Severe Thunderstorm Warning 341, NWS North Platte, NE

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service North Platte NE
653 PM CDT Sun Aug 17 2025

.KEY MESSAGES...

- A marginal risk (level 1 of 5) of severe storms is expected both
today and Monday with damaging winds and large hail being the main
threats.

- Above normal temperatures continue through Thursday with highs
rising into the 90s before dropping into the 80s for the end of the
week.

- Rain and thunderstorms return Friday and Saturday evenings, but
the severe risk is uncertain.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/...
Issued at 329 PM CDT Sun Aug 17 2025

Lingering showers and storms across northern Nebraska will
continue to push into northeast Nebraska over the next few
hours. Showers and thunderstorms are expected to return once
again by late afternoon and into the evening across north
central Nebraska and into the Sandhills. An area of higher
instability (CAPE values greater than 3000 J/kg, steep low level
lapse rates, and an area of shear around 30 knots) will be
present across much this region by evening which will provide
enough support for widely scattered severe storms by late
afternoon. Convection is anticipated to start between 22Z and
00Z across northern Nebraska before tracking east/southeast into
the evening hours. Greatest threats with these storms will be
large hail initially in discrete supercells before storms become
more linear in nature and damaging winds become the main
threat. Thunderstorms may persist into the overnight hours as
the low level jet intensifies after sunset, although the severe
threat should great diminish after Midnight CT.

Another round of severe thunderstorms returns on Monday afternoon
and evening. Thunderstorms are expected to initiate earlier than
Sunday, with some organized convection by mid afternoon across the
northern Sandhills. With these storms expected to be supercellular
in nature, current hazards will be large hail and damaging winds.
There is some concerns on development locations as the latest CAMs
have initiation in different areas. However, with the greatest
instability across areas mainly east of US-83, current expectations
is those areas have the greatest potential to see severe storms.
There is also some concerns on lingering showers overnight and cloud
cover into Monday morning impacting severe potential. Some models
have clouds lingering into the mid to late afternoon, but it is
likely we will get enough clearing early enough that it won't
greatly inhibit convection potential. Instability quickly wanes by
mid to late evening helping to end any severe storms.

&&

.LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
Issued at 329 PM CDT Sun Aug 17 2025

Upper level ridging will begin to build across the western US by
Tuesday. This will bring a return to quieter and drier weather
through the middle of the week as surface high pressure builds into
the central Plains. In addition to drier weather, this ridge will
also keep above normal (upper 80s) temperatures across the region.
Expect highs to rise into the 90s across much of north central and
western Nebraska through Thursday.

Near daily thunderstorms return Friday night and into the weekend.
At this time, confidence in locations of impact and timing is low
and therefore, the severe potential is uncertain at this time, but a
stronger storm or two cannot be ruled out completely with small hail
and strong wind gusts being the main threats.

In addition to rain chances by the end of the week, cooler air will
also return. Plenty of clouds and potentially isolated rain showers
or thunderstorms during the day will drop high temperatures back
into the 80s for Friday and into the upper 70s to low 80s for the
weekend. Low temperatures will also drop into the mid to upper 50s
by the weekend which near normal for this time of year.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z TUESDAY/...
Issued at 640 PM CDT Sun Aug 17 2025

Isolated to scattered thunderstorms will develop this evening
into the overnight. The greatest confidence in storm development
is across the northern Sandhills, however isolated storm
development may be possible further south. Gusty erratic winds
and lower visibility will be possible as storms pass through.
SFC winds will be out of the south to southeast this evening
around 5 to 10 kts, becoming light and variable overnight.

&&

.LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.

&&

SHORT TERM...Kulik
LONG TERM...Kulik
AVIATION...Gomez

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service North Platte NE
328 PM CDT Sun Aug 17 2025

NEZ004>010-022>029-035>038-056>059-069>071-094-182030-
Sheridan-Eastern Cherry-Keya Paha-Boyd-Brown-Rock-Holt-Garden-Grant-
Hooker-Thomas-Blaine-Loup-Garfield-Wheeler-Arthur-McPherson-Logan-
Custer-Deuel-Keith-Perkins-Lincoln-Chase-Hayes-Frontier-
Western Cherry-
328 PM CDT Sun Aug 17 2025 /228 PM MDT Sun Aug 17 2025/

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of western and north
central Nebraska.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

There's a marginal risk (level 1 of 5) of severe thunderstorms this
evening. The main threats will be damaging wind gusts and large hail.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday.

There's a marginal risk (level 1 of 5) of severe thunderstorms Monday
afternoon and evening across much of western and north central
Nebraska. The main threats are damaging wind gusts and large hail.

Thunderstorms return Friday and Saturday evenings, but the severe
threat is uncertain at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed.

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service North Platte NE
916 PM CDT Sun Aug 17 2025

NEZ006-008-180245-
Brown NE-Keya Paha NE-
916 PM CDT Sun Aug 17 2025

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHEASTERN BROWN AND CENTRAL
KEYA PAHA COUNTIES THROUGH 945 PM CDT...

