High Wind in Nebraska, February 9 to 10, 2002

Name: High Wind in Nebraska, February 9 to 10, 2002
Start: 2002-02-09T12:00
End: 2002-02-10T04:00
Location: Nebraska

February 9 to 10, 2002 · NWS GID · 24 events in 24 counties and zones

Winds of 40 to 60 mph blasted the area the afternoon and evening of February 9. Winds gusts routinely reached near 60 mph in several places, including Lexington, Grand Island, and Kearney.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 24 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: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 24

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.

Winds of 40 to 60 mph blasted the area the afternoon and evening of February 9. Winds gusts routinely reached near 60 mph in several places, including Lexington, Grand Island, and Kearney. Light snow with the wind made for poor visibility at times. The wind and snow were the product of very intense low pressure moving across the region.

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 Hastings, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 9, 2:10 AM CST, 9 hours 50 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 9, 2:10 AM CST, 9 hours 50 minutes before

SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA/NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
210 AM CST SAT FEB 9 2002

...SNOW AND WIND TODAY AND TONIGHT MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS...

LOW/TROUGH CURRENTLY CUTTING RIGHT THROUGH CWA WITH SFC LOW TRACKING
EAST/SOUTHEAST. BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON CENTER OF SFC LOW SHOULD BE
NEAR SE NE WITH STRONG HIGH PRESSURE ON ITS TAIL AND COMING OUT OF
THE ROCKIES INTO THE HIGH PLAINS. DELTA PS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 35
TO 40 MB ACROSS THE STATE WILL GIVE EXTREMELY STRONG WINDS THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING. 850 WINDS HAVE ALREADY INCREASED TO 40 TO 55
KT WEST AND SOUTH OF OUR AREA. GOOD TILT TO SYSTEM THROUGH THIS
EVENING BEFORE STACKING AND WEAKENING SOME. STRONG JET OF 130 TO 150
KTS DIGGING SOUTH ON BACKSIDE OF UPPER TROUGH ALLOWING MOISTURE AXIS
ALSO TO RIDE FURTHER SOUTH. DEFINITELY LOOKS MORE MOIST THAN 24 HRS
AGO...WITH WRAP AROUND HAVING A BIT MORE TIME TO DELIVER. 2 TO 4
INCHES LOOKS LIKE A GOOD BET OVER ENTIRE CWA AT THIS POINT WITH
HIGHER AMOUNTS NORTH...LOWER AMOUNTS SOUTH AND WEST. IF TROUGH DIGS
MUCH MORE...MAY GET MORE THAN THAT...ESPECIALLY OVER NORTHERN
CWA...HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE ON TODAY.

MODELS HAVE COME AROUND TO SIMILAR SOLUTIONS WITH SFC LOW  STILL
SHOWING BEST AREA FOR ISENTROPIC LIFT AND QG FORCING NORTHEAST OF
THE CWA...BUT NOW WITH TROUGH DIGGING MUCH HARDER...ETA/AVN BOTH
SHOW HEAVIER AREA OF SNOW IN DEFORMATION ZONE FARTHER SOUTHWEST THAN
YESTERDAY...WHICH IS WHAT I WAS ORIGINALLY THINKING ANYWAY. PREV AND
UPDATE FORECAST LOOK GOOD...ONLY CHANGE IS TO EXTEND WINTER STORM
WARNING INTO KANSAS IN PLACE OF HIGH WIND WARNING.

NORTHWEST WINDS REALLY CRANK BY THIS AFTERNOON AFTERNOON AND EVENING
BEHIND THE SYSTEM...AS 850 WINDS OF 60 TO 70 KTS ARE WIDESPREAD OVER
CWA BY THIS TIME.

PICS FROM SPACE SHOW STRONG UPPER LVL LOW PRESSURE OVER FRONT RANGE
IN ADDITION TO PLENTY OF UPPER LVL MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH LEFT
EXIT OF 250MB JET.

700-500MB DEFORMATION FIELDS FROM ETA /AVN SHOWING GOOD AGREEMENT
WITH AVN FURTHEST SOUTH...ALSO ISENTROPIC LIFT AND CWA UNDER EXIT
REGION OF CYCLONICALLY CURVED JET WILL CONTINUE TO HELP PRECIP OVER
CWA. SO...LIKELY POPS HIGH OVER ENTIRE CWA.

