Alert archive / Nebraska / Tornado Warnings in 2026
Tornado Warning 18, NWS Cheyenne, WY
NWS Cheyenne, WY issued this tornado warning at Aug 21, 2026, 8:19 PM MDT for Cheyenne County, Kimball County, Nebraska. It was in force for 41 min. 3 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
- Aug 21, 2026, 8:19 PM MDT (02:19 UTC)
- Expired
- Aug 21, 2026, 9:00 PM MDT
- In force
- 41 min
- Issued by
- NWS Cheyenne, WY
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Tornado
- Radar indicated
- Hail
- 2.75 in
Counties Cheyenne County, NE, Kimball County, NE
The radar
The Cheyenne radar (KCYS), 121 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:23 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21, 8:38 PM MDT | TSTM WND DMG | 4 Sw Potter, NE | Center Pivot flipped along CR69 with one tree blown over. Roof panel missing from barn. Determined to be straight line wind damage from RFD. Time estimated from radar. |
| Aug 21, 8:42 PM MDT | TSTM WND DMG | 6 Sw Potter, NE | Approximately 30 power poles snapped. Determined to be from RFD winds, time estimated from radar. |
| Aug 21, 8:57 PM MDT | TSTM WND GST 62 | 15 S Potter, NE | Personal weather station. |
Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.
Did it verify
Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this tornado warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21, 4:48 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
N. Platte/Lee Bi, NE (KLBF), launched 00:00Z, 2.3 hours before the alert went out and 231 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
- 1113 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -125 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 2215 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 50 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -17 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 307 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.4
The text
As transmitted.
471
WFUS55 KCYS 220219
TORCYS
NEC033-105-220300-
/O.NEW.KCYS.TO.W.0018.260822T0219Z-260822T0300Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Cheyenne WY
819 PM MDT Fri Aug 21 2026
The National Weather Service in Cheyenne has issued a
* Tornado Warning for...
Southwestern Cheyenne County in the Panhandle of Nebraska...
Eastern Kimball County in the Panhandle of Nebraska...
* Until 900 PM MDT.
* At 818 PM MDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Potter, or 15 miles east of Kimball, moving south
at 25 mph.
HAZARD...Tornado and baseball size hail.
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...
Potter around 825 PM MDT.
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 4136 10347 4135 10325 4100 10315 4100 10331
4101 10353
TIME...MOT...LOC 0218Z 355DEG 21KT 4129 10337
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...2.75 IN
$$
Natoli3 follow-up statements
902
WWUS55 KCYS 220240
SVSCYS
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Cheyenne WY
840 PM MDT Fri Aug 21 2026
NEC033-105-220300-
/O.CON.KCYS.TO.W.0018.000000T0000Z-260822T0300Z/
Cheyenne NE-Kimball NE-
840 PM MDT Fri Aug 21 2026
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM MDT FOR
SOUTHWESTERN CHEYENNE AND EASTERN KIMBALL COUNTIES...
At 839 PM MDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Potter, or 16 miles east of Kimball, moving south at
30 mph.
HAZARD...Tornado and tennis ball size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.
IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without
shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage
to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is
likely.
This tornadic thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of
southwestern Cheyenne and eastern Kimball Counties.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.
Heavy rainfall may hide this tornado. Do not wait to see or hear the
tornado. TAKE COVER NOW!
&&
LAT...LON 4136 10347 4135 10325 4100 10315 4100 10331
4101 10353
TIME...MOT...LOC 0239Z 357DEG 24KT 4114 10336
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...2.50 IN
$$
Natoli814
WWUS55 KCYS 220247
SVSCYS
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Cheyenne WY
847 PM MDT Fri Aug 21 2026
NEC033-105-220300-
/O.CON.KCYS.TO.W.0018.000000T0000Z-260822T0300Z/
Cheyenne NE-Kimball NE-
847 PM MDT Fri Aug 21 2026
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM MDT FOR
SOUTHWESTERN CHEYENNE AND SOUTHEASTERN KIMBALL COUNTIES...
At 846 PM MDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 8 miles south of Potter, or 18 miles southeast of
Kimball, moving south at 25 mph.
HAZARD...Tornado and tennis ball size hail.
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 tornadic thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of
southwestern Cheyenne and southeastern Kimball Counties.
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.
Heavy rainfall may hide this tornado. Do not wait to see or hear the
tornado. TAKE COVER NOW!
&&
LAT...LON 4118 10343 4119 10325 4100 10317 4100 10331
4101 10350
TIME...MOT...LOC 0246Z 355DEG 21KT 4110 10335
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...2.50 IN
$$
Natoli328
WWUS55 KCYS 220258
SVSCYS
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Cheyenne WY
858 PM MDT Fri Aug 21 2026
NEC033-105-220308-
/O.EXP.KCYS.TO.W.0018.000000T0000Z-260822T0300Z/
Cheyenne NE-Kimball NE-
858 PM MDT Fri Aug 21 2026
...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHWESTERN CHEYENNE AND SOUTHEASTERN
KIMBALL COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 900 PM MDT...
