Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 2026

Tornado Warning 40, NWS Omaha, NE

June 4, 2026Fremont County, Iowa; Otoe County, Nebraska

NWS Omaha, NE issued this tornado warning at Jun 4, 2026, 2:37 PM CDT for Fremont County, Iowa; Otoe County, Nebraska. It was in force for 9 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Jun 4, 2026, 2:37 PM CDT (19:37 UTC)
Expired
Jun 4, 2026, 2:46 PM CDT
In force
9 min
Issued by
NWS Omaha, NE
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.75 in

Counties Fremont County, IA, Otoe County, NE

The radar

The Omaha radar (KOAX), 93 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:39 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.

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 nearest sounding before it

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 12:00Z, 7.6 hours before the alert went out and 183 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.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Topeka, KS at 12:00Z on 2026-06-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 140 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Topeka, KS at 12:00Z on 2026-06-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 40 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
140 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-55 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
917 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
19 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
40 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
55 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

410 
WFUS53 KOAX 041937
TOROAX
IAC071-NEC131-042000-
/O.NEW.KOAX.TO.W.0040.260604T1937Z-260604T2000Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley Nebraska
237 PM CDT Thu Jun 4 2026

The National Weather Service in Omaha has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Southwestern Fremont County in southwestern Iowa...
  East central Otoe County in southeastern Nebraska...

* Until 300 PM CDT.

* At 237 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located 6 miles northeast of Julian, or 6 miles southeast of
  Nebraska City, moving northeast at 20 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado.

  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 Fremont and east central Otoe Counties, including the
  following locations... Waubonsie State Park.

This includes Interstate 29 between mile markers 4 and 10.
 
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 4067 9560 4056 9580 4058 9584 4074 9576
TIME...MOT...LOC 1937Z 216DEG 19KT 4060 9579 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN

$$

McCoy
1 follow-up statement
216 
WWUS53 KOAX 041946
SVSOAX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley Nebraska
246 PM CDT Thu Jun 4 2026

IAC071-NEC131-041956-
/O.CAN.KOAX.TO.W.0040.000000T0000Z-260604T2000Z/
Fremont IA-Otoe NE-
246 PM CDT Thu Jun 4 2026

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHWESTERN FREMONT AND EAST CENTRAL OTOE
COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe
limits, and no longer appears capable of producing a tornado.
Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

&&

LAT...LON 4067 9560 4056 9580 4058 9584 4074 9576
TIME...MOT...LOC 1942Z 216DEG 19KT 4064 9575 

$$

McCoy

What 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 Omaha, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Jun 4, 12:17 PM CDT, 2 hours 20 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Multiple rounds of storms are expected through Friday. Severe weather is possible with large hail, damaging winds, and flash flooding the main concerns. An isolated tornado is also possible.
  • Daily chances for showers and storms are expected across at least some of the area from Saturday through Wednesday as a series of disturbances move through the region.
  • Expect a return to the 90s Monday through Wednesday as a ridge sets up to our northeast. Excessive heat may be possible.
Area forecast discussion, Jun 4, 12:17 PM CDT, 2 hours 20 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE
1217 PM CDT Thu Jun 4 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Multiple rounds of storms are expected through Friday. Severe
  weather is possible with large hail, damaging winds, and flash
  flooding the main concerns. An isolated tornado is also
  possible.

- Daily chances for showers and storms are expected across at
  least some of the area from Saturday through Wednesday as a
  series of disturbances move through the region.