SUNDAY...GRADUALLY BRING DOWN NW WINDS THROUGH DAY AS SYSTEM MOVES
EAST...AND WITH NORTH FLOW OVER SNOW...KEEPING TEMPS COOL EVEN WITH
PREVALENT SUNSHINE.

BEYOND...WEAK SYSTEMS MOVING THROUGH TRANSITIONING NW UPPER FLOW
...WILL JUST SCRAPE OUR REGION...AS THEY MOVE INTO THE GREAT LAKES
REGION. WARMEST ON MONDAY...THEN SLIGHTLY COOLER TUESDAY WITH SOME
CLOUDS. SOME WARMING WED AHEAD OF NEXT SYSTEM ON WED NIGHT OR THU.
CHANCE STILL LOOKS OK FOR THU...HOWEVER BEST DYNAMICS AND MOISTURE
STILL LOOK TO BE NORTH AND EAST OF THE AREA...SO NOT GETTING TOO
EXCITED AT THIS POINT.

.GID...WINTER STORM WARNING ALL NE AND KS COUNTIES.

10

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

24 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Adams

When: February 9, 12:00 PM CST to February 10, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Adams forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.525, -98.501 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Buffalo

When: February 9, 12:00 PM CST to February 10, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Buffalo forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.855, -99.075 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Clay

When: February 9, 12:00 PM CST to February 10, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Clay forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.524, -98.051 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Dawson

When: February 9, 12:00 PM CST to February 10, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Dawson forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.870, -99.820 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Fillmore

When: February 9, 12:00 PM CST to February 10, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Fillmore forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.525, -97.596 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Franklin

When: February 9, 12:00 PM CST to February 10, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Franklin forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.176, -98.953 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Furnas

When: February 9, 12:00 PM CST to February 10, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Furnas forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.177, -99.912 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Gosper

When: February 9, 12:00 PM CST to February 10, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Gosper forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.515, -99.831 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Greeley

When: February 9, 12:00 PM CST to February 10, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Greeley forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 41.567, -98.521 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Hall

When: February 9, 12:00 PM CST to February 10, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Hall forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.873, -98.502 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Hamilton

When: February 9, 12:00 PM CST to February 10, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Hamilton forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.874, -98.023 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Harlan

When: February 9, 12:00 PM CST to February 10, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Harlan forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.177, -99.405 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Howard

When: February 9, 12:00 PM CST to February 10, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Howard forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 41.220, -98.517 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Kearney

When: February 9, 12:00 PM CST to February 10, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Kearney forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.507, -98.948 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Merrick

When: February 9, 12:00 PM CST to February 10, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Merrick forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 41.170, -98.038 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Nance

When: February 9, 12:00 PM CST to February 10, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Nance forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 41.397, -97.992 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Nuckolls

When: February 9, 12:00 PM CST to February 10, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Nuckolls forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.176, -98.047 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Phelps

When: February 9, 12:00 PM CST to February 10, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Phelps forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.511, -99.414 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Polk

When: February 9, 12:00 PM CST to February 10, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Polk forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 41.187, -97.568 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Sherman

When: February 9, 12:00 PM CST to February 10, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Sherman forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 41.221, -98.976 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Thayer

When: February 9, 12:00 PM CST to February 10, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Thayer forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.176, -97.595 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Valley

When: February 9, 12:00 PM CST to February 10, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Valley forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 41.567, -98.982 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Webster

When: February 9, 12:00 PM CST to February 10, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Webster forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.176, -98.500 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, York

When: February 9, 12:00 PM CST to February 10, 4:00 AM CST
Where: York forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.873, -97.597 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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, February 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: 5281444, 5281445, 5281446, 5281447, 5281448, 5281449, 5281450, 5281451, 5281452, 5281453, 5281454, 5281455, 5281456, 5281457, 5281458, 5281459, 5281460, 5281461, 5281462, 5281463, 5281464, 5281558, 5281559, 5281560.