Alert archive / Nebraska / Tornado Warnings in 2024

Tornado Warning 68, NWS Omaha, NE

May 21, 20244 counties in Nebraska; Harrison County, Pottawattamie County, Iowa

NWS Omaha, NE issued this tornado warning at May 21, 2024, 5:53 AM CDT for 4 counties in Nebraska; Harrison County, Pottawattamie County, Iowa. It was in force for 37 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 21, 2024, 5:53 AM CDT (10:53 UTC)
Expired
May 21, 2024, 6:30 AM CDT
In force
37 min
Issued by
NWS Omaha, NE
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.75 in

Counties Harrison County, IA, Pottawattamie County, IA, Dodge County, NE, Douglas County, NE, Saunders County, NE, Washington County, NE

The radar

The Omaha radar (KOAX), 21 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 10:57 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 watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 20, 11:33 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC9 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 00:00Z, 10.9 hours before the alert went out and 21 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 2024-05-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1458 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 2024-05-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 18 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
1458 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-29 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1666 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
34 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
18 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
55 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
2.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

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 21, 5:30 AM CDT, 23 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Continuing overnight convection will bring potential for severe weather this morning, primarily damaging winds and flash flooding.
  • Additional strong to severe thunderstorms with all hazards possible will move through the area in the 10 AM to 2 PM timeframe today.
  • There will be additional rain chances beginning Thursday night and lasting through this upcoming weekend.
Area forecast discussion, May 21, 5:30 AM CDT, 23 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE
530 AM CDT Tue May 21 2024

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Continuing overnight convection will bring potential for
  severe weather this morning, primarily damaging winds and
  flash flooding.

- Additional strong to severe thunderstorms with all hazards
  possible will move through the area in the 10 AM to 2 PM
  timeframe today.

- There will be additional rain chances beginning Thursday night
  and lasting through this upcoming weekend.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 205 AM CDT Tue May 21 2024

Short Range (Today)

A deep upper level trough moving into the central Plains has spun up
a surface low currently sitting in western Kansas. Overnight
convection in the area forced by a leading shortwave continues to
weaken through the overnight hours. This has brought a shift from a
severe weather threat to a hydrologic threat with storm training
along a frontal boundary draped across east central Nebraska
bringing flash flooding potential to the area. Nearly 2 inches of
rainfall has been reported for the Omaha area overnight.

An MCS has developed over southwest Nebraska/northeast CO and will
quickly accelerate eastward overnight. The features is expected to
push through the area in the 5:30 to 7:30 am period. CAM guidance is
suggesting a strong segment of bowing winds pushing through the area
in this timeframe. The strongest winds will likely be north of
Interstate 80 with the HRRR suggesting gusts of 60-70 mph in
portions of northeast Nebraska.

A lull in convection is expected in the 8 am to 11 am timeframe with
a few lingering showers possible. By the mid-morning, the
aforementioned surface low is expected to deepen and track
northeast into eastern Nebraska. Guidance has continued to slow
the progression of this low with consensus gained on the feature
reaching northeast NE by noon. This has prompted to SPC to
expand the moderate risk (level 4 out of 5) for severe weather
westward to include our southwestern Iowa counties. An
associated cold front will drape south of the low with
placement over eastern Nebraska by late morning. The airmass
ahead of the cold front is expected to quickly recover from the
overnight convection. By late morning, MLCAPE values of
2500-2800 J/kg are expected in southeast NE and southwest IA.
Bulk shear values are expected to exceed 70 kts in this area as
a 500-mb jet streak pushes into the region. Hodographs remain
long with increasingly impressive low level features as your
progress eastward into Iowa.

Convection initiation is expected along the front in eastern
Nebraska during the 10 AM to noon timeframe. An initial
supercellular storm mode is expected before storms move northeast
and take on upscale growth. All hazards will be possible including
large hail, strong winds and tornadoes. Flash flood potential is
possible through much of Tuesday, especially for areas that received
increased rainfall overnight. Storms will be quick to exit the area
this afternoon with much of the threat shifting east by 3 to 4 PM.
Additional lingering rain showers may continue into the
early evening.

Long Range (Wednesday through Monday)

By Wednesday, the aforementioned low pressure system is expected to
depart towards the Great Lakes region. Dry conditions are expected
with sunny skies and highs in the upper 70s. A shortwave trough
ejecting through the northern Plains will bring a chance for
rainfall Thursday night into Friday morning (PoPs 50-70%). Severe
weather potential is low with this event. An additional shortwave
feature moving across the Plains this weekend will bring additional
rainfall potential Saturday night through Sunday. PoPs remain low at
this time (20-40%). In this extended time frame, severe weather
potential looks to remain south of the area with this event.