At 916 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Springview, moving northeast at 25 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and penny size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Springview, Burton, Nets Peak, Thomas Creek State Wildlife Management
Area, Mills, Brocksburg, and Meadville.

This includes the following highways...
 Highway 183 between mile markers 205 and 225.
 Highway 12 between mile markers 36 and 38, and between mile markers
40 and 82.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

&&

LAT...LON 4290 9928 4269 9979 4287 9995 4300 9976
      4300 9938
TIME...MOT...LOC 0216Z 232DEG 20KT 4285 9979

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service North Platte NE
940 PM CDT Sun Aug 17 2025

NEZ006-008-009-180315-
Brown NE-Rock NE-Keya Paha NE-
940 PM CDT Sun Aug 17 2025

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT WEST CENTRAL ROCK...CENTRAL
BROWN AND SOUTH CENTRAL KEYA PAHA COUNTIES THROUGH 1015 PM CDT...

At 940 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Johnstown, or near Ainsworth, moving east at 30 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph and nickel size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Ainsworth, Long Pine, Johnstown, Antelope Peak, Keller Park State
Recreation Area, and Pine Glen State Wildlife Refuge.

This includes the following highways...
 Highway 183 between mile markers 194 and 210.
 Highway 20 between mile markers 230 and 253.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

&&

LAT...LON 4240 10007 4262 10012 4279 9972 4242 9960
TIME...MOT...LOC 0240Z 250DEG 27KT 4255 9997

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service North Platte NE
954 PM CDT Sun Aug 17 2025

NEZ005-094-180345-
Eastern Cherry NE-Western Cherry NE-
954 PM CDT Sun Aug 17 2025

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT CENTRAL CHERRY COUNTY THROUGH
1045 PM CDT...

At 954 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from near Medicine Lake to 23 miles southwest of
Merritt Reservoir. Movement was east at 20 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph and penny size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Kilgore, Medicine Lake, Merritt Reservoir, Highway 97 crossing the
North Loup River, Steer Creek Campground, Anderson Bridge State
Wildlife Management Area, Schoolhouse Lake, and Highway 97 crossing
Big Creek.

This includes the following highways...
 Highway 20 between mile markers 168 and 174.
 Highway 97 between mile markers 87 and 116.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

&&

LAT...LON 4297 10097 4232 10074 4230 10129 4277 10150
TIME...MOT...LOC 0254Z 265DEG 19KT 4277 10134 4241 10121

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service North Platte NE
1010 PM CDT Sun Aug 17 2025

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

0953 PM     Hail             Ainsworth               42.55N 99.86W
08/17/2025  M1.75 Inch       Brown              NE   Public

            Golf ball sized hail in Ainsworth. Time
            estimated from radar.

&&

AS

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service North Platte NE
1014 PM CDT Sun Aug 17 2025

NEZ006-007-009-010-180400-
Holt NE-Rock NE-Keya Paha NE-Boyd NE-
1014 PM CDT Sun Aug 17 2025

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHEASTERN ROCK...NORTHWESTERN
HOLT...NORTHEASTERN KEYA PAHA AND WESTERN BOYD COUNTIES THROUGH 1100
PM CDT...

At 1014 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 11
miles southwest of Naper, or 22 miles east of Springview, moving east
at 25 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph and nickel size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Butte, Naper, Dustin, Anoka, Mills, Brocksburg, Parshall Bridge State
Wildlife Management Area, and Hull Lake State Wildlife Management
Area.

This includes Highway 12 between mile markers 77 and 116.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

&&

LAT...LON 4278 9882 4279 9940 4300 9941 4300 9884
TIME...MOT...LOC 0314Z 265DEG 20KT 4289 9931

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service North Platte NE
1059 PM CDT Sun Aug 17 2025

NEZ005-006-008-094-180445-
Brown NE-Eastern Cherry NE-Keya Paha NE-Western Cherry NE-
1059 PM CDT Sun Aug 17 2025

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN CHERRY...WESTERN
BROWN AND SOUTHWESTERN KEYA PAHA COUNTIES THROUGH 1145 PM CDT...

At 1059 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Valentine National Wildlife Refuge, or 29 miles south of Valentine,
moving east at 45 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph and nickel size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Johnstown, Brownlee, Valentine National Wildlife Refuge, Wood Lake,
Moon Lake, North River Trail, Big Alkali Lake State Wildlife
Management Area, Long Lake State Wildlife Management Area, Highway 83
crossing Goose Creek, and Highway 83 crossing the North Loup River.

This includes the following highways...
 Highway 20 between mile markers 213 and 237.
 Highway 83 between mile markers 167 and 197.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

&&

LAT...LON 4223 10078 4260 10080 4282 10001 4224 9989
TIME...MOT...LOC 0359Z 251DEG 39KT 4245 10066

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH