Alert archive / Nebraska / Tornado Warnings in 2024
Tornado Warning 73, NWS Omaha, NE
NWS Omaha, NE issued this tornado warning at May 21, 2024, 12:50 PM CDT for Dodge County, Washington County, Nebraska; Harrison County, Iowa. It was in force for 19 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, 12:50 PM CDT (17:50 UTC)
- Expired
- May 21, 2024, 1:09 PM CDT
- In force
- 19 min
- Issued by
- NWS Omaha, NE
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Tornado
- Radar indicated
- Hail
- 1.75 in
Counties Harrison County, IA, Dodge County, NE, Washington County, NE
The radar
The Omaha radar (KOAX), 33 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 17:52 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.
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 21, 11:10 AM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 5 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 12:00Z, 5.8 hours before the alert went out and 293 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 1197 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -325 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 744 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 48 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 562 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 663 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- -0.4
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, 12:25 PM CDT, 25 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, 12:25 PM CDT, 25 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE
1225 PM 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 /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z WEDNESDAY/...
Issued at 1222 PM CDT Tue May 21 2024
IFR to MVFR conditions at TAF issuance with thunderstorms
expected through about 20z, then showers through about 00z, and
eventually transitioning back to VFR 21z to 01z. Southeasterly
winds at KLNK/KOMA becoming northwest, 20 to 35 knots.
&&
.OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NE...Flood Watch until 7 PM CDT this evening for NEZ015-033-034-
042>045-050>053-065>068-078.
IA...Flood Watch until 7 PM CDT this evening for IAZ043-055-056-069-
079-080-090-091.
&&
DISCUSSION...Wood
AVIATION...DeWaldHazardous weather outlook, May 21, 11:38 AM CDT, 1 hour 12 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE 1138 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>093-220645- 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- 1138 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...This Afternoon and Tonight Severe storms will again be possible through mid afternoon, from now through about 3 pm. Large hail, damaging wind gusts, and tornadoes will be possible. Flash flooding could also occur for those areas that received 3 to 7 inches of rain earlier today. A tornado watch is in effect most areas east of Highway 81. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday There's a marginal risk of severe weather on Thursday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will be required for many areas today.
In the hours before
Local storm report, May 21, 12:36 PM CDT, 14 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE
1236 PM CDT Tue May 21 2024
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1230 PM Hail 2 NW Fremont 41.46N 96.52W
05/21/2024 E1.75 Inch Dodge NE NWS Employee
&&Local storm report, May 21, 12:37 PM CDT, 13 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE
1237 PM CDT Tue May 21 2024
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1234 PM Hail 1 NW Fremont 41.45N 96.50W
05/21/2024 E1.75 Inch Dodge NE Public
Report from mPING: Golf Ball (1.75 in.).
&&Local storm report, May 21, 12:38 PM CDT, 12 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE
1238 PM CDT Tue May 21 2024
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1229 PM Hail 1 SSW Inglewood 41.40N 96.51W
05/21/2024 M1.75 Inch Saunders NE NWS Employee
&&Local storm report, May 21, 12:43 PM CDT, 7 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE
1243 PM CDT Tue May 21 2024
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1240 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 1 NNW Fremont 41.45N 96.50W
05/21/2024 E65 MPH Dodge NE Trained Spotter
&&
BLBLocal storm report, May 21, 12:49 PM CDT, 1 minute before
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</html>The office that day
Everything else NWS Omaha, NE issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 7:35 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Butler, Lancaster, Saunders, Seward | 40 min |
| May 20, 7:56 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Lancaster, Saunders | 45 min |
| May 20, 8:14 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Knox | 46 min |
| May 20, 8:51 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Cedar, Knox | 39 min |
| May 20, 8:57 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Butler, Saunders | 63 min |
| May 20, 9:08 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Burt, Washington | 52 min |
| May 20, 9:24 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Cedar | 51 min |
| May 20, 9:53 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Butler, Saunders, Seward | 67 min |
| May 20, 10:06 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Burt, Cuming, Thurston | 39 min |
| May 20, 10:17 PM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | OAX | Butler, Saunders | 9 hr |
| May 20, 10:28 PM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | OAX | Butler, Lancaster, Saunders, Seward | 2 hr |
| May 20, 10:54 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Douglas, Sarpy, Saunders | 66 min |
| May 20, 11:09 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Cedar | 36 min |
| May 20, 11:12 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | OAX | Douglas, Sarpy | 3 hr |
| May 20, 11:14 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | OAX | Washington | 28 min |
| May 20, 11:23 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Douglas, Sarpy, Washington | 67 min |
| May 20, 11:49 PM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | OAX | Washington | 93 min |
| May 21, 12:45 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Butler, Colfax, Dodge, Saunders | 22 min |
| May 21, 1:35 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Burt, Dodge, Washington | 24 min |
| May 21, 2:38 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | OAX | Burt, Washington | 5 hr |
| May 21, 2:54 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | OAX | Dodge | 4 hr |
| May 21, 4:19 AM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | OAX | Butler, Colfax, Dodge, Saunders | 3 hr |
| May 21, 4:31 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Boone, Butler, Madison, Platte, Stanton | 44 min |
| May 21, 4:39 AM CDT | River Flood Warning | OAX | Saunders | 40 hr |
| May 21, 4:42 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Saunders | 48 min |
| May 21, 4:43 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | OAX | Butler, Saunders | 5 hr |
| May 21, 4:47 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Antelope, Boone, Madison, Pierce, Platte | 28 min |
| May 21, 5:00 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Butler, Colfax, Cuming, Dodge, Platte, Saunders | 45 min |
| May 21, 5:02 AM CDT | River Flood Warning | OAX | Saunders | 37 hr |
| May 21, 5:03 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Butler, Lancaster, Saline, Saunders, Seward | 42 min |
| May 21, 5:10 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Colfax, Cuming, Madison, Platte, Stanton, Wayne | 50 min |
| May 21, 5:12 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Dodge, Douglas, Saunders, Washington | 48 min |
| May 21, 5:12 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | OAX | Colfax, Dodge, Platte | 33 min |
| May 21, 5:21 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | OAX | Dodge, Douglas, Sarpy, Washington | 4 hr |
| May 21, 5:27 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | OAX | Butler, Colfax, Dodge, Saunders | 33 min |
| May 21, 5:29 AM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | OAX | Dodge, Douglas, Saunders, Washington | 2 hr |
| May 21, 5:29 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | OAX | Butler, Saunders | 31 min |
| May 21, 5:39 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | OAX | Burt, Cuming, Dodge, Washington | 36 min |
| May 21, 5:41 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Burt, Cuming, Dodge, Thurston, Washington | 49 min |
| May 21, 5:44 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | OAX | Saunders | 7 min |
| May 21, 5:45 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Dodge, Douglas, Sarpy, Saunders, Washington | 45 min |
| May 21, 5:46 AM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | OAX | Burt, Dodge, Douglas, Saunders, Washington | 113 min |
| May 21, 5:49 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Cuming, Thurston, Wayne | 41 min |
| May 21, 5:53 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Douglas, Washington | 52 min |
| May 21, 5:53 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | OAX | Dodge, Douglas, Saunders, Washington | 37 min |
| May 21, 6:15 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Cass, Douglas, Sarpy, Washington | 45 min |
| May 21, 6:50 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Nemaha, Otoe | 14 min |
| May 21, 6:56 AM CDT | Areal Flood Warning | OAX | Dodge | 5 hr |
| May 21, 7:11 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | OAX | Washington | 4 hr |
| May 21, 7:33 AM CDT | Areal Flood Warning | OAX | Burt, Butler, Colfax, Dodge, Douglas, Saunders and 1 more | 10 hr |
| May 21, 8:29 AM CDT | River Flood Warning | OAX | Dodge | 6 hr |
| May 21, 9:20 AM CDT | Areal Flood Warning | OAX | Douglas, Sarpy, Washington | 8 hr |
| May 21, 10:03 AM CDT | River Flood Warning | OAX | Cass | 55 hr |
| May 21, 10:03 AM CDT | River Flood Warning | OAX | Otoe | 57 hr |
| May 21, 10:03 AM CDT | River Flood Warning | OAX | Nemaha | 4 days |
| May 21, 10:03 AM CDT | River Flood Warning | OAX | Seward | 33 hr |
| May 21, 11:20 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Butler, Lancaster, Seward | 40 min |
| May 21, 11:48 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Butler, Lancaster, Saunders, Seward | 42 min |
| May 21, 12:16 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Burt, Dodge, Douglas, Saunders, Washington | 44 min |
| May 21, 12:38 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Dodge, Douglas, Saunders, Washington | 52 min |
| May 21, 12:44 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | OAX | Douglas, Saunders | 31 min |
| May 21, 12:45 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Gage, Johnson, Otoe | 45 min |
| May 21, 12:59 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Burt, Washington | 61 min |
| May 21, 1:01 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Cass, Douglas, Sarpy | 59 min |
| May 21, 1:15 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | OAX | Cass, Otoe | 45 min |
| May 21, 1:16 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Douglas, Washington | 59 min |
| May 21, 1:34 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Cass, Douglas, Sarpy | 26 min |
| May 21, 1:43 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | OAX | Cass, Otoe | 47 min |
| May 21, 5:37 PM CDT | Areal Flood Warning | OAX | Butler, Dodge, Douglas, Saunders, Washington | 15 hr |
| May 20, 8:37 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Shelby | 68 min |
| May 20, 9:42 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Shelby | 48 min |
| May 20, 9:51 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | OAX | Shelby | 5 hr |
| May 20, 11:35 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Harrison, Pottawattamie, Shelby | 40 min |
| May 21, 12:02 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | OAX | Harrison, Pottawattamie | 43 min |
| May 21, 12:14 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Harrison, Pottawattamie, Shelby | 46 min |
| May 21, 12:42 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Pottawattamie, Shelby | 63 min |
| May 21, 12:53 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | OAX | Shelby | 39 min |
| May 21, 1:10 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | OAX | Shelby | 25 min |
| May 21, 1:44 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Pottawattamie, Shelby | 61 min |
| May 21, 6:11 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Harrison, Monona, Shelby | 49 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.