- Expect a return to the 90s Monday through Wednesday as a ridge
  sets up to our northeast. Excessive heat may be possible.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 1217 PM CDT Thu Jun 4 2026

An active period of weather begins today. A convectively, reinforced
shortwave is lifting northeast over the central Plains this morning.
A low-level MCV is also evident south of KUEX. These features will
support the re-intensification and development of storms through
this afternoon into this evening. A few stronger storms are already
developing across northern Kansas within the broader MCV. As we move
through the remainder of this morning into the afternoon, daytime
heating into the upper 70s to lower 80s will help destabilize the
environment. While overall shear remains marginal (20-30kts), low-
level SRH will be higher (200 m^2/s^2) and more supportive of
organized storms. A very moist environment has taken shape as well.
These factors will support at least some risk of damaging winds or a
brief tornado or two. Large hail is less likely with a very moist
environment and a high freezing level. The other significant concern
is flash flooding. Precipitable water values are exceeding 1.5"
which is above the 90th percentile for today. This supports
torrential rainfall with rainfall rates easily becoming as high as
1+" per hour. With this concern, a Flash Flood Watch is in effect
for southeast Nebraska and southwest Iowa into tonight. The one
limiting factor is that once storms develop, the eventual cold pool
should keep storms moving to the east, limiting training potential.
Any showers and storms taper off after midnight as temperatures
slowly cool into the 60s.

Heading into Friday, a lull is anticipated as subsidence and mid-
level height rises behind today's system keeps a cap on storms
throughout much of the day. It will get hot as a result, with
temperatures easily pushing the upper 80s to near 90. Plentiful
moisture remains in place and this will be a loaded gun by late
afternoon. Very high levels of instability are anticipated with CAPE
values rising to between 3000-4000 j/kg. A weak disturbance moving
into the region and a broader trough over the Upper Mississippi
River Valley helps to erode the cap through evening. An isolated
storm remains possible through the late afternoon, but eventual
storm development appears most likely along a slowly southward
sagging front. Along and behind the front, storms are anticipated.
The high instability and effective shear around 30 kts support a
risk of large hail, perhaps very large, damaging winds, and perhaps
a tornado. That said, continued storm development along the front
may eventually limit the severe risk. This then leads to the other
hazard on Friday of flash flooding. Similar to today, very high
precipitable water and slow-moving storms support torrential
rainfall. If storms train along the front, especially across
southeast Nebraska and southwest Iowa, this may be especially
concerning. A Flash Flood Watch may be required with this potential.

The pattern quiets down a little this weekend as a trough passes
south of the area. This limits our thunderstorm potential on
Saturday. It will be muggy as temperatures warm into the upper 80s.
Storms return to the forecast on Sunday as a long series of
disturbances moves across the area heading into next week. These
disturbances lift out of the Rockies towards the north Plains as a
summertime pattern takes shape. A building ridge over the central
and eastern CONUS with a trough over the western CONUS supports
warming temperatures and continued storm chances each day.
Widespread 90s are likely by Tuesday before approaching the mid to
upper 90s by the end of next week. Isolated severe weather remains
possible with thunderstorm chances, but the main hazard begins to
shift towards excessive heat as it remains muggy as temperatures
climb.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY/...
Issued at 1155 AM CDT Thu Jun 4 2026

Showers are overspreading the region with a few thunderstorms
beginning to develop over southeast Nebraska. VFR conditions
should largely prevail with south winds continuing. Beginning
around 20-21Z more widespread thunderstorm development is
forecast. These thunderstorms are likely to produce brief
reductions in visibility to MVFR or IFR. At this time, the bulk
of activity should remain mainly southeast of LNK and OMA, but
trends will continue to be monitored. Winds will back towards
the southeast also. Any thunderstorms should shift eastward away
from TAF sites after 23-00Z. Overnight, after 06Z, ceilings
fall to MVFR and perhaps IFR as low clouds overspread much of
the area. These conditions may last through much of the morning
on Friday.

&&

.OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NE...Flood Watch through late tonight for NEZ052-053-066>068-
     088>093.
IA...Flood Watch through late tonight for IAZ069-079-080-090-091.

&&

DISCUSSION...Chehak
AVIATION...Chehak

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 4, 3:42 AM CDTFlood WatchOAXFremont, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie18 hr
Jun 4, 4:25 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningOAXFremont, Montgomery, Page5 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Iowa, 2026Tornado 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.