Alert archive / Nebraska / Tornado Warnings in 2023

Tornado Warning 22, NWS Omaha, NE

May 12, 2023Stanton County, Nebraska

NWS Omaha, NE issued this tornado warning at May 12, 2023, 5:00 PM CDT for Stanton County, Nebraska. It was in force for 45 min. 7 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: May 12, 2023, 5:00 PM CDT (22:00 UTC)
Expired: May 12, 2023, 5:45 PM CDT
In force: 45 min
Issued by: NWS Omaha, NE
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 0.75 in

County Stanton County, NE

The radar

The Omaha radar (KOAX), 93 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:03 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
May 12, 5:03 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	9 Ssw Stanton, NE	EAST SIDE OF A BARN MISSING. POSSIBLE TORNADO. DELAYED REPORT. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
May 12, 5:17 PM CDT	TORNADO	4 Nne Leigh, NE	AN EF-1 TORNADO TRACKED NORTHEAST FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES IN STANTON COUNTY. THE MOST INTENSE DAMAGE OCCURRED AT A FARM NEAR THE START OF THE TRACK WHERE A HOG BARN WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND DEBRIS WAS DEPOSITED UP TO A HALF MILE DOWNSTREAM. THERE WAS ALS
May 12, 5:34 PM CDT	TORNADO	3 N Stanton, NE	AN EF-1 TORNADO TRACKED NORTH NORTHWEST FOR APPROXIMATELY 2.8 MILES ACROSS PART OF STANTON COUNTY. MOST OF THE TRACK OCCURRED IN DIFFICULT TO ACCESS AREAS BUT THE ASSESSMENT REVEALED THAT THIS WAS MOST LIKELY CAUSED BY A TORNADO. THE MOST INTENSE DAMAGE WAS NE
May 12, 5:39 PM CDT	TORNADO	7 Ese Stanton, NE	UPDATED WITH NEW INFORMATION AND INCREASED RATING. AN INTERMITTENT TORNADO DAMAGE TRACK WAS NOTED ALONG THE WEST FLANK OF A FOCUSED AND ELONGATED AREA OF DOWNBURST WINDS. INITIAL DAMAGE WAS TO A CENTER PIVOT AND THREE WOODEN DOUBLE POSTED ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSI
May 12, 5:44 PM CDT	TORNADO	6 Ssw Pilger, NE	AN INTERMITTENT TORNADO DAMAGE TRACK WAS NOTED ALONG THE WEST FLANK OF A FOCUSED AND ELONGATED AREA OF DOWNBURST WINDS. THE DAMAGE WAS LARGELY TO TREES ALTHOUGH THERE WERE A COUPLE OF FARM OUTBUILDINGS DAMAGED ALONG THE TRACK. ONE EAST-WEST ORIENTED TREELINE H
May 12, 5:46 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	5 N Stanton, NE	REPORT FROM MPING: TREES UPROOTED OR SNAPPED; ROOF BLOWN OFF.
May 12, 5:55 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	Pilger, NE	UNOCCUPIED CAMPERS BLOWN OVER. MANY FARM STRUCTURES DAMAGED AND LARGE TREES SNAPPED AND BROKEN. POWERLINES AND LARGE TREES BLOCKING THE ROAD EAST OF STANTON.

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

Did it verify

Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched 4 storm reports to this tornado warning; the first came 17 minutes after it went out.

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 12, 1:09 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 12:00Z, 10.0 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: 413 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -14 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 616 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 30 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 52 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 44 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

763 
WFUS53 KOAX 122200
TOROAX
NEC167-122245-
/O.NEW.KOAX.TO.W.0022.230512T2200Z-230512T2245Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley Nebraska
500 PM CDT Fri May 12 2023

The National Weather Service in Omaha has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Central Stanton County in northeastern Nebraska...

* Until 545 PM CDT.
    
* At 500 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located 7 miles north of Leigh, or 17 miles southeast of
  Norfolk, moving north at 30 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado.

  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.

* This dangerous storm will be near...
  Stanton around 520 PM CDT.

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 4175 9734 4208 9729 4207 9703
TIME...MOT...LOC 2200Z 184DEG 24KT 4181 9726 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN

$$

Kern

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado 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 tornado warning went out at May 12, 2:23 PM CDT, 2 hours 37 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 12, 2:23 PM CDT, 2 hours 37 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE
223 PM CDT Fri May 12 2023

...Updated Forecast Discussion...

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 220 PM CDT Fri May 12 2023

Key Messages:

 - Strong to severe storms likely this afternoon and evening.

 - Environment capable of supporting tornadic storms.

 - Precip chances in play most of the forecast period.

Water vapor imagery this afternoon showing a tight upper circulation
lifting from northwest KS into southwest NE. System was nearly
stacked with surface reflection situated in s-central NE with
attendant warm front extending into w-central IA and dry line
extending through s-central NE into central KS.

