Alert archive / Nebraska / Tornado Warnings in 2021

Tornado Warning 12, NWS Omaha, NE

December 15, 20214 counties in Nebraska

NWS Omaha, NE issued this tornado warning at Dec 15, 2021, 2:59 PM CST for 4 counties in Nebraska. It was in force for 31 min. 14 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued: Dec 15, 2021, 2:59 PM CST (20:59 UTC)
Expired: Dec 15, 2021, 3:30 PM CST
In force: 31 min
Issued by: NWS Omaha, NE
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 1.0 in

Counties Butler County, NE, Colfax County, NE, Dodge County, NE, Platte County, NE

The radar

The Omaha radar (KOAX), 75 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:01 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

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Dec 15, 3:01 PM CST	TSTM WND DMG	Columbus, NE	ROOF TORN OFF HOME.
Dec 15, 3:04 PM CST	HAIL 1.25	Columbus, NE
Dec 15, 3:04 PM CST	TORNADO 1	Columbus, NE	EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTS ROOF OFF HOUSE AFTER BRIEF TORNADO SPIN-UP.
Dec 15, 3:04 PM CST	TORNADO	Columbus, NE	* 2 INJ * UPDATES PREVIOUS TORNADO REPORT FROM COLUMBUS. A NARROW, FAST-MOVING, TORNADO BEGAN IN THE PARKING LOT OF A BUSINESS ALONG HOWARD BLVD WHERE IT TIPPED OVER A SEMI TRAILER AND PROCEEDED TO CAUSE ROOF, SIDING, FENCE, AND TREE DAMAGE. APPROXIMATELY
Dec 15, 3:04 PM CST	TORNADO	Columbus, NE	UPDATES PREVIOUS TORNADO REPORT FROM COLUMBUS. A NARROW, FAST-MOVING, TORNADO BEGAN IN THE PARKING LOT OF A BUSINESS ALONG HOWARD BLVD WHERE IT TIPPED OVER A SEMI TRAILER AND PROCEEDED TO CAUSE ROOF, SIDING, FENCE, AND TREE DAMAGE. APPROXIMATELY ONE BLOCK LATE
Dec 15, 3:04 PM CST	TORNADO	Columbus, NE	CORRECTS PREVIOUS TORNADO REPORT FROM COLUMBUS. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTS ROOF OFF HOUSE AFTER BRIEF TORNADO SPIN-UP.
Dec 15, 3:04 PM CST	TORNADO	Columbus, NE	EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTS ROOF OFF HOUSE AFTER BRIEF TORNADO SPIN-UP.
Dec 15, 3:05 PM CST	HAIL 1.25	Columbus, NE
Dec 15, 3:05 PM CST	NON-TSTM WND GST 68	2 Ene Columbus, NE	AWOS STATION KOLU COLUMBUS AIRPORT.
Dec 15, 3:14 PM CST	TSTM WND GST 68	1 Nne Columbus, NE
Dec 15, 3:19 PM CST	TSTM WND GST 59	3 W Schuyler, NE	MESONET STATION UP948 2.5 W SCHUYLER (UPR).
Dec 15, 3:27 PM CST	TSTM WND GST 76	Howells, NE	WIND GUST TO 76 MPH ALONG WITH PENNY SIZED HAIL.
Dec 15, 3:27 PM CST	TORNADO	Howells, NE	AN INTERMITTENT TORNADO TRACKED FROM NORTH TO SOUTH THROUGH HOWELLS. THE INITIAL DAMAGE POINT WAS ROOF DAMAGE TO A HOME ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF TOWN ALONG WITH MODERATE TREE DAMAGE. THE TORNADO THEN SKIPPED SEVERAL BLOCKS BEFORE REMOVING A PORTION OF THE BUILDING
Dec 15, 3:35 PM CST	TSTM WND DMG	Howells, NE	PARTIAL ROOF BLOWN OFF.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The watch it was issued in

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

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Dec 15, 1:23 PM CST	Tornado Watch	SPC	7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 12:00Z, 9.0 hours before the alert went out and 75 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: 2165 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 346 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 384 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

016 
WFUS53 KOAX 152059
TOROAX
NEC023-037-053-141-152130-
/O.NEW.KOAX.TO.W.0012.211215T2059Z-211215T2130Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley Nebraska
259 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

The National Weather Service in Omaha has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Colfax County in northeastern Nebraska...
  Southeastern Platte County in northeastern Nebraska...
  Northwestern Dodge County in east central Nebraska...
  Northwestern Butler County in east central Nebraska...

