Alert archive / Nebraska / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 33, NWS Hastings, NE

May 16, 2026Dawson County, Nebraska

NWS Hastings, NE issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 16, 2026, 4:29 PM CDT for Dawson County, Nebraska. It was in force for 46 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 16, 2026, 4:29 PM CDT (21:29 UTC)
Expired
May 16, 2026, 5:15 PM CDT
In force
46 min
Issued by
NWS Hastings, NE
Area
Storm-based polygon
Hail
1.0 in
Wind
60.0 mph

County Dawson County, NE

The radar

The Grand Island radar (KUEX), 131 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:32 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 forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Hastings, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 16, 12:54 PM CDT, 3 hours 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 16, 12:54 PM CDT, 3 hours 35 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, May 16, 3:25 PM CDT, 1 hour 4 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Hastings NE
325 PM CDT Sat May 16 2026

KSZ005>007-017>019-NEZ039>041-046>049-060>064-072>077-082>087-
171200-
Phillips-Smith-Jewell-Rooks-Osborne-Mitchell-Valley-Greeley-Nance-
Sherman-Howard-Merrick-Polk-Dawson-Buffalo-Hall-Hamilton-York-
Gosper-Phelps-Kearney-Adams-Clay-Fillmore-Furnas-Harlan-Franklin-
Webster-Nuckolls-Thayer-
325 PM CDT Sat May 16 2026

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

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight.

Isolated supercell thunderstorms may develop anytime after 5PM
this evening along a retreating warm front draped across south
central Nebraska. This potential is highly conditional, but should
activity develop, very large hail, damaging wind gusts, and a
tornado or two would all be possible.

More widespread thunderstorms are forecast to move in from the
west late this evening, generally after 8-9PM, and continue into
the overnight. This activity is expected to be severe, with
damaging wind gusts around 70 mph the primary threat. However,
large hail and tornadoes will also be possible. Isolated rainfall
amounts up to 2 inches may lead to brief ponding issues in known
trouble spots. The severe threat is forecast to end by around 3AM
tonight.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday.

On Sunday, the severe weather risk appears more isolated as
hot, dry air surges north into south central Nebraska. After
3 PM, isolated supercells are possible, mainly over portions of
south central Nebraska east of Highway 281. Should these storms
develop, they will move north northeast, and could produce up to
baseball size hail and tornadoes. Again, coverage appears limited
but the intensity of storms later Sunday could be very strong for
a time. During the later evening hours, additional severe storms
may move into the areas from the west, and favors south central
Nebraska for the most coverage of storms. Large hail and damaging
winds are the primary risks late Sunday evening and overnight.

On Monday, there is a lingering severe weather risk as a cold
front moves across the area. There remains uncertainty in timing
and location of the front, so stay tuned for more forecast
updates throughout the weekend. At this time, the greatest risk
looks to remain along, and especially east, of Highway 81.

In addition to the severe weather potential Sunday, dangerous fire
weather conditions are becoming increasingly likely for areas
along and south of the Nebraska, Kansas state line, within a zone
of surging hot, dry, and windy air from the southwest. A Fire
Weather Watch has been issued for these locations for Sunday
afternoon into early evening.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...Spotters are encouraged to
report any low level rotation, hail, or wind gusts over 50 mph to
the National Weather Service.

&&

More information may be obtained at the following web page:
   https://www.weather.gov/hastings

Thies

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 16, 4:24 PM CDT, 5 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Hastings NE
424 PM CDT Sat May 16 2026

NEZ063-064-162215-
Hamilton NE-York NE-
424 PM CDT Sat May 16 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT YORK AND SOUTHEASTERN HAMILTON
COUNTIES THROUGH 515 PM CDT...

At 424 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Henderson, or 15 miles southwest of York, moving northeast at 35 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.

This strong thunderstorm will be near...
  Henderson around 430 PM CDT.
  York around 440 PM CDT.

This includes Interstate 80 between mile markers 334 and 361.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

&&

LAT...LON 4070 9739 4070 9792 4082 9798 4105 9753
TIME...MOT...LOC 2124Z 246DEG 29KT 4077 9785

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

Schuldt

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 15, 7:31 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDFillmore, Thayer44 min
May 15, 8:15 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementGIDFillmore45 min
May 15, 8:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDFillmore48 min
May 15, 8:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDFillmore26 min
May 16, 2:55 PM CDTFire Weather WatchGIDFranklin, Harlan, Webster11 hr
May 16, 4:24 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementGIDYork51 min
May 16, 4:35 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDHamilton, York40 min
May 16, 5:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatGIDHamilton, Merrick, Nance, Polk, York60 min
May 16, 5:07 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDBuffalo, Dawson38 min
May 16, 5:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDHamilton, York46 min
May 16, 5:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDBuffalo, Hall, Howard50 min
May 16, 5:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatGIDBuffalo, Dawson51 min
May 16, 5:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatGIDBuffalo, Hall, Howard, Sherman47 min
May 16, 5:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatGIDBuffalo44 min
May 16, 5:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatGIDDawson42 min
May 16, 5:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDYork15 min
May 16, 5:55 PM CDTTornado WarningGIDBuffalo15 min
May 16, 6:04 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDPolk, York41 min
May 16, 6:07 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatGIDSherman24 min
May 16, 6:23 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementGIDMerrick37 min
May 16, 6:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatGIDBuffalo50 min
May 16, 6:26 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatGIDDawson49 min
May 16, 6:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDValley51 min
May 16, 6:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatGIDBuffalo42 min
May 16, 6:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatGIDDawson40 min
May 16, 6:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDNance39 min
May 16, 6:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGIDHall50 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Nebraska, 2026Every severe thunderstorm warning 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.