Short term models are advertising ingredients coming together for
potential significant severe weather event over the CWA this
afternoon and evening. The upper low mentioned is expected to be in
central NE by 23Z with surface low riding along the NE/KS border.
Southerly flow ahead of the system will aid with drawing low level
moisture northward into the region with dew points in the mid
60s/PWS around 1.5" inches. Current analysis suggests environment is
already quite unstable despite thick cloud cover with MLCAPEs from
1500-2500 J/kg. Appears that storm initiation should occur along dry
line on nose of steep 0-3km lapse rates. Expect storms to rapidly
intensify along increasing boundary layer moisture convergence
axis/instability axis. Adequate environmental deep layer shear
roughly 40-50kt will be in place to promote rotating cells. And with
steep mid layer lapse rates atop increasing low level moisture
source, large hail threat will accompany any discrete storms. In
addition to this, ESRH values greater than 150 (m2/s2) will enhance
threat for tornadic storms. Storm motion for individual cells will
be north/northeasterly while overall motion for storm activity will
generally be easterly. Latest CAMs for the most part suggest storm
activity shifting into the IA CWA sometime around 01Z with
continuing threat for tornadic storms. Activity should clear the CWA
then toward midnight. In addition to all this, excessively heavy
rainfall is a distinct possibility accompanying stronger storms.
However, flash flooding may be mitigated due to the speedy nature of
individual cell movement.

As the upper low lifts from NE into southeast SD, main threat for
precip Saturday and Saturday night will be across the northern and
eastern periphery of the CWA. Weak isentropic upglide will keep
precip chance alive Sunday and Sunday night.

Otherwise, precip chances are in play Wednesday afternoon through
Thursday as a series of disturbances drop out of the Dakotas into
the central Plains.

Highs:
Sat - upper 70s/low 80s
Sun - upper 60s/mid 70s
Mon - low 70s
Tue - mid/upper 70s
Wed - low 80s
Thu - low 80s
Fri - low/mid 70S

&&

.AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Saturday afternoon)
Issued at 1140 AM CDT Fri May 12 2023

Regional obs showing a mix of MVFR/IFR conditions currently
across eastern NE. Main issue to contend with is anticipated
threat for strong/severe TSRA developing this afternoon. TSRA
activity is expected to initial along a boundary/dry line and
quickly intensify as they migrate to the northeast. Given this,
have included TEMPO groups to reflect this. Once storms clear
improvement to VFR expected. However, models advertising return of
MVFR cigs to all terminals toward 12Z Saturday morning.

&&

.OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NE...None.
IA...None.
&&

DISCUSSION...DEE
AVIATION...DEE

Hazardous weather outlook, May 12, 2:43 PM CDT, 2 hours 17 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE
243 PM CDT Fri May 12 2023

IAZ043-055-056-069-079-080-090-091-NEZ011-012-015>018-030>034-
042>045-050>053-065>068-078-088>093-130945-
Monona-Harrison-Shelby-Pottawattamie-Mills-Montgomery-Fremont-
Page-Knox-Cedar-Thurston-Antelope-Pierce-Wayne-Boone-Madison-
Stanton-Cuming-Burt-Platte-Colfax-Dodge-Washington-Butler-
Saunders-Douglas-Sarpy-Seward-Lancaster-Cass-Otoe-Saline-
Jefferson-Gage-Johnson-Nemaha-Pawnee-Richardson-
243 PM CDT Fri May 12 2023

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southwest
Iowa...west central Iowa...east central Nebraska...northeast
Nebraska and southeast Nebraska.

.DAY ONE...Tonight and Saturday

There is an Enhanced Risk for severe weather late this afternoon
and evening. Storm initiation is expected along a dryline from
about Albion to Columbus to Lincoln, and then continue to develop
east southeast, while moving to the northeast. Severe storms
should move out of the local area toward midnight. All modes of
severe weather are possible, including large hail of 1 to 2
inches, damaging winds, flash flooding, and tornado or two.

Thunderstorm chances continue on Saturday over areas north of the
I-80 corridor.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday night through Thursday

There is a Marginal Risk for severe weather for northeast Nebraska
and western Iowa Saturday.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed this afternoon and evening.

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 12, 4:42 PM CDT, 18 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
442 PM CDT FRI MAY 12 2023

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0441 PM     HAIL             1 ENE HUMPHREY          41.69N 97.46W
05/12/2023  E0.75 INCH       PLATTE             NE   PUBLIC

            REPORT FROM MPING: DIME (0.75 IN.).

&&

Local storm report, May 12, 4:45 PM CDT, 15 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
445 PM CDT FRI MAY 12 2023

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0441 PM     TORNADO          1 E TABLE ROCK          40.18N 96.07W
05/12/2023                   PAWNEE             NE   STORM CHASER

            ROPE TORNADO.

