Hail and Damaging Winds in Nebraska, September 14, 2004

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Nebraska, September 14, 2004
Start: 2004-09-14T17:51
End: 2004-09-14T19:26
Location: Nebraska

September 14, 2004 · NWS GLD · 10 events in 3 counties and zones

8 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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: 10

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 Goodland, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 14, 1:43 PM MST, 4 hours 8 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 14, 1:43 PM MST, 4 hours 8 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
243 PM MDT TUE SEP 14 2004

.DISCUSSION...THIS FORECAST FOCUSES ON WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION AND
POSSIBLE SEVERE WEATHER TONIGHT. THE REST OF THE WEEK LOOKS DRY WITH
LOWS NEAR NORMAL AND HIGHS NEAR OR ABOVE. THE NEXT SIGNIFICANT COLD
FRONT ON THE HORIZON IS SCHEDULED FOR MONDAY.

ON THE LARGE SCALE...THE WEATHER PATTERN IS SLOWLY MOVING TOWARD
MORE AMPLIFICATION...ESPECIALLY IN THE WESTERN U.S. WHERE A
DEEPENING TROF IS BECOMING WELL ESTABLISHED. WATER VAPOR SATELLITE
SHOWS A VIGOROUS SHORTWAVE TROF DIVING INTO THE BASE OF THE LARGE
SCALE TROF ALONG THE COLORADO/UTAH BORDER. THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING A
GOOD CHANCE OF RAIN TO MUCH OF THE TRI STATE REGION TONIGHT. A
STALLED COLD FRONT EXTENDS FROM NEAR HILL CITY TO SHARON SPRINGS TO
JUST SOUTH OF DENVER. ANYWHERE ALONG AND NORTH OF THIS BOUNDARY
MOISTURE HAS INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY...WITH DEWPOINTS REACHING THE
MID TO UPPER 50S. THIS MOIST UPSLOPE FLOW COMBINED WITH ABUNDANT
HEATING AND STEEP LAPSE RATES IS RESULTING IN A MODERATELY UNSTABLE
AIRMASS WITH MORE THAN ADEQUATE SHEAR IN PLACE FOR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS. ISOLATED SUPERCELLS ARE POSSIBLE EARLY IN THE EVENT
OVER EASTERN COLORADO AND ADJACENT PARTS OF KS/NE. FORCING IS SO
STRONG THOUGH...THAT THE STORMS SHOULD QUICKLY FORM A SQUALL LINE
THAT WILL MARCH EASTWARD OVERNIGHT. GIVEN RELATIVELY QUICK STORM
MOTION...NO EXCESSIVE RAINFALL IS EXPECTED...BUT MOST PLACES SHOULD
PICK UP A QUICK QUARTER TO THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH WITH LOCALLY
HIGHER AMOUNTS BENEATH THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS.

THE RAIN SHOULD MOVE OUT OF THE REGION BY MID MORNING...LEAVING A
SUNNY DAY BENEATH MID LEVEL SUBSIDENCE. IT MAY BE BREEZY FOR A FEW
HOURS AROUND HILL CITY AND MCCOOK WHERE THE STRONGEST 850 MB WINDS
OF ABOUT 25 KNOTS COULD MIX TO THE GROUND. IT WILL BE MUCH COOLER