The tornado threat has diminished and the Tornado Warning has been
cancelled. However, large hail and damaging winds remain likely and a
Severe Thunderstorm Warning remains in effect for the area.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 1100 PM MDT for
the Panhandle of Nebraska.
&&
LAT...LON 4118 10343 4119 10325 4100 10317 4100 10331
4101 10350
TIME...MOT...LOC 0258Z 355DEG 21KT 4104 10334
$$
NatoliWhat 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 Cheyenne, WY wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Aug 21, 5:25 PM MDT, 2 hours 54 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- Precipitation chances return by this weekend, with the possibility of widespread rain on Saturday.
- Daily shower and storm chances continue Monday through the end of the week with slightly above average temperature expected until Thursday.
Area forecast discussion, Aug 21, 5:25 PM MDT, 2 hours 54 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Cheyenne WY 525 PM MDT Fri Aug 21 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Precipitation chances return by this weekend, with the possibility of widespread rain on Saturday. - Daily shower and storm chances continue Monday through the end of the week with slightly above average temperature expected until Thursday. && .SHORT TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY/... Issued at 131 PM MDT Fri Aug 21 2026 A bit of uncertainty in the forecast for this afternoon and evening regarding storm chances. Upper-level ridging over the west continues to shift eastward into Wyoming today. This will produce strong subsidence which will work to counteract storms. However, model soundings and mesoanalysis show quite a bit of instability, especially east of the Laramie Range. Satellite thus far has been unimpressive, showing flat topped cumulus fields mainly around Cheyenne and Laramie. A few isolated instances of vertical growth have been observed, but have quickly fallen apart due to the presence of MLCIN. Mesoanalysis does have CIN eroding away within the next few hours, so it is possible that by late afternoon and evening, storms could develop given the instability and lift from a weak upper-level disturbance. Most CAMs aren't too exited about storms today. The HRRR has been the most bullish, but also the most uncertain, flip flopping back and forth between lots of storms and barely any storms. However, newest runs of the HRRR seem to be more believable, showing convection developing this evening over the high terrain and pushing into the panhandle where it strengthens due to higher instability. If this is the case, a severe thunderstorm or two could be possible. Both strong winds and large hail cannot be ruled out in storms with DCAPE over 1000 J/kg and MUCAPE around 1500 J/kg. Any storms that develop will move out of the area by midnight tonight, however, cannot rule out nocturnal convection developing in the panhandle after this. Increased moisture into the area from precipitation as well as weak southeast flow, could cause low stratus and patchy fog east of the Laramie Range early Saturday morning. The forecast for Saturday looks more certain, with greater chances for precipitation. Another weak shortwave moving through the ridge will provide the needed lift and monsoon moisture for storms to develop. Model soundings show decent instability once again, which could lead to marginally severe storms. Hi-Res guidance shows widely scattered storms developing during the mid-afternoon and continuing through the evening hours. Most hazards will be possible in storms, including heavy rain due to PWATs in the 90th percentile, large hail, and strong winds. Hi-Res guidance does show lingering showers across the area Saturday night, however these should not cause impacts. Similar conditions are expected on Sunday with another round of scattered storms. PWATs and instability are weaker on Sunday, so severe storms are unlikely at this time. Due to less moisture, models are also hinting at lower coverage of storms on Sunday. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/... Issued at 131 PM MDT Fri Aug 21 2026 Monday...Coverage of afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms increases somewhat by an increase in monsoonal moisture and lowering 700 mb temperatures providing less convective inhibition, CIN, compared to Sunday. As is this type of pattern, afternoon convection will be over and near the mountains due to differential heating and orographic effects, with the activity spreading across the rest of the forecast area before dissipation by late evening. Warmer temperatures compared to the previous day due to less cloud cover and convective coverage. Tuesday...Similar pattern synoptically to Monday with minor perturbations in the flow aloft aiding in lift of monsoonal moisture to produce widely scattered to scattered afternoon convection over and near our Snowy, Sierra Madre and northern Laramie Ranges, with the activity spreading eastward across the rest of the forecast area in the evening. Some lowering of mid level temperatures suggests daytime maximum temperatures will be a little cooler. Wednesday...The primary change compared to Tuesday, will be a reinforcement of the ridge aloft axis over Wyoming, inducing a return to upslope mechanical lift aiding the areal increase of showers and thunderstorms, especially east of the mountains and along the I-25 corridor and eastward. Slight warming trend with 700 mb temperatures near 13 Celsius yielding high temperatures in the 80s. Thursday-Friday...Monsoonal moisture becomes a bit more scant with decent westerly flow aloft and with warm temperatures aloft producing more convective inhibition, CIN, to limit development. A slight warming trend continues based on mid level, 700 mb temperature trends. && .AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SUNDAY/... Issued at 525 PM MDT Fri Aug 21 2026 Tricky aviation forecast for this period, especially across the Nebraska Panhandle with showers and thunderstorms rolling through and the possibility for further development. Do to low confidence on placement and coverage, kept TS out of the TAFs for the most part and expect AMDs if further development occurs. For the southeast Wyoming terminals, scattered showers and storms are pushing southeast across the region and will continue for the next several hours. In any storm activity, winds could become erratic and gusty. There is also the threat for GR in any thunderstorm activity, this could bring additional aviation hazards. After everything clears, with the added moisture and wind direction, VIS and CIG reduction is possible overnight for the Nebraska sites. && .CYS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WY...None. NE...None. && SHORT TERM...SF LONG TERM...RUBIN AVIATION...RZ
In the hours before
Local storm report, Aug 21, 6:16 PM MDT, 2 hours 3 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Cheyenne WY
616 PM MDT Fri Aug 21 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0602 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 10.1 ESE Box Butte Dam 42.39N 102.90W
08/21/2026 M62 MPH Box Butte NE Public
Personal weather station.