&&

Local storm report, May 12, 4:47 PM CDT, 13 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
447 PM CDT FRI MAY 12 2023

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0442 PM     HAIL             PLATTE CENTER           41.54N 97.49W
05/12/2023  E1.75 INCH       PLATTE             NE   PUBLIC

&&

Local storm report, May 12, 4:49 PM CDT, 11 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
449 PM CDT FRI MAY 12 2023

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0448 PM     TSTM WND DMG     PAWNEE CITY             40.11N 96.16W
05/12/2023                   PAWNEE             NE   STORM CHASER

            4 INCH TREE LIMBS BLOWN DOWN.

&&

Local storm report, May 12, 4:52 PM CDT, 8 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
452 PM CDT FRI MAY 12 2023

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0452 PM     TORNADO          2 S TABLE ROCK          40.15N 96.09W
05/12/2023                   PAWNEE             NE   LAW ENFORCEMENT

&&

Local storm report, May 12, 4:59 PM CDT, 1 minute before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
459 PM CDT FRI MAY 12 2023

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0454 PM     HAIL             1 SW TABLE ROCK         40.17N 96.11W
05/12/2023  U1.25 INCH       PAWNEE             NE   PUBLIC

            REPORT FROM MPING: HALF DOLLAR (1.25 IN.).

&&

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 12, 2:41 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Boone	34 min
May 12, 2:47 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Antelope, Boone	32 min
May 12, 3:00 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Boone, Platte	45 min
May 12, 3:04 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Platte	41 min
May 12, 3:09 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Butler, Lancaster, Saunders, Seward	51 min
May 12, 3:26 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	OAX	Boone	96 min
May 12, 3:27 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Boone, Platte	48 min
May 12, 3:29 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Butler, Colfax, Platte	23 min
May 12, 3:29 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Boone, Madison, Platte	46 min
May 12, 3:41 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Boone, Madison, Platte	49 min
May 12, 3:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Butler, Colfax, Lancaster, Saunders, Seward	39 min
May 12, 3:51 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	OAX	Boone, Platte	106 min
May 12, 3:58 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Antelope, Boone, Madison	47 min
May 12, 4:03 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Johnson, Nemaha, Pawnee, Richardson	42 min
May 12, 4:10 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	OAX	Boone, Madison, Platte	87 min
May 12, 4:15 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Butler, Colfax, Platte	30 min
May 12, 4:18 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Platte	42 min
May 12, 4:20 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Madison, Platte	40 min
May 12, 4:24 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Butler, Colfax, Platte	51 min
May 12, 4:26 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Johnson, Nemaha, Pawnee	49 min
May 12, 4:36 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Butler, Colfax	39 min
May 12, 4:44 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Madison, Pierce	28 min
May 12, 4:47 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	OAX	Colfax, Madison, Platte, Stanton	43 min
May 12, 4:50 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	OAX	Johnson, Nemaha, Pawnee, Richardson	40 min
May 12, 4:58 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Butler, Lancaster, Saunders, Seward	62 min
May 12, 5:02 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Dodge, Saunders	43 min
May 12, 5:07 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Colfax, Platte, Stanton	38 min
May 12, 5:08 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Butler, Colfax, Dodge	15 min
May 12, 5:11 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Madison, Pierce	11 min
May 12, 5:22 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Nemaha, Pawnee, Richardson	38 min
May 12, 5:24 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Dodge, Saunders	51 min
May 12, 5:26 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	OAX	Dodge	49 min
May 12, 5:31 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	OAX	Colfax, Platte, Stanton	30 min
May 12, 5:33 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	OAX	Johnson, Nemaha, Pawnee, Richardson	110 min
May 12, 5:42 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Nemaha, Richardson	48 min
May 12, 5:46 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Cuming, Stanton, Wayne	44 min
May 12, 5:54 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	OAX	Burt, Cuming, Dodge	66 min
May 12, 5:56 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	OAX	Dodge	13 min
May 12, 5:58 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	OAX	Nemaha	2 hr
May 12, 6:01 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Dodge, Saunders, Washington	45 min
May 12, 6:07 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	OAX	Cuming, Dodge, Saunders	38 min
May 12, 6:09 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	OAX	Dodge	80 min
May 12, 6:09 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Knox	36 min
May 12, 6:21 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Cedar, Wayne	39 min
May 12, 6:27 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Nemaha, Otoe	48 min
May 12, 6:29 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Nemaha	12 min
May 12, 6:36 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	OAX	Burt, Cuming, Dodge	98 min
May 12, 6:45 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	OAX	Burt, Cuming, Dodge, Saunders, Washington	45 min
May 12, 6:49 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OAX	Richardson	56 min
May 12, 6:51 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Nemaha	24 min
May 12, 6:56 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OAX	Burt, Dodge, Thurston, Washington	36 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Nebraska, 2023 Every tornado warning in 2023 Tornadoes in 2023

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.