Alert archive / Nebraska / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 321, NWS North Platte, NE

August 15, 2026Garden County, Sheridan County, Nebraska

NWS North Platte, NE issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 15, 2026, 5:17 PM MDT for Garden County, Sheridan County, Nebraska. It was in force for 43 min. 1 report 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 15, 2026, 5:17 PM MDT (23:17 UTC)
Expired
Aug 15, 2026, 6:00 PM MDT
In force
43 min
Issued by
NWS North Platte, NE
Area
Storm-based polygon
Hail
1.0 in
Wind
60.0 mph

Counties Garden County, NE, Sheridan County, NE

The radar

The North Platte radar (KLNX), 164 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:17 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Aug 15, 5:41 PM MDTTSTM WND DMG1 Ne Antioch, NEspotter reported lots of wind with 4 inch diameter tree branches down.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

Did it verify

Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched one storm report to this severe thunderstorm warning; the first came 24 minutes after it went out.

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 text

As transmitted.

874 
WUUS53 KLBF 152317
SVRLBF
NEC069-161-160000-
/O.NEW.KLBF.SV.W.0321.260815T2317Z-260816T0000Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service North Platte NE
517 PM MDT Sat Aug 15 2026

The National Weather Service in North Platte has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
  Northwestern Garden County in the Panhandle of Nebraska...
  Southwestern Sheridan County in the Panhandle of Nebraska...

* Until 600 PM MDT.

* At 517 PM MDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Alliance,
  moving east at 35 mph.

  HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated.

  IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage 
           to roofs, siding, and trees.

* Locations impacted include...
  Ellsworth, Antioch, Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge,
  Patterson Lake, Miles Lake, Snow Lake, Mumper, Wickson Lake,
  Diamond Lake, Lakeside, Herman Lake, Krause Lake, Tralnor Lake, and
  Argo Hill.

This includes the following highways...
 Highway 250 between mile markers 1 and 20.
 Highway 2 between mile markers 96 and 118.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.

&&

LAT...LON 4235 10219 4165 10238 4180 10268 4200 10268
      4201 10270 4209 10270 4210 10274 4231 10275
TIME...MOT...LOC 2317Z 280DEG 30KT 4212 10283 

HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

Gomez
1 follow-up statement
777 
WWUS53 KLBF 152350
SVSLBF

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service North Platte NE
550 PM MDT Sat Aug 15 2026

NEC069-161-160000-
/O.CON.KLBF.SV.W.0321.000000T0000Z-260816T0000Z/
Garden NE-Sheridan NE-
550 PM MDT Sat Aug 15 2026

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM MDT
FOR NORTHWESTERN GARDEN AND SOUTHWESTERN SHERIDAN COUNTIES...

At 550 PM MDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 8 miles east of
Antioch, or 21 miles east of Alliance, moving east at 35 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to 
         roofs, siding, and trees.

Locations impacted include...
Ellsworth, Antioch, Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Patterson
Lake, Miles Lake, Snow Lake, Mumper, Wickson Lake, Diamond Lake,
Lakeside, Herman Lake, Krause Lake, Tralnor Lake, and Argo Hill.

This includes the following highways...
 Highway 250 between mile markers 1 and 20.
 Highway 2 between mile markers 96 and 118.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.

&&

LAT...LON 4235 10219 4165 10238 4180 10268 4200 10268
      4201 10270 4209 10270 4210 10274 4231 10275
TIME...MOT...LOC 2350Z 280DEG 30KT 4207 10246 

HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

Gomez

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 North Platte, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Aug 15, 5:08 PM MDT, 9 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Thunderstorms are again possible across portions of western and southwest Nebraska this evening and tonight. A few storms could be strong to severe, with large hail, damaging winds, and locally heavy rainfall possible.
  • Another threat for a few strong to severe storms is possible Sunday evening for areas along and west of HWY 61.
  • The unsettled pattern continues into the middle of next week, with daily threats for showers and thunderstorms continuing across the area.
Area forecast discussion, Aug 15, 5:08 PM MDT, 9 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service North Platte NE
608 PM CDT Sat Aug 15 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Thunderstorms are again possible across portions of western
  and southwest Nebraska this evening and tonight. A few storms
  could be strong to severe, with large hail, damaging winds,
  and locally heavy rainfall possible.

- Another threat for a few strong to severe storms is possible
  Sunday evening for areas along and west of HWY 61.