&&

.AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z WEDNESDAY/...
Issued at 521 AM CDT Tue May 21 2024

Showers and thunderstorms are ongoing this morning. A round of
strong to severe thunderstorms will move through the terminals
in the 10-13Z timeframe. MVFR ceilings are spreading across
northeast Nebraska, reaching KOFK and KLNK with the possibility
of decreasing to IFR. Winds this morning are split between
southerly at KLNK with a shift to northwesterly as you progress
north towards KOMA and KLNK. Thunderstorm outflow is bringing
strong winds with gusts up to 45 kts possible.

A lull in convective activity will be in the 13-16Z timeframe.
Another round of strong to severe thunderstorms will move
through 16-19Z timeframe with trailing rain showers possible
into the late afternoon. Confidence is highest in these storms
reaching KOMA. Ceilings will begin to return to VFR in the
21-00Z timeframe. Winds will shift clockwise to northwesterly
across the area this afternoon with strong gusts up to 30-35 kts
possible through the afternoon.

&&

.OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NE...Flood Watch through this evening for NEZ015-033-034-042>045-
     050>053-065>068-078.
IA...Flood Watch through this evening for IAZ043-055-056-069-079-
     080-090-091.

&&

DISCUSSION...Wood
AVIATION...Wood
Hazardous weather outlook, May 21, 4:19 AM CDT, 1 hour 34 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE
419 AM CDT Tue May 21 2024

IAZ043-055-056-069-079-080-090-091-NEZ011-012-015>018-030>034-
042>045-050>053-065>068-078-088>093-212330-
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-
419 AM CDT Tue May 21 2024

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

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

Severe storms are possible this morning into the early afternoon.
Large hail, damaging wind gusts and flash flooding are the main
hazards. Tornadoes are possible.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation might be required on Tuesday afternoon.

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 21, 3:47 AM CDT, 2 hours 6 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE
347 AM CDT Tue May 21 2024

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

0347 AM     Flash Flood      Fremont                 41.45N 96.50W
05/21/2024                   Dodge              NE   Public

&&
Local storm report, May 21, 4:22 AM CDT, 1 hour 31 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE
422 AM CDT Tue May 21 2024

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

0421 AM     Rain             Fremont                 41.45N 96.49W
05/21/2024  M4.69 Inch       Dodge              NE   Public

            Several reports for heavy rainfall. Amounts
            vary from 3.03 inches to 4.69 inches.

&&

Pearson
Local storm report, May 21, 4:55 AM CDT, 58 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE
455 AM CDT Tue May 21 2024

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

0454 AM     Flash Flood      Fremont                 41.44N 96.49W
05/21/2024                   Dodge              NE   Public

            Fast flowing water over East 11st Street.

