Tornado Warning 1, NWS Hastings, NE

364 
WWUS53 KGID 162303
SVSGID

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Hastings NE
603 PM CDT Sat May 16 2026

NEC019-162345-
/O.CON.KGID.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-260516T2345Z/
Buffalo NE-
603 PM CDT Sat May 16 2026

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 645 PM CDT FOR WEST
CENTRAL BUFFALO COUNTY...

At 603 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Amherst, or 14 miles northwest of Kearney, moving
east at 10 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and two inch 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...
  Amherst around 610 PM CDT.

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 4083 9936 4089 9933 4087 9917 4078 9922
TIME...MOT...LOC 2303Z 292DEG 8KT 4083 9931 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...2.00 IN

$$

ADP

130 
WWUS53 KGID 162310
SVSGID

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Hastings NE
610 PM CDT Sat May 16 2026

NEC019-162319-
/O.CAN.KGID.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-260516T2345Z/
Buffalo NE-
610 PM CDT Sat May 16 2026

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR WEST CENTRAL BUFFALO COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...

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 100 AM CDT for
south central Nebraska.

To report severe weather, contact your nearest law enforcement
agency. They will relay your report to the National Weather Service
Hastings.

Remember, a Severe Thunderstorm Warning still remains in effect for 
portions of Buffalo County until 630 PM CDT.

&&

LAT...LON 4083 9936 4089 9933 4087 9917 4078 9922
TIME...MOT...LOC 2308Z 287DEG 9KT 4083 9929 

$$

ADP

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Hastings NE
434 PM CDT Sat May 16 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Enhanced risk of severe weather (level 3 of 5) during the
  evening and overnight hours today and again Sunday. Organized
  damaging wind, very large hail, and tornadoes are possible.

- Dangerous fire weather conditions are becoming an increasing
  concern for Sunday afternoon along and behind a surging dry
  line. Areas along and south of the state line have been placed
  under a Fire Weather Watch.

- Monday's severe weather potential is highly uncertain for our
  local area, as latest trends are shifting the main threat
  corridor along and ahead of a front a bit further E.

- Relatively quiet remainder of the forecast.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 327 PM CDT Sat May 16 2026

Short discussion here as we transition to severe weather ops.

Two main convective regimes for the short term:
1) isolated supercells along a retreating warm front over mainly
south central Nebraska late this afternoon and evening. All
modes of severe will be possible given potent combination of
instability and shear. Already seeing signs of this along I-80
corridor.

2) larger complex of storms is forecast to move in from the W
later this evening. This activity would have an organized with
threat with it, as well as potential for QLCS tornadoes. This is
concerning considering the late time of day and difficult to
spot them. Could also see some large hail, but would be a
secondary threat. Can't rule out a few swaths of wind driven
hail. Isolated gusts up to 80 MPH will be possible in the
strongest cores. This batch favors south central Nebraska more
than Kansas, but KS zones by no means in the clear.

Severe threat should end by around 09Z.

Focus then turns to Sunday's severe weather and fire weather
potential. Will all depend on where the dry line sets up, but
trends have been to shift this further E and bring more of the
dry surge and fire weather into play. Will need to seem how
things settle from today...but anywhere along and ahead of the
dry line could see significant severe weather, including intense
supercells with very large hail, damaging wind gusts, and
tornadoes. The greatest tornado threat looks to be along and
E/NE of the Hwy 81 corridor. Late afternoon and early evening is
the main time frame of concern for dry line storms. Another
batch of severe storms with mainly a large hail and wind threat
could move in from the NW along the primary cold front late
Sunday evening and into the overnight.

Fire weather discussion will be included below shortly.

Exactly how things unfold Sunday will determine frontal location
for Monday. As mentioned above, this is trending further E/SE
such that most of out area could be on the cool side of the
front by midday. In fact, far N/NW zones could struggle to get
out of the 50s while far S/SE zones push 90F. A strong spring
front, indeed, that is bound to spark off widespread severe
weather...just a question of if it's here or just E/SE.

Not much time spent in the extended periods as it appears fairly
quiet.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SUNDAY/...
Issued at 1249 PM CDT Sat May 16 2026

For KGRI/KEAR Airports:

VFR and fairly quiet for at least the next few hours amidst
breezy Erly flow.

Primary aviation concern will come late this evening and
overnight with development overhead and/or arrival of
thunderstorms from the W. Expect an organized cluster of
thunderstorms with strong to severe wind gusts to arrive
generally in the 03-06Z time frame. Have gone prevailing with
strong storms/wind, and used PROB30 group for the severe level
winds around 04-06Z. Most of this round should exit fairly
quickly by 09-10Z, leaving in it's wake a wind shift back to the
ESE/SE and breezy speeds.

On Sunday...winds will pick up out of the SE throughout the
morning, becoming sustained 15-20kt and gusts 30-35kt (highest
at GRI). Appears a wind shift to the SW/W/NW and next round of
strong to severe storms will be possible late Sun aftn into the
eve...with greatest coverage of storms favoring GRI more than
EAR. Expect VFR conditions Sunday morning.

&&

.GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NE...Fire Weather Watch from Sunday afternoon through Sunday
     evening for NEZ083>085.
KS...Fire Weather Watch from Sunday afternoon through Sunday
     evening for KSZ005>007-017>019.

&&

DISCUSSION...Thies
AVIATION...Thies

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

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

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Hastings NE
458 PM CDT Sat May 16 2026

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

0450 PM     Hail             Stockham                40.72N 97.94W
05/16/2026  M1.75 Inch       Hamilton           NE   Public

            Hail slightly smaller than golf ball.

&&

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Hastings NE
531 PM CDT Sat May 16 2026

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

0520 PM     Hail             7 WNW Stromsburg        41.16N 97.71W
05/16/2026  E1.00 Inch       Polk               NE   Public

&&

NOAA/NWS/Moritz

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Hastings NE
535 PM CDT Sat May 16 2026

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

0452 PM     Hail             Henderson               40.78N 97.81W
05/16/2026  M1.50 Inch       York               NE   Public

            Actually 1 inch 5/8 inches in diameter.

&&

NOAA/NWS/Moritz

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Hastings NE
537 PM CDT Sat May 16 2026

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

0528 PM     Hail             1 E Miller              40.93N 99.37W
05/16/2026  M1.75 Inch       Buffalo            NE   Fire Dept/Rescue

&&

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Hastings NE
546 PM CDT Sat May 16 2026

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

0542 PM     Hail             Henderson               40.78N 97.81W
05/16/2026  M1.75 Inch       York               NE   Public

&&