- The unsettled pattern continues into the middle of next week,
  with daily threats for showers and thunderstorms continuing
  across the area.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/...
Issued at 140 PM CDT Sat Aug 15 2026

An upper ridge will reside over the Lower Mississippi Valley
tonight, with quasi-zonal flow aloft across the Central Rockies into
the Central Plains. Late this afternoon, thunderstorms will develop
to the west across eastern WY/CO and portions of the Panhandle.
Storms will track southeast as they grow upscale with time. An
initial threat for isolated large hail west of Highway 61, with any
discrete storms. Most of the activity will move in mid through late
evening, as a few clusters or a loosely organized line. This
suggests that the main severe threat locally would be damaging wind
gusts and locally heavy rain, with PWAT values still exceeding the
90th percentile climo across the area. The latest CAMs remain split
on the location of convection, with a few focusing across
portions of the western Sandhills into west central NE, while
others are confined to the southeast panhandle and far
southwest, or even south of the forecast area.

Will be monitoring for a threat for localized flash flooding
tonight, primarily in areas that saw heavy rain from overnight
storms across the southeast panhandle and southwest Nebraska.
Storms may be slow to exit far southeast Nebraska late tonight,
but should become focused from north central Kansas into south
central NE late. Lows tonight falling into the upper 50s to low
60s across the area.

On Sunday, dry conditions expected during the morning into the
afternoon hours with highs from the upper 70s to around 80 as weak
surface high pressure moves east. Another round of thunderstorms
possible across the western Sandhills and north central Nebraska
during the evening and overnight hours. Confidence in coverage and
location of these storms continues to remain low, with guidance
suggesting the greatest coverage into the western Sandhills and
north central NE. The better instability looks confined to along and
west of HWY 61 Sunday evening. Large hail and damaging winds look to
be the main threats, with deep layer shear 30 to 35kts and modest
instability of 500-1000 J/kg.

&&

.LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
Issued at 140 PM CDT Sat Aug 15 2026

The active pattern continues Monday through Wednesday night, as
upper ridging begins to amplify across the western CONUS. This leads
to a west-northwest flow aloft. Guidance suggests occasional
disturbances will progress through the mean flow aloft, with a
daily threat for showers and thunderstorms across the area. PWAT
values will also fall into next week, as we lose the monsoonal
moisture with the transition to northwest flow. Some threat for
severe storms will also persist Monday, and also on Tuesday as a
cold front drops through the region. The threat for thunderstorms
continues through Wednesday night, with drier conditions expected
Thursday through Saturday as an upper ridge builds back over
the region.

Temperatures look to remain near average Monday in the mid to up
80s, to below average by Wednesday. This will keep any heat concerns
away, with a pleasant week expected.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z MONDAY/...
Issued at 607 PM CDT Sat Aug 15 2026

Showers and thunderstorms return to southwest Nebraska this evening
with erratic, gusty winds along with hail being possible with these
storms. Expect some reductions in visibility as heavy rainfall is
also possible. Showers and thunderstorms push out of the region by
08Z Sunday with a gradual return to drier weather and VFR
conditions. An another round of thunderstorms are expected again
later on Sunday, but are expected to hold off until after 00Z
Monday.

&&

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

&&

SHORT TERM...Roberg
LONG TERM...Roberg
AVIATION...Kulik
Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 15, 2:32 PM MDT, 2 hours 45 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service North Platte NE
332 PM CDT Sat Aug 15 2026

NEZ004>010-022>029-035>038-056>059-069>071-094-162045-
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-
332 PM CDT Sat Aug 15 2026 /232 PM MDT Sat Aug 15 2026/

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

.DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight.

A few thunderstorms are possible mainly east of Highway 183 this
afternoon. This evening and overnight, additional thunderstorms are
possible across western and southwest Nebraska. A few storms could
be strong to severe this evening, with the greatest risk along and
west of Highway 61. Damaging winds and locally heavy rain look to be
the primary threats.

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

Thunderstorms chances continue Sunday and into the middle of next
week. Locally heavy rainfall will remain a possibility, especially
across the southern Panhandle into southwest Nebraska. Storms could
also be strong to severe each day, with large hail and damaging
winds as the primary threats.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 14, 6:06 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementLBFGarden39 min
Aug 14, 8:33 PM MDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLBFDeuel, Garden3 hr
Aug 14, 9:14 PM MDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLBFDeuel, Garden3 hr
Aug 14, 9:32 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementLBFChase, Keith, Perkins58 min
Aug 14, 10:21 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementLBFHayes, Keith54 min
Aug 14, 11:54 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementLBFFrontier, Hayes66 min
Aug 15, 12:09 AM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLBFFrontier, Hayes, Lincoln66 min
Aug 15, 12:37 AM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLBFCuster, Frontier, Hayes, Lincoln38 min
Aug 15, 1:08 AM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLBFCuster, Lincoln, Logan52 min
Aug 15, 5:57 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLBFGarden, Sheridan48 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; local storm reports from the same archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.