&&

MW
Local storm report, May 21, 5:33 AM CDT, 20 minutes before
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Local storm report, May 21, 5:41 AM CDT, 12 minutes before
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Local storm report, May 21, 5:43 AM CDT, 10 minutes before
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The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 20, 7:35 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXButler, Lancaster, Saunders, Seward40 min
May 20, 7:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXLancaster, Saunders45 min
May 20, 8:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXKnox46 min
May 20, 8:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXCedar, Knox39 min
May 20, 8:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXButler, Saunders63 min
May 20, 9:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXBurt, Washington52 min
May 20, 9:24 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXCedar51 min
May 20, 9:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXButler, Saunders, Seward67 min
May 20, 10:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXBurt, Cuming, Thurston39 min
May 20, 10:17 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryOAXButler, Saunders9 hr
May 20, 10:28 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryOAXButler, Lancaster, Saunders, Seward2 hr
May 20, 10:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXDouglas, Sarpy, Saunders66 min
May 20, 11:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXCedar36 min
May 20, 11:12 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningOAXDouglas, Sarpy3 hr
May 20, 11:14 PM CDTTornado WarningOAXWashington28 min
May 20, 11:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatOAXDouglas, Sarpy, Washington67 min
May 20, 11:49 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryOAXWashington93 min
May 21, 12:45 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXButler, Colfax, Dodge, Saunders22 min
May 21, 1:35 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXBurt, Dodge, Washington24 min
May 21, 2:38 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningOAXBurt, Washington5 hr
May 21, 2:54 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningOAXDodge4 hr
May 21, 4:19 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryOAXButler, Colfax, Dodge, Saunders3 hr
May 21, 4:31 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXBoone, Butler, Madison, Platte, Stanton44 min
May 21, 4:39 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningOAXSaunders40 hr
May 21, 4:42 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXSaunders48 min
May 21, 4:43 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningOAXButler, Saunders5 hr
May 21, 4:47 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXAntelope, Boone, Madison, Pierce, Platte28 min
May 21, 5:00 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatOAXButler, Colfax, Cuming, Dodge, Platte, Saunders45 min
May 21, 5:02 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningOAXSaunders37 hr
May 21, 5:03 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatOAXButler, Lancaster, Saline, Saunders, Seward42 min
May 21, 5:10 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXColfax, Cuming, Madison, Platte, Stanton, Wayne50 min
May 21, 5:12 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXDodge, Douglas, Saunders, Washington48 min
May 21, 5:12 AM CDTTornado WarningOAXColfax, Dodge, Platte33 min
May 21, 5:21 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningOAXDodge, Douglas, Sarpy, Washington4 hr
May 21, 5:27 AM CDTTornado WarningOAXButler, Colfax, Dodge, Saunders33 min
May 21, 5:29 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryOAXDodge, Douglas, Saunders, Washington2 hr
May 21, 5:29 AM CDTTornado WarningOAXButler, Saunders31 min
May 21, 5:39 AM CDTTornado WarningOAXBurt, Cuming, Dodge, Washington36 min
May 21, 5:41 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threatOAXBurt, Cuming, Dodge, Thurston, Washington49 min
May 21, 5:44 AM CDTTornado WarningOAXSaunders7 min
May 21, 5:45 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatOAXDodge, Douglas, Sarpy, Saunders, Washington45 min
May 21, 5:46 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryOAXBurt, Dodge, Douglas, Saunders, Washington113 min
May 21, 5:49 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatOAXCuming, Thurston, Wayne41 min
May 21, 5:53 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXDouglas, Washington52 min
May 21, 6:15 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatOAXCass, Douglas, Sarpy, Washington45 min
May 21, 6:50 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXNemaha, Otoe14 min
May 21, 6:56 AM CDTAreal Flood WarningOAXDodge5 hr
May 21, 7:11 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningOAXWashington4 hr
May 21, 7:33 AM CDTAreal Flood WarningOAXBurt, Butler, Colfax, Dodge, Douglas, Saunders and 1 more10 hr
May 21, 8:29 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningOAXDodge6 hr
May 21, 9:20 AM CDTAreal Flood WarningOAXDouglas, Sarpy, Washington8 hr
May 21, 10:03 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningOAXCass55 hr
May 21, 10:03 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningOAXOtoe57 hr
May 21, 10:03 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningOAXNemaha4 days
May 21, 10:03 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningOAXSeward33 hr
May 21, 11:20 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXButler, Lancaster, Seward40 min
May 21, 11:48 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatOAXButler, Lancaster, Saunders, Seward42 min
May 21, 12:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatOAXBurt, Dodge, Douglas, Saunders, Washington44 min
May 21, 12:38 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXDodge, Douglas, Saunders, Washington52 min
May 21, 12:44 PM CDTTornado WarningOAXDouglas, Saunders31 min
May 21, 12:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXGage, Johnson, Otoe45 min
May 21, 12:50 PM CDTTornado WarningOAXDodge, Washington19 min
May 21, 12:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatOAXBurt, Washington61 min
May 21, 1:01 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXCass, Douglas, Sarpy59 min
May 21, 1:15 PM CDTTornado WarningOAXCass, Otoe45 min
May 21, 1:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXDouglas, Washington59 min
May 21, 1:34 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXCass, Douglas, Sarpy26 min
May 21, 1:43 PM CDTTornado WarningOAXCass, Otoe47 min
May 21, 5:37 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningOAXButler, Dodge, Douglas, Saunders, Washington15 hr
May 20, 8:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXShelby68 min
May 20, 9:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXShelby48 min
May 20, 9:51 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningOAXShelby5 hr
May 20, 11:35 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatOAXHarrison, Pottawattamie, Shelby40 min
May 21, 12:02 AM CDTTornado WarningOAXHarrison, Pottawattamie43 min
May 21, 12:14 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXHarrison, Pottawattamie, Shelby46 min
May 21, 12:42 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXPottawattamie, Shelby63 min
May 21, 12:53 AM CDTTornado WarningOAXShelby39 min
May 21, 1:10 AM CDTTornado WarningOAXShelby25 min
May 21, 1:44 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXPottawattamie, Shelby61 min
May 21, 6:11 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatOAXHarrison, Monona, Shelby49 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Nebraska, 2024Tornado Warnings in Iowa, 2024Every tornado warning in 2024Tornadoes in 2024

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.