High Wind in Nebraska, June 23, 2003

Name: High Wind in Nebraska, June 23, 2003
Start: 2003-06-23T00:00
End: 2003-06-23T02:45
Location: Nebraska

June 23, 2003 · NWS OAX · 15 events in 15 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 15 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: 15

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.

Sustained winds of 30 to 40 mph with occasional gusts of 50 mph or even isolated wind gusts of 60 mph occurred over a large part of east central Nebraska and western Iowa during the very early morning hours on June 23. Although thunderstorms moved across much of this same area prior to the onset of the winds, the winds occurred relatively far removed from the thunderstorms and were probably due a large part from other factors like the current surface gradient.The winds caused sporadic damage, such as downing several trees and signs. Some relatively minor building damage was also observed. OPPD reported that 5000 customers in east central Nebraska lost their power at the height of the storm. Other power companies over the region reported smaller outages. Overall, however, the damage was generally not too widespread nor too severe.Although higher wind gusts were estimated to have occurred across these counties, the highest measured wind gusts included 45 mph at Tekamah and Fremont, 43 mph at Lincoln and 40 mph at Omaha Eppley-Airfield. This was on top of sustained winds in the 30 to 40 mph range. These strong winds lasted around 3 hours.

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 Omaha, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 22, 1:20 PM CST, 10 hours 40 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 22, 1:20 PM CST, 10 hours 40 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
220 PM CDT SUN JUN 22 2003

...UPDATED TO INCLUDE FLOOD WATCH...

FORECAST CHALLENGE IS SVR TSTMS TONIGHT AND INTO MON.

VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS IS SITUATED ACROSS REGION THIS
AFTERNOON.  DAYTIME HEATING ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA HAS BEEN
INHIBITED BY LEFT OVER CONVECTIVE CLOUD COVER AND IS KEEPING CAPE
VALUES IN THE 400-1400 J/KG RANGE.  SFC TROF EXTENDING FM SD INTO
WRN KS HAS A FEW DISTINCT LOWS ALONG IT.  18Z SFC ANALYSIS SHOWS ONE
LOCATED JUST W OF KLBF...WITH WRM FNT EXTENDING SEWD TO N CNTRL KS.
THIS BOUNDARY OF CONCERN FOR CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT OVER THE
AFTERNOON HOURS WITH DAYTIME HEATING ALLOWING CAPE VALUES TO BE
MUCH HIGHER.  SOME FLOODING POTENTIAL EXISTS ACROSS THE SRN HALF OF
THE CWA OVERNIGHT AS PWS OFF THE 18Z OAX AND TOP SOUNDINGS ARE 1.73
AND 2.09 RESPECTIVELY.  CORFIDI VECTORS SLOW DOWN DRAMATICALLY
AFTER 06Z AND LLJ STRENGTHENS TO 55-60 KTS AROUND SAME TIME FRAME.
ALL OF CWA IN MOD RISK...SEE SWODY1 FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

STILL APPEARS THAT STRONG CAP WILL BE IN PLACE ACROSS MUCH OF THE
FORECAST AREA DURING THE EARLY AFTERNOON ON MONDAY.  STORMS SHOULD
FIRE AGAIN LATE AFTERNOON...ESPECIALLY OVER NERN NEB NEAR BEST LOW
LEVEL CONVERGENCE AND LOWERING CONVECTIVE INHIBITION AREA.  NERN NEB
AND NWRN IA IN MOD RISK.

THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE AGAIN TUESDAY NIGHT AS UPPER TROF BEGINS TO
MOVE EAST SENDING SFC LO THRU CNTRL NEB. FNT THEN PUSHES THRU DURING
THE DAY WEDNESDAY SO HAVE CONTINUED CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS THEN. NO MAJOR CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE EXTENDED.

.OMA...FLOOD WATCH TNT SERN NEB AND FREMONT COUNTY IA.

GRIFFIS

Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 22, 4:50 PM CST, 7 hours 10 minutes before

IAZ043-055-056-069-079-080-090-091-NEZ011-012-015>018-030>034-
042>045-050>053-065>068-078-088>093-231100-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
550 PM CDT SUN JUN 22 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PARTS OF EASTERN NEBRASKA
AND SOUTHWEST IOWA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT AND MONDAY

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER ALL OF
EASTERN NEBRASKA TONIGHT.   A TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR
MUCH OF THE AREA.  SUPERCELLS ARE LIKELY TO DEVELOP EARLY THIS
EVENING OVER THE AREA WEST OF A LINE FROM NORFOLK TO LINCOLN.
THE PRIMARY WEATHER HAZARDS WILL BE VERY LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING
WINDS AND TORNADOES.  THE ATMOSPHERE IS VERY MOIST AND EXTREMELY
UNSTABLE.  AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVING NORTHEAST OUT OF
EASTERN COLORADO AND WYOMING WILL HELP AID IN THUNDERSTORM
DEVELOPMENT OVER EASTERN NEBRASKA THIS EVENING AND THEN WILL MOVE
EAST INTO WESTERN IOWA DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY

THE CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME POSSIBLY SEVERE...WILL
CONTINUE MONDAY EVENING INTO TUESDAY AS VERY UNSTABLE AIR REMAINS
IN PLACE ACROSS THE REGION.  THERE WILL ALSO BE A CHANCE OF
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS PARTS OF EASTERN NEBRASKA AND SOUTHWEST IOWA
WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...HOWEVER IT IS TOO SOON TO DETERMINE
THE COVERAGE AND INTENSITY OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

STORM SPOTTERS SHOULD BE ACTIVATED OR PREPARING TO ACTIVATE THIS
EVENING.  SPOTTERS ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED ON MONDAY
AFTERNOON.