&&Local storm report, Aug 21, 6:17 PM MDT, 2 hours 2 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Cheyenne WY
617 PM MDT Fri Aug 21 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0537 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 7 SE Chadron State Park 42.61N 102.90W
08/21/2026 M58 MPH Dawes NE Public
Personal weather station.
&&Special weather statement, Aug 21, 6:22 PM MDT, 1 hour 57 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Cheyenne WY
622 PM MDT Fri Aug 21 2026
WYZ117-118-220045-
Central Laramie County WY-South Laramie Range Foothills WY-
622 PM MDT Fri Aug 21 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHWESTERN LARAMIE COUNTY
THROUGH 645 PM MDT...
At 622 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
North Cheyenne, or near Cheyenne, moving east at 30 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and pea 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...
Cheyenne, Laramie County Fairgrounds at Archer, Hillsdale, Fox
Farm-College, Cheyenne Regional Airport, Winchester Hills, South
Greeley Highway, Ranchettes, Warren AFB, Frontier Park, North
Cheyenne, South Cheyenne, Bison Crossing, Grass Hills, and Cowboy
Ranch South.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
&&
LAT...LON 4115 10503 4132 10487 4126 10444 4100 10462
4100 10482
TIME...MOT...LOC 0022Z 292DEG 26KT 4122 10484
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
NatoliSpecial weather statement, Aug 21, 6:40 PM MDT, 1 hour 39 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Cheyenne WY
640 PM MDT Fri Aug 21 2026
WYZ107-108-220130-
East Platte County WY-Goshen County WY-
640 PM MDT Fri Aug 21 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN GOSHEN AND EAST
CENTRAL PLATTE COUNTIES THROUGH 730 PM MDT...
At 639 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Hartville, or 28 miles northeast of Wheatland, moving east at 25 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 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...
Fort Laramie, Hartville, Pine Ridge Estates, Guernsey State Park,
Fort Laramie National Historic Site, and Hwy 85 At Dry Rawhide Creek.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 4232 10482 4243 10469 4245 10417 4211 10437
TIME...MOT...LOC 0039Z 283DEG 22KT 4237 10462
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
NatoliLocal storm report, Aug 21, 7:18 PM MDT, 1 hour 1 minute before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Cheyenne WY
718 PM MDT Fri Aug 21 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0650 PM Hail 8 NE Bayard 41.84N 103.21W
08/21/2026 M2.75 Inch Morrill NE Storm Chaser
0707 PM Hail 2 NNE Bayard 41.78N 103.31W
08/21/2026 M2.75 Inch Morrill NE Trained Spotter
&&Local storm report, Aug 21, 7:26 PM MDT, 53 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Cheyenne WY
726 PM MDT Fri Aug 21 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0721 PM Hail 4 E Bayard 41.76N 103.25W
08/21/2026 M2.00 Inch Morrill NE Trained Spotter
&&The office that day
Everything else NWS Cheyenne, WY issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21, 6:15 PM MDT | Special Weather Statement | CYS | Box Butte | 45 min |
| Aug 21, 6:33 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CYS | Box Butte, Morrill, Scotts Bluff | 42 min |
| Aug 21, 6:58 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CYS | Sioux | 47 min |
| Aug 21, 7:05 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CYS | Banner, Morrill, Scotts Bluff | 55 min |
| Aug 21, 7:34 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CYS | Cheyenne, Morrill | 41 min |
| Aug 21, 7:41 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CYS | Scotts Bluff, Sioux | 49 min |
| Aug 21, 7:51 PM MDT | Tornado Warning | CYS | Banner, Cheyenne, Kimball, Morrill | 39 min |
| Aug 21, 8:11 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CYS | Banner, Cheyenne, Kimball, Morrill | 49 min |
| Aug 21, 8:26 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CYS | Box Butte, Morrill, Scotts Bluff, Sioux | 49 min |
| Aug 21, 8:37 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CYS | Cheyenne, Kimball | 53 min |
| Aug 21, 8:42 PM MDT | Areal Flood Advisory | CYS | Banner, Cheyenne, Kimball, Morrill | 2 hr |
| Aug 21, 8:54 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CYS | Cheyenne, Kimball | 51 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Nebraska, 2026Every tornado warning in 2026Tornadoes in 2026
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.