* Until 330 PM CST.
    
* At 258 PM CST, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located 5 miles south of Columbus, moving northeast at 80 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

  IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
           shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. 
           Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree 
           damage is likely.

* Locations impacted include...
  Clarkson, Dodge and Howells.

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 you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 4174 9717 4174 9681 4117 9737 4139 9737
      4137 9745
TIME...MOT...LOC 2058Z 214DEG 70KT 4136 9738 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN

$$

BLB

1 follow-up statement

681 
WWUS53 KOAX 152116
SVSOAX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley Nebraska
316 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

NEC023-152125-
/O.CAN.KOAX.TO.W.0012.000000T0000Z-211215T2130Z/
Butler NE-
316 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHWESTERN BUTLER COUNTY IS CANCELLED...
    
The tornadic thunderstorm which prompted the warning has moved out 
of the warned area. Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 800 PM CST for northeastern
and east central Nebraska.

LAT...LON 4174 9717 4174 9681 4141 9713 4158 9729
TIME...MOT...LOC 2115Z 218DEG 53KT 4157 9716 

$$

NEC037-053-141-152130-
/O.CON.KOAX.TO.W.0012.000000T0000Z-211215T2130Z/
Colfax NE-Platte NE-Dodge NE-
316 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 330 PM CST FOR COLFAX...
EASTERN PLATTE AND NORTHWESTERN DODGE COUNTIES...
    
At 315 PM CST, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 9 miles northwest of Schuyler, or 13 miles northeast of
Columbus, moving northeast at 60 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and half dollar size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree damage is 
         likely.

Locations impacted include...
Clarkson, Dodge, Howells, and Camp Luther. 

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 you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 4174 9717 4174 9681 4141 9713 4158 9729
TIME...MOT...LOC 2115Z 218DEG 53KT 4157 9716 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.25 IN

$$

BLB

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Dec 15, 2:19 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	OAX	Antelope, Boone, Butler, Colfax, Madison, Pierce and 2 more	56 min
Dec 15, 2:26 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	OAX	Butler, Gage, Jefferson, Lancaster, Saline, Saunders and 1 more	64 min
Dec 15, 2:39 PM CST	Tornado Warning	OAX	Boone, Madison, Platte, Stanton	24 min
Dec 15, 2:50 PM CST	Tornado Warning	OAX	Colfax, Platte	40 min
Dec 15, 2:54 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	OAX	Cass, Dodge, Douglas, Gage, Johnson, Lancaster and 5 more	81 min
Dec 15, 3:06 PM CST	Tornado Warning	OAX	Madison, Platte, Stanton	24 min
Dec 15, 3:09 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	OAX	Burt, Butler, Colfax, Cuming, Dodge, Saunders and 4 more	51 min
Dec 15, 3:13 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	OAX	Antelope, Cedar, Colfax, Knox, Madison, Pierce and 3 more	62 min
Dec 15, 3:23 PM CST	Tornado Warning	OAX	Lancaster, Seward	16 min
Dec 15, 3:25 PM CST	Tornado Warning	OAX	Colfax, Cuming, Stanton	35 min
Dec 15, 3:29 PM CST	Tornado Warning	OAX	Madison, Stanton, Wayne	31 min
Dec 15, 3:35 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	OAX	Cass, Douglas, Johnson, Nemaha, Otoe, Pawnee and 3 more	70 min
Dec 15, 3:41 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	OAX	Burt, Cuming, Thurston, Washington	64 min
Dec 15, 3:45 PM CST	Tornado Warning	OAX	Douglas, Saunders	30 min
Dec 15, 3:45 PM CST	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	OAX	Cuming, Thurston	45 min
Dec 15, 3:54 PM CST	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	OAX	Dodge, Douglas, Washington	28 min
Dec 15, 4:01 PM CST	Tornado Warning	OAX	Cass, Otoe	14 min
Dec 15, 4:11 PM CST	Tornado Warning	OAX	Nemaha, Pawnee, Richardson	34 min
Dec 15, 4:12 PM CST	Tornado Warning	OAX	Cass	33 min
Dec 15, 4:16 PM CST	Tornado Warning	OAX	Washington	17 min
Dec 15, 5:08 PM CST	Blowing Dust Advisory	OAX	Cass, Gage, Jefferson, Johnson, Lancaster, Nemaha and 5 more	4 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Nebraska, 2021 Every tornado warning in 2021 Tornadoes in 2021

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.