Flash Flood and Hail in Nebraska, June 24, 2003

Name: Flash Flood and Hail in Nebraska, June 24, 2003
Start: 2003-06-24T00:00
End: 2003-06-24T03:30
Location: Nebraska

June 24, 2003 · NWS LBF · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

1 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood, 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: 0
Property damage: $10,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

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 Jun 23, 1:15 PM CST, 10 hours 45 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 23, 1:15 PM CST, 10 hours 45 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
215 PM CDT MON JUN 23 2003

THERE ARE TWO FORECAST CHALLENGES TODAY:
THE FIRST OF COURSE IS THE PRECIPITATION PROBABILITIES THROUGH
THURSDAY THE SECOND IS THE MAGNITUDE OF THE COOLING WITH THE FRONT
ON WEDNESDAY.

...18Z SYNOPSIS...
     SURFACE OBSERVATIONS AND VISIBLE IMAGERY SHOW SEVERAL
BOUNDARIES. THE MSL PRESSURE SHOWS THE CENTER OF THE SURFACE LOW TO
BE SOUTH OF MCCOOK AND BETWEEN GLD AND HLC. THE STRONGEST BOUNDARY
APPEARS TO RUN FROM JUST WEST OF HURON AND AINSWORTH THROUGH OGALLALA
TO JUST EAST OF GOODLAND. THAT FEATURE IS A DEWPOINT/TEMPERATURE
BOUNDARY WITH 65/55 WEST OF THE BOUNDARY COMPARED TO 80/65 IN THE
WARMER AIR EAST OF IT. SURFACE BASED CAPES OF 2000-3500 J/KG WERE
INDICATED IN THE LAPS DATA SOUTH AND EAST OF LBF-IML. THE 18Z LBF
SOUNDING HAS 2600 J/KG CAPE AND -7.8C LI. HOWEVER, THE CAP STRENGTH
IS AOA 88F. THE GOES DPI OF LI AND TPW INDICATES THAT THE MOST
FAVORABLE AREA FOR SEVERE CONVECTION IS EAST OF THE NORTH PLATTE
FORECAST AREA.

...MODELS...
     THIS MORNINGS 12Z ETA SHOWS VERY GOOD CONTINUITY WITH THE
23/00Z CYCLE. ALSO, THE ETA AND GFS FROM THIS MORNINGS RUN ARE
MUTUALLY SUPPORTIVE WITH POSITIONS OF THE FRONT AND UPPER TROUGH
THROUGH WEDNESDAY. SO, I WILL USE A BLEND OF THE ETA AND CURRENT
CONDITIONS FOR TONIGHT AND USE THE ETA AND GFS FOR TUESDAY THROUGH
THURSDAY.

...FORECAST THROUGH THURSDAY...
     JUDGING FROM THE POSITION OF THE BOUNDARIES AND THE
MOISTURE/INSTABILITY AREAS, I WOULD NOT EXPECT THE HEAVY RAIN OR
SEVERE WEATHER WEST OF MRR-LBF. HEAVY RAIN IS LIKELY IN THE
NORTHEAST PART OF THE FORECAST AREA WHERE THERE HAS ALREADY BEEN A
LOW OF RAIN SO, I WILL KEEP STRONG CONVECTION EAST OF THAT LINE.
ALSO, WILL GO WITH FFA FOR THE NORTHEAST ZONES.
     FOR THE REST OF THE FORECAST, I WILL GO PRETTY MUCH WITH
ETA/GFS GUIDANCE WITH ADJUSTMENTS FOR BLENDING WITH OTHER FORECAST
AREAS.
     LOOKING AT TEMPERATURES WEDNESDAY, THE ETA AND THE 12Z GFS MOS
SHOWS HIGHS ONLY IN THE 50S AND 60S, WHILE THE NGM MOS SHOWS 60S
AND 70S. BOTH THE ETA AND THE GFS INDICATE EXTREME 24 HOUR
TEMPERATURE CHANGES. THEY RANGE FROM -3F NORTHWEST BY THE ETA TO -40F
IN THE SOUTHEAST THE GFS INDICATES -4F NORTHWEST TO -30 SOUTHEAST.
THAT IS EVEN MORE EXTREME THAN THE MOS WOULD INDICATE. SO, I WILL
USE A BLEND OF THE THREE AND KEEP TEMPERATURES IN THE 60S TO AROUND
70 WITH POSSIBLY SOME 50S IN THE NORTHEAST.

