Nebraska, 1997

Cold in Nebraska, May 13, 1997

May 13, 1997 · NWS OAX · 30 events in 30 counties and zones

A record breaking late season cold snap generated the latest spring freeze on record over portions of eastern Nebraska as temperatures dipped into the 26-32F degree range. Some minor crop and fruit tree damage resulted from the cold temperatures.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 30 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
30

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS OAX wrote it up.

A record breaking late season cold snap generated the latest spring freeze on record over portions of eastern Nebraska as temperatures dipped into the 26-32F degree range. Some minor crop and fruit tree damage resulted from the cold temperatures. This was especially true in low lying areas since the cold air tended to drain into those areas. Damage was generally minor as many of the plants had just begun to emerge and were not particularly succeptible to the cold.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

30 cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.

Cold/Wind Chill, Pierce

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Pierce forecast zone
Coordinates
42.264, -97.601 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Platte

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Platte forecast zone
Coordinates
41.571, -97.521 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Richardson

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Richardson forecast zone
Coordinates
40.125, -95.717 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Saline

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Saline forecast zone
Coordinates
40.524, -97.141 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Sarpy

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Sarpy forecast zone
Coordinates
41.113, -96.112 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Saunders

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Saunders forecast zone
Coordinates
41.226, -96.637 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Seward

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Seward forecast zone
Coordinates
40.872, -97.139 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Stanton

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Stanton forecast zone
Coordinates
41.917, -97.194 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Thurston

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Thurston forecast zone
Coordinates
42.158, -96.544 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Washington

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Washington forecast zone
Coordinates
41.531, -96.222 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Wayne

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Wayne forecast zone
Coordinates
42.209, -97.119 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Antelope

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST to 8:00 AM CST
Where
Antelope forecast zone
Coordinates
42.177, -98.067 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Boone

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Boone forecast zone
Coordinates
41.707, -98.067 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Burt

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Burt forecast zone
Coordinates
41.852, -96.329 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Butler

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Butler forecast zone
Coordinates
41.226, -97.132 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Cass

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Cass forecast zone
Coordinates
40.910, -96.141 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Cedar

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Cedar forecast zone
Coordinates
42.599, -97.252 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Colfax

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Colfax forecast zone
Coordinates
41.574, -97.086 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Cuming

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Cuming forecast zone
Coordinates
41.916, -96.787 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Dodge

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Dodge forecast zone
Coordinates
41.578, -96.654 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Douglas

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Douglas forecast zone
Coordinates
41.295, -96.154 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Gage

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Gage forecast zone
Coordinates
40.262, -96.689 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Jefferson

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Jefferson forecast zone
Coordinates
40.176, -97.143 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Johnson

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Johnson forecast zone
Coordinates
40.393, -96.265 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Knox

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Knox forecast zone
Coordinates
42.637, -97.892 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Lancaster

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Lancaster forecast zone
Coordinates
40.784, -96.688 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Madison

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Madison forecast zone
Coordinates
41.917, -97.601 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Nemaha

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Nemaha forecast zone
Coordinates
40.388, -95.850 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Otoe

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Otoe forecast zone
Coordinates
40.649, -96.135 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Pawnee

When
May 13, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Pawnee forecast zone
Coordinates
40.132, -96.237 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Cold/Wind Chill
Cold or wind chill below warning criteria that caused deaths, injuries or damage.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Nebraska in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Nebraska, May 1997

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5606441, 5606442, 5606443, 5606444, 5606445, 5606446, 5606447, 5606448, 5606449, 5606450, 5606451, 5607079, 5607080, 5607081, 5607082, 5607083, 5607084, 5607085, 5607086, 5607087, 5607088, 5607089, 5607090, 5607091, 5607092, 5607093, 5607094, 5607095, 5607096, 5607097.