SMITH

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 22, 10:03 PM CST, 1 hour 57 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
1103 PM CDT SUN JUN 22 2003

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1055 PM    LINCOLN                   NE   .75 INCH HAIL
06/22/03   LANCASTER                      YANKEE HILL RD AND S
                                          25TH. REPORTED BY HAM
                                          RADIO OPERATOR.

Local storm report, Jun 22, 10:22 PM CST, 1 hour 38 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
1122 PM CDT SUN JUN 22 2003

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1117 PM    2 W DAVEY                 NE   .75 INCH HAIL
06/22/03   LANCASTER                      REPORTED BY HAM RADIO
                                          OPERATOR.

Local storm report, Jun 22, 10:33 PM CST, 1 hour 27 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
1133 PM CDT SUN JUN 22 2003

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1119 PM    5 W WAVERLY               NE   .75 INCH HAIL
06/22/03   LANCASTER                      REPORTED BY HAM RADIO
                                          OPERATOR.

1122 PM    LINCOLN                   NE   .75 INCH HAIL
06/22/03   LANCASTER                      HAVELOCK AND N.148TH.
                                          REPORTED BY HAM RADIO
                                          OPERATOR.

1125 PM    LINCOLN                   NE   .75 INCH HAIL
06/22/03   LANCASTER                      ADAMS AND N.162ND.
                                          REPORTED BY HAM RADIO
                                          OPERATOR.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

15 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Burt

When: June 23, 12:00 AM CST to 2:45 AM CST
Where: Burt forecast zone
Measured: 35 kt (40 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 41.852, -96.329 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sustained winds of 30 to 40 mph with occasional gusts of 50 or even isolated wind gusts of 60 mph occurred over a large part of east central Nebraska and western Iowa during the very early morning hours on June 23. Although thunderstorms moved across much of this same area prior to the onset of the winds, the winds occurred relatively far removed from the thunderstorms and were probably due a large part from other factors like the current surface gradient.The winds caused sporadic damage reports such as trees and signs downed and some building damage. OPPD reported that 5000 customers lost their power at the height of the storm. Other power companies over the region reported small outages. Overall, however, the damage was generally not too widespread nor too severe.Although higher wind gusts were estimated to have occurred across these counties, the highest measured wind gusts included 45 mph at Tekamah and Fremont, 43 at Lincoln and 40 at Omaha Eppley-Airfield. This was on top of sustained winds in the 30 to 40 mph range. These strong winds lasted around 3 hours.

High Wind, Butler

When: June 23, 12:00 AM CST to 2:45 AM CST
Where: Butler forecast zone
Measured: 35 kt (40 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 41.226, -97.132 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Cass

When: June 23, 12:00 AM CST to 2:45 AM CST
Where: Cass forecast zone
Measured: 35 kt (40 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 40.910, -96.141 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Colfax

When: June 23, 12:00 AM CST to 2:45 AM CST
Where: Colfax forecast zone
Measured: 35 kt (40 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 41.574, -97.086 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Cuming

When: June 23, 12:00 AM CST to 2:45 AM CST
Where: Cuming forecast zone
Measured: 35 kt (40 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 41.916, -96.787 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Dodge

When: June 23, 12:00 AM CST to 2:45 AM CST
Where: Dodge forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 41.578, -96.654 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Douglas

When: June 23, 12:00 AM CST to 2:45 AM CST
Where: Douglas forecast zone
Measured: 35 kt (40 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 41.295, -96.154 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Lancaster

When: June 23, 12:00 AM CST to 2:45 AM CST
Where: Lancaster forecast zone
Measured: 35 kt (40 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 40.784, -96.688 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Madison

When: June 23, 12:00 AM CST to 2:45 AM CST
Where: Madison forecast zone
Measured: 35 kt (40 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 41.917, -97.601 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Otoe

When: June 23, 12:00 AM CST to 2:45 AM CST
Where: Otoe forecast zone
Measured: 35 kt (40 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 40.649, -96.135 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Sarpy

When: June 23, 12:00 AM CST to 2:45 AM CST
Where: Sarpy forecast zone
Measured: 35 kt (40 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 41.113, -96.112 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Saunders

When: June 23, 12:00 AM CST to 2:45 AM CST
Where: Saunders forecast zone
Measured: 35 kt (40 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 41.226, -96.637 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Seward

When: June 23, 12:00 AM CST to 2:45 AM CST
Where: Seward forecast zone
Measured: 35 kt (40 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 40.872, -97.139 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Thurston

When: June 23, 12:00 AM CST to 2:45 AM CST
Where: Thurston forecast zone
Measured: 35 kt (40 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 42.158, -96.544 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Washington

When: June 23, 12:00 AM CST to 2:45 AM CST
Where: Washington forecast zone
Measured: 35 kt (40 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 41.531, -96.222 (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 2003 Every state in 2003 This day in weather history Warnings in Nebraska, June 2003

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: 5368084, 5368085, 5368086, 5368087, 5368088, 5368089, 5368090, 5368091, 5368092, 5368093, 5368094, 5368095, 5368096, 5368097, 5368098.