...EXTENDED FORECAST FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY...
     THE 23/00Z MEDIUM RANGE GFS HAS SLOWED THE PROGRESSION OF THE
UPPER TROUGH AND ASSOCIATED SURFACE FRONT FROM THE 22/00Z RUN. THIS
HAS BEEN THE TREND FOR THE PREVIOUS TWO DAYS AS WELL. THE 22/12Z
ECMWF IS PRETTY CONSISTENT WITH THE 21/12Z RUN AND IT LENDS SOME
SUPPORT TO THE 23/00Z GFS. AS A RESULT, I HAVE MODERATE CONFIDENCE
IN THE MEDIUM RANGE GFS FOR FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY.
     THE UPPER TROUGH MOVING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY WILL
USHER IN A DRY PERIOD THAT SHOULD LAST UNTIL SATURDAY WHEN RETURN
FLOW BEGINS TO BRING GULF MOISTURE TO THE HIGH PLAINS AGAIN. THIS
SHOULD HELP REBUILD THE HIGH PLAINS THETA-E RIDGE ALONG A SURFACE
TROUGH. THAT WOULD JUSTIFY A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS IN THE
SOUTHWEST.

.LBF...FLOOD WATCH 006-007-009-010.

SPRINGER

Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 23, 2:57 PM CST, 9 hours 3 minutes before

NEZ004>010-022>029-035>038-056>059-069>071-094-241030-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
357 PM CDT MON JUN 23 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL
NEBRASKA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT
A HIGH STATE OF READINESS SHOULD MAINTAINED TONIGHT ACROSS WESTERN
AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA AS TORNADIC THUNDERSTORMS COULD DEVELOP.
ON SUNDAY...A VIOLENT TORNADO MOVED THROUGH THAYER COUNTY NEBRASKA
PRODUCING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE AND ONE FATALITY.  ALSO...OVER A FOOT OF
RAIN FELL PRODUCING EXTENSIVE FLOODING AND EVACUATIONS.

THE TORNADIC THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MOST LIKELY ALONG AND NORTH OF
INTERSTATE 80 TONIGHT.  VERY LARGE HAIL IS ALSO POSSIBLE.  VERY
LARGE HAIL ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA SUNDAY MEASURED 6 AND 1/2
INCHES IN DIAMETER AND THIS COULD DEVELOP TONIGHT ACROSS WESTERN AND
NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA.

THE EXACT LOCATION OF THE TORNADIC STORMS AND VERY LARGE HAIL IS
UNCERTAIN SO A HIGH STATE OF READINESS SHOULD BE MAINTAINED THIS
AFTERNOON THROUGHOUT THE OUTLOOK AREA UNTIL THE THREAT OF SEVERE
WEATHER HAS ENDED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

TUESDAY...ANOTHER ACTIVE SEVERE WEATHER DAY IS EXPECTED.  THE AREA
OF GREATEST CONCERN IS GENERALLY ALONG AND EAST OF HIGHWAY 83.  A
HIGH STATE OF READINESS SHOULD BE MAINTAINED DURING THE AFTERNOON
AND EVENING EAST OF HIGHWAY 83.  THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT DURING THE
AFTERNOON COULD BE EXPLOSIVE WITH STORMS PRODUCING VERY LARGE HAIL
AND TORNADOES.

