Severe Thunderstorm Watch 252

Issued

May 30, 2026, 2:13 PM MDT (20:13 UTC)

Expired

May 30, 2026, 9:00 PM MDT

In force

7 hr

Issued by

the Storm Prediction Center

Largest hail expected

2.5 in

Strongest gust expected

60 kt

The Cheyenne radar (KCYS), 172 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:14 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.

Two or more tornadoes

20%

One or more EF2 to EF5 tornadoes

5%

Ten or more severe wind reports

50%

One or more gusts of 65 knots or more

10%

Ten or more severe hail reports

40%

One or more hailstones of 2 inches or more

40%

Six or more combined severe hail and wind reports

80%

• Mesoscale Discussion 903 Severe potential...watch possibleMay 30, 1:14 PM MDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 911 Severe thunderstorm watch 252May 30, 5:20 PM MDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 915 Severe thunderstorm watch 252May 30, 7:48 PM MDT

077 
WWUS20 KWNS 302011
SEL2  
SPC WW 302011
COZ000-NEZ000-SDZ000-WYZ000-310300-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 252
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
215 PM MDT Sat May 30 2026

The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of 
  Northeast Colorado
  Nebraska Panhandle
  Southwest South Dakota
  Eastern Wyoming

* Effective this Saturday afternoon and evening from 215 PM until
  900 PM MDT.

* Primary threats include...
  Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 2.5
    inches in diameter possible
  Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible
  A tornado or two possible

SUMMARY...Thunderstorms will continue to intensify across the area
through the afternoon, with a few severe storms expected.  Damaging
winds and hail are the main threat, although an isolated tornado is
possible if discrete supercells can form.

The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 50
statute miles east and west of a line from 90 miles north northwest
of Chadron NE to 30 miles south southwest of Akron CO. For a
complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline
update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU2).

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

REMEMBER...A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
tornadoes.

&&

AVIATION...A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
2.5 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A
few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector
24030.

...Hart

Severe Thunderstorm Watches in Nebraska, 2026Severe Thunderstorm Watches in Colorado, 2026Severe Thunderstorm Watches in South Dakota, 2026Every severe thunderstorm watch in 2026

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.