Nebraska, 1999

Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in Nebraska, May 20, 1999

May 20, 1999 · NWS GID · 7 events in 4 counties and zones

Powerful afternoon thunderstorms produced winds that fell ten inch tree limbs and dumped torrential rains as they moved east from the Franklin area to Hebron. Rain amounts of 1 to 2 inches in 20 minutes were common.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
$285,000
Crop damage
$1.0 million
Events
7

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 GID wrote it up.

Powerful afternoon thunderstorms produced winds that fell ten inch tree limbs and dumped torrential rains as they moved east from the Franklin area to Hebron. Rain amounts of 1 to 2 inches in 20 minutes were common. U.S. Highway 136 was closed for a couple of hours near Inavale due to water running over the road. Water was reported to be several inches deep in the showroom of a farm implement dealer at Red Cloud. Significant soil erosion from the heavy rainfall damaged some of the newly planted corn. The strong winds and downed trees resulted in power loss in most areas in the path of the storms.

The radar

The Grand Island radar (KUEX), 66 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:10 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 thunderstorm wind, 2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Franklin

When
May 20, 1:10 PM CST
Where
Franklin County, Naponee
Measured
60 kt (69 mph)
Property damage
$50,000
Crop damage
$100,000
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
40.080, -99.150

Thunderstorm Wind, Franklin

When
May 20, 1:30 PM CST
Where
Franklin County, Franklin
Measured
63 kt (72 mph)
Property damage
$50,000
Crop damage
$100,000
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
40.100, -98.950

Flash Flood, Webster

When
May 20, 2:15 PM CST to 3:30 PM CST
Where
Webster County, Inavale
Property damage
$20,000
Crop damage
$500,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
40.176, -98.500 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Webster

When
May 20, 2:15 PM CST to 3:30 PM CST
Where
Webster County, Red Cloud
Property damage
$15,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
40.176, -98.500 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Webster

When
May 20, 2:20 PM CST
Where
Webster County, Red Cloud
Measured
62 kt (71 mph)
Property damage
$50,000
Crop damage
$100,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
40.100, -98.530

Thunderstorm Wind, Nuckolls

When
May 20, 3:10 PM CST
Where
Nuckolls County, Nelson
Measured
58 kt (67 mph)
Property damage
$50,000
Crop damage
$100,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
40.200, -98.070

Thunderstorm Wind, Thayer

When
May 20, 3:45 PM CST
Where
Thayer County, 1 mi S of Hebron
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage
$50,000
Crop damage
$100,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
40.150, -97.580

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Nebraska in 1999Every state in 1999This day in weather historyWarnings in Nebraska, May 1999

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: 5698717, 5698718, 5699050, 5699051, 5698719, 5699052, 5699053.