Alert archive / Nebraska / Mesoscale Discussions in 2024

Mesoscale Discussion 621

May 3, 20245 counties in Kansas; 17 counties in Nebraska

The Storm Prediction Center issued this mesoscale discussion at May 3, 2024, 7:28 PM CDT for 5 counties in Kansas; 17 counties in Nebraska. It was in force for 92 min.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
May 3, 2024, 7:28 PM CDT (00:28 UTC)
Expired
May 3, 2024, 9:00 PM CDT
In force
92 min
Issued by
the Storm Prediction Center
Concerning
Severe thunderstorm watch 181
All 22 counties

Jewell County, KS, Norton County, KS, Phillips County, KS, Republic County, KS, Smith County, KS, Adams County, NE, Clay County, NE, Dawson County, NE, Fillmore County, NE, Franklin County, NE, Frontier County, NE, Furnas County, NE, Gosper County, NE, Harlan County, NE, Hayes County, NE, Hitchcock County, NE, Kearney County, NE, Nuckolls County, NE, Phelps County, NE, Red Willow County, NE, Thayer County, NE, Webster County, NE

The radar

The Grand Island radar (KUEX), 71 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:30 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 watches that followed

Watches SPC issued over any of the same counties within four hours of this discussion.

The nearest sounding before it

N. Platte/Lee Bi, NE (KLBF), launched 00:00Z, 0.5 hours before the alert went out and 148 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, N. Platte/Lee Bi, NE at 00:00Z on 2024-05-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 311 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, N. Platte/Lee Bi, NE at 00:00Z on 2024-05-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 100 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
311 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-31 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2328 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
41 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
100 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
306 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
2.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

485 
ACUS11 KWNS 040029
SWOMCD
SPC MCD 040028 
NEZ000-KSZ000-040200-

Mesoscale Discussion 0621
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0728 PM CDT Fri May 03 2024

Areas affected...Parts of south-central Nebraska and north-central
Kansas

Concerning...Severe Thunderstorm Watch 181...

Valid 040028Z - 040200Z

The severe weather threat for Severe Thunderstorm Watch 181
continues.

SUMMARY...An organized line of storms could produce 60-75 mph gusts
as it moves south-southeast.

DISCUSSION...An organized line segment has developed in western
Nebraska and moved southeast along  moisture gradient. Measured
winds of 61 and 63 mph were reported near North Platte. Recent
surface observations from Holdrege, NE showed the dewpoint jumping
from 51 to 55 F in the last hour. Other ASOS/KS Mesonet observations
show upper 50s to low 60s F dewpoints that may try and push
northwestward this evening. Given the organization of the line and
the theta-e gradient, this activity will likely continue for the
next few hours with aid from the low-level jet. The observed 00Z OAX
and TOP soundings showed capping/low-level drier air making the
eastward extent of this threat uncertain. Wind gusts of 60-75 mph
appear possible with this line of storms. Small to marginally severe
hail may also occur, but should be more isolated given the linear
mode.

..Wendt.. 05/04/2024

...Please see www.spc.noaa.gov for graphic product...

ATTN...WFO...OAX...TOP...GID...LBF...GLD...

LAT...LON   40320143 40890074 40950071 40859916 40689800 40489735
            40249727 39939741 39559797 39509849 39679983 39900081
            40320143

SPC that day

Everything else SPC issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 3, 8:28 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCClark, Comanche, Edwards, Ellis, Finney, Ford and 17 more2 hr
May 3, 9:26 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCBarber, Clay, Cloud, Dickinson, Ellsworth, Geary and 15 more2 hr
May 3, 9:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPCBarton, Butler, Chase, Clay, Cloud, Cowley and 24 more6 hr
May 3, 11:01 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCRepublic59 min
May 3, 11:41 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCBarber, Harper94 min
May 4, 1:02 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAtchison, Brown, Clay, Cloud, Doniphan, Jackson and 9 more118 min

Nearby

Mesoscale Discussions in Nebraska, 2024Mesoscale Discussions in Kansas, 2024Every mesoscale discussion 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.