SEVERE STORMS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE ELSEWHERE HOWEVER WITH A LESSER
THREAT OF TORNADOES.

WEDNESDAY...THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE.  THE SEVERE WEATHER
POTENTIAL IS UNCERTAIN BUT WILL BE MONITORED CLOSELY.

THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...DRY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
STORM MOTION WILL BE EAST AND NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NECESSARY TONIGHT AND TUESDAY AFTER 2 PM
CDT.

POWER

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 23, 9:34 PM CST, 2 hours 26 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
1034 PM CDT MON JUN 23 2003

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

1021 PM    18 SW STOCKVILLE          NE   TORNADO
06/23/03   FRONTIER                       POWER LINES DOWN NEAR
                                          WILLOW MARINA

JC

Local storm report, Jun 23, 9:47 PM CST, 2 hours 13 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
1047 PM CDT MON JUN 23 2003

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

1016 PM    CURTIS                    NE   70 MPH TSTORM WIND
06/23/03   FRONTIER                       TREES DOWN IN TOWN OF
                                          CURTIS

JC

Local storm report, Jun 23, 9:49 PM CST, 2 hours 11 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
1049 PM CDT MON JUN 23 2003

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

1035 PM    CURTIS                    NE   70 MPH TSTORM WIND
06/23/03   FRONTIER                       MORE TREES DOWN IN TOWN OF
                                          CURTIS

JC

Special weather statement, Jun 23, 10:01 PM CST, 1 hour 59 minutes before

NEZ005>010-022>029-035>038-056>059-069>071-094-240430-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
1101 PM CDT MON JUN 23 2003

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 568 REPLACED WITH TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 575
FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA...

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 573 REPLACED WITH TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 575
FOR THE SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA PANHANDLE...

THE TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM CDT (10 PM MDT) WILL BE
ALLOWED TO EXPIRE FOR CHERRY...KEYA PAHA...BROWN...ROCK...HOLT...AND
BOYD COUNTIES.

THE TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM CDT (10 PM MDT) FOR GRANT...
HOOKER...THOMAS...BLAINE...LOUP...GARFIELD...WHEELER...ARTHUR...
MCPHERSON...LOGAN...CUSTER...KEITH...LINCOLN...PERKINS...CHASE...
HAYES...AND FRONTIER COUNTIES HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH A NEW TORNADO
WATCH VALID UNTIL 4 AM CDT (3 AM MDT).

THE TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT MDT FOR DEUEL AND GARDEN
COUNTIES HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL 3 AM MDT.

CLB

Local storm report, Jun 23, 10:28 PM CST, 1 hour 32 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
1128 PM CDT MON JUN 23 2003

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

1120 PM    ONEILL                   NE   0.75 IN HAIL
06/23/03   HOLT                           LIGHTNING STIRKE TOOK OUT
                                          LAW ENFORCEMENT RADIO

JC

Local storm report, Jun 23, 10:41 PM CST, 1 hour 19 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
1141 PM CDT MON JUN 23 2003

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

1105 PM    MASON CITY                NE   70 MPH TSTORM WIND
06/23/03   CUSTER                         TREES DOWN IN MASON CITY

JC

The radar

The North Platte radar (KLNX), 115 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 06:01 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Keya Paha

When: June 24, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Keya Paha County, 18 mi WNW of Springview
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 42.917, -100.067

Thunderstorm Wind, Sheridan

When: June 24, 12:00 AM MST
Where: Sheridan County, 11 mi N of Antioch
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 42.233, -102.583

The winds broke off a ten inch diameter tree limb which fell on a house damaging the roof. A skylight in the house was also broken from wind blown hail.

Flash Flood, Cherry

When: June 24, 1:45 AM CST to 3:30 AM CST
Where: Cherry County, Valentine
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 42.545, -101.119 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Slow moving thunderstorms produced street flooding around the town.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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

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: 5363832, 5363833, 5363834.