 KOAX 242258
SVSOAX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA
558 PM CDT THU MAY 24 2012

NEC037-141-242330-
/O.CON.KOAX.TO.W.0012.000000T0000Z-120524T2330Z/
COLFAX NE-PLATTE NE-
558 PM CDT THU MAY 24 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 630 PM CDT FOR 
NORTHWESTERN COLFAX AND EXTREME NORTHEASTERN PLATTE COUNTIES...

AT 554 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR AND STORM SPOTTERS WERE TRACKING A 
TORNADO. THIS TORNADO LOCATED NEAR CRESTON...OR 18 MILES NORTH OF 
COLUMBUS...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. 

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
LEIGH AND CRESTON. 

THIS INCLUDES HIGHWAY 81 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 133 AND 136.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE 
LOWEST FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE 
HOME OR OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND 
PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT TAKE SHELTER UNDER HIGHWAY OVERPASSES. IF YOU 
CANNOT SAFELY DRIVE AWAY FROM THE TORNADO...AS A LAST RESORT...
EITHER PARK YOUR VEHICLE AND STAY PUT...OR ABANDON YOUR VEHICLE 
AND LIE DOWN IN A LOW LYING AREA AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING 
DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 4174 9717 4166 9716 4169 9749 4174 9749
TIME...MOT...LOC 2254Z 274DEG 33KT 4170 9742 

$$

DEE

596 
WWUS53 KOAX 242302
SVSOAX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA
602 PM CDT THU MAY 24 2012

NEC037-141-242330-
/O.CON.KOAX.TO.W.0012.000000T0000Z-120524T2330Z/
COLFAX NE-PLATTE NE-
602 PM CDT THU MAY 24 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 630 PM CDT FOR 
NORTHWESTERN COLFAX AND EXTREME NORTHEASTERN PLATTE COUNTIES...

AT 601 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR AND STORM SPOTTERS WERE TRACKING A 
TORNADO. THIS TORNADO LOCATED NEAR CRESTON...OR 17 MILES NORTH OF 
COLUMBUS...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. 

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
LEIGH AND CRESTON. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE 
LOWEST FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE 
HOME OR OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND 
PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT TAKE SHELTER UNDER HIGHWAY OVERPASSES. IF YOU 
CANNOT SAFELY DRIVE AWAY FROM THE TORNADO...AS A LAST RESORT...
EITHER PARK YOUR VEHICLE AND STAY PUT...OR ABANDON YOUR VEHICLE 
AND LIE DOWN IN A LOW LYING AREA AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING 
DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 4174 9735 4174 9717 4166 9716 4168 9738
TIME...MOT...LOC 2301Z 275DEG 27KT 4169 9734 

$$

DEE

400 
WWUS53 KOAX 242310
SVSOAX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA
610 PM CDT THU MAY 24 2012

NEC141-242340-
/O.CAN.KOAX.TO.W.0012.000000T0000Z-120524T2330Z/
PLATTE NE-
610 PM CDT THU MAY 24 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EXTREME NORTHEASTERN PLATTE COUNTY IS 
CANCELLED...

THE TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT 
OF THE WARNED AREA. THEREFORE THE WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED. 

LAT...LON 4174 9723 4174 9717 4166 9716 4167 9725
      4173 9725
TIME...MOT...LOC 2310Z 269DEG 26KT 4169 9727 

$$

NEC037-242330-
/O.CON.KOAX.TO.W.0012.000000T0000Z-120524T2330Z/
COLFAX NE-
610 PM CDT THU MAY 24 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 630 PM CDT FOR 
NORTHWESTERN COLFAX COUNTY...

AT 608 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR AND STORM SPOTTERS WERE TRACKING A 
TORNADO. THIS TORNADO LOCATED NEAR LEIGH...OR 18 MILES NORTH OF 
COLUMBUS...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. 

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
LEIGH.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE 
LOWEST FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE 
HOME OR OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND 
PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT TAKE SHELTER UNDER HIGHWAY OVERPASSES. IF YOU 
CANNOT SAFELY DRIVE AWAY FROM THE TORNADO...AS A LAST RESORT...
EITHER PARK YOUR VEHICLE AND STAY PUT...OR ABANDON YOUR VEHICLE 
AND LIE DOWN IN A LOW LYING AREA AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING 
DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 4174 9723 4174 9717 4166 9716 4167 9725
      4173 9725
TIME...MOT...LOC 2308Z 269DEG 26KT 4169 9727 

$$

DEE

278 
WWUS53 KOAX 242317
SVSOAX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA
617 PM CDT THU MAY 24 2012

NEC037-242340-
/O.CAN.KOAX.TO.W.0012.000000T0000Z-120524T2330Z/
COLFAX NE-
617 PM CDT THU MAY 24 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHWESTERN COLFAX COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS WEAKENED BELOW SEVERE 
LIMITS...AND NO LONGER APPEARS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. 
THEREFORE THE WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED.  HOWEVER GUSTY WINDS ARE 
STILL POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...CONTACT YOUR NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT 
AGENCY. THEY WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER 
SERVICE OMAHA.

LAT...LON 4174 9723 4174 9717 4166 9716 4167 9725
      4173 9725
TIME...MOT...LOC 2317Z 269DEG 26KT 4169 9727 

$$

DEE

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 23, 7:06 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Butler, Seward	13 min
May 23, 7:12 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Lancaster, Saunders	33 min
May 23, 7:13 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	OAX	Dodge	47 min
May 23, 7:16 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Butler, Saunders	44 min
May 23, 7:35 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Burt, Washington	40 min
May 23, 7:51 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Douglas, Saunders, Washington	39 min
May 23, 8:24 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Washington	36 min
May 23, 8:30 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Lancaster, Saunders	30 min
May 23, 8:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Lancaster, Saunders	33 min
May 23, 8:47 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	OAX	Knox	28 min
May 23, 8:56 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	OAX	Saunders	34 min
May 23, 8:58 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	OAX	Lancaster	47 min
May 23, 9:13 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	OAX	Douglas, Sarpy	47 min
May 23, 9:21 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Cass, Lancaster, Saunders	39 min
May 23, 9:35 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	OAX	Antelope, Cedar, Knox, Pierce	55 min
May 23, 9:43 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Cedar, Knox, Pierce	32 min
May 23, 9:57 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	OAX	Sarpy	33 min
May 23, 10:23 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	OAX	Antelope, Boone, Madison, Pierce, Platte	67 min
May 23, 10:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Boone, Colfax, Madison, Platte, Stanton	48 min
May 23, 11:38 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	OAX	Colfax, Cuming	67 min
May 24, 12:19 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	OAX	Boone	116 min
May 24, 12:50 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	OAX	Madison, Platte, Stanton	25 min
May 24, 1:02 AM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	OAX	Boone, Platte	3 hr
May 24, 1:35 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	OAX	Butler, Colfax, Platte	55 min
May 24, 2:02 AM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	OAX	Cuming, Thurston	3 hr
May 24, 3:23 AM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	OAX	Antelope, Boone, Cedar, Knox, Pierce	4 hr
May 24, 4:42 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	OAX	Boone, Madison	48 min
May 24, 5:26 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	OAX	Stanton	49 min
May 24, 5:40 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Colfax, Madison, Platte, Stanton	35 min
May 24, 6:23 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	OAX	Dodge	37 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Nebraska, 2012 Every tornado warning in 2012 Tornadoes in 2012

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.