Hail and Damaging Winds in Nebraska, August 8, 2002

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Nebraska, August 8, 2002
Start: 2002-08-08T12:53
End: 2002-08-08T19:44
Location: Nebraska

August 8, 2002 · NWS LBF · 13 events in 8 counties and zones

6 thunderstorm wind, 6 hail, 1 lightning, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 2
Property damage: $14,000
Crop damage: $13,000
Events: 13

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 forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, 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 the first event at Aug 8, 2:07 AM CST, 10 hours 46 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 8, 2:07 AM CST, 10 hours 46 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
307 AM CDT THU AUG 8 2002

...THUNDERSTORMS CHANCES THROUGH FRIDAY AND TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE
FORECAST PERIOD ARE CHALLENGES FOR THIS MORNING...

H5 UPPER HIGH CONTIUES TO SPIN IN VCNTY OF OMA...ADVECTING MOISTURE
FROM THE SOUTH WITH PW/S ALL ABOVE NORMAL ACROSS THE CENTRAL PLAINS.
H5 TROF MOVING ACROSS NORTHERN ROCKIES WITH MONSOON PLUME EXTENDING
ACROSS THE CENTRAL ROCKIES INTO WESTERN HIGH PLAINS...PUSHING INTO
WESTERN PORTIONS OF NEBRASKA AND SOUTH DAKOTA. AT THE SURFACE LOW
PRESSURE OVER CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...WITH COLD FRONT NOW INTO
NORTHERN PORTIONS OF WYOMING. SURFACE TROF ACROSS WESTERN SOUTH
DAKOTA...ACROSS THE PANHANDLE INTO NORTHEAST COLORADO. APPARENT
DRYLINE MOVING WESTWARD ON GLD RADAR BRINGING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE
BACK INTO THE HIGH PLAINS.

WILL HAVE TO WATCH RADAR TRENDS FOR MORNING WORDING AS WEAK WAVE AND
LOW LEVEL JET IN VCNTY OF SFC TROF AND OUTFLOW BOUNDARY FROM DAKOTA
MCS ARE TRIGGERING TSRA IN THE WESTERN PORTION OF CWA.

FOCUS FIRST PART OF DAY WOULD SEEM TO BE OVER THE NW CWA WHERE SFC
TROF WILL JOIN LOW PRESSURE IN SW SOUTH DAKOTA. WEAK ENERGY ROTATING
AROUND THE H5 LOW MOVING INTO MT SHOULD INTERACT WITH SFC BOUNDARY
TO HELP INITIATE TSRA. THIS AREA WILL ALSO BE IN THE VCNTY OF THE
LEFT EXIT REGION OF H25 JET TO HELP AID IN LIFT..BUT OVERALL
DYNAMICS LOOK TO BE NORTH OF CWA. MODELS ALSO SHOWING DEEPER
MOISTURE OVER EASTERN NE BEING PUSHED INTO EASTERN CWA AS DRIER AIR
WORKS INTO MO VALLEY. THIS WILL BE SECOND AREA OF CONCERN LATE THIS
AFT. DRYLINE LOOKS TO BE INTO EASTERN CO ALONG TROF SO WITH NO REAL
FOCUS IN THE SW WILL LEAVE SLGHT CHANCE THIS AFTERNOON WITH BETTER
CHANCES TONIGHT. ALL THIS CURRENTLY REFLECTED WELL IN THE ZONES.

CONVECTION LOOKS TO BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD AFTER SUNSET AS LOW LEVEL
JET INCREASES TO AROUND 40KTS AND INTERACTS WITH SFC TROF/FRONT...
BEGINNING TO PUSH SOUTHEAST ACROSS CWA. H25 JET AXIS STILL ACROSS
CWA WITH FAVORED EXIT REGION STILL AIMED AT NORTHERN CWA. WILL KEEP
40 POPS NORTH 30 SOUTH.

FRONT WILL CONTINUE ACROSS EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA FRI TO NEAR
AN ONEILL TO CURTIS LINE BY 21Z. MAIN H5/H7 AXIS TO CROSS CWA FRI
AFTERNOON...WITH INSTABILITY AXIS STILL OVER EASTERN PORTIONS OF CWA
WILL LEAVE 30 POPS EAST OF A VTN TO IML LINE. MUCH COOLER AIR TO
FILER IN ESPECIALLY OVER NEW CWA WITH HIGHS LOWER TO MIDDLE 80S.

DRY FORECAST SAT NITE THROUGH SUNDAY AS COOLER HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES
IN OVER THE WESTERN PLAINS. WILL INTRODUCE A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS
FOR SUN NITE AT NEXT FRONT IS PUSHED THROUGH THE CWA AHEAD OF UPPER
TROF MOVING ACROSS NORTHERN PLAINS.

NO OTHER CHANGES PLANNED.

LBF...NONE.

DP

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 8, 9:54 AM CST, 2 hours 59 minutes before

NEZ004>010-022>029-035>038-056>059-069>071-094-082045-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
1054 AM CDT THU AUG 8 2002

...THERE IS A RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN WESTERN AND NORTH
CENTRAL NEBRASKA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE MOVING SLOWLY TO THE EAST OVER WESTERN
AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA THIS AFTERNOON WILL BE THE FOCUS FOR
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SOME
THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WIND. STORM SPOTTER
ACTIVATION MAY BE NECESSARY THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THE PRIMARY
RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER IS ALONG AND EAST OF A LINE FROM CODY...IN
NORTHERN CHERRY COUNTY...TO CHAPPELL IN DEUEL COUNTY...IN THE
SOUTHERN NEBRASKA PANHANDLE.

The radar

The North Platte radar (KLNX), 99 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:51 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 thunderstorm wind, 6 hail, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cherry

When: August 8, 12:53 PM CST
Where: Cherry County, Valentine Arpt
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph)
Crop damage: $1,000
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 42.850, -100.550

Hail, Cherry

When: August 8, 1:32 PM CST
Where: Cherry County, Valentine
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 42.867, -100.550

Hail, Lincoln

When: August 8, 2:55 PM CST
Where: Lincoln County, 7 mi NNW of North Platte
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 41.250, -100.833

Lightning, Chase

When: August 8, 2:40 PM MST
Where: Chase County, 11 mi N of Wauneta
Injuries: 2 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 40.524, -101.698 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lightning struck two teenage boys as they corralled cattle. One boy was struck and then the lightning bolt branched off striking the other boy. Both were knocked unconscious. The first boy that was struck was treated for 2nd degree burns on his legs, chest, and bottoms of feet and 3rd degree burns on his arms. The second boy that was struck only received minor injuries.

Hail, Brown

When: August 8, 4:12 PM CST
Where: Brown County, 33 mi SSW of Ainsworth
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $2,000
Crop damage: $1,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 42.117, -100.100

Thunderstorm Wind, Lincoln

When: August 8, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Lincoln County, 17 mi NNE of Brady
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage: $1,000
Crop damage: $1,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 41.267, -100.233

Thunderstorm Wind, Custer

When: August 8, 5:18 PM CST
Where: Custer County, 15 mi W of Callaway
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage: $1,000
Crop damage: $1,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 41.300, -100.217

Hail, Custer

When: August 8, 5:18 PM CST
Where: Custer County, 15 mi W of Callaway
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 41.300, -100.217

Thunderstorm Wind, Custer

When: August 8, 5:25 PM CST
Where: Custer County, 25 mi WSW of Oconto
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage: $5,000
Crop damage: $5,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 41.017, -100.233

Power lines and trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Frontier

When: August 8, 7:00 PM CST
Where: Frontier County, 17 mi SSW of Eustis
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage: $1,000
Crop damage: $1,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 40.433, -100.150

Hail, Hooker

When: August 8, 6:05 PM MST
Where: Hooker County, 12 mi W of Mullen
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $2,000
Crop damage: $2,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 42.050, -101.267

Hail, Thomas

When: August 8, 7:15 PM CST
Where: Thomas County, 5 mi SSE of Seneca
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 41.983, -100.800

Thunderstorm Wind, Cherry

When: August 8, 7:44 PM CST
Where: Cherry County, 7 mi S of Brownlee
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage: $2,000
Crop damage: $1,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 42.183, -100.617

Trees were blown down.

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.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Lightning: A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Nebraska in 2002 Every state in 2002 This day in weather history Warnings in Nebraska, August 2002

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: 5315156, 5315157, 5315158, 5315159, 5315160, 5315163, 5315161, 5315162, 5315164, 5315165, 5315166, 5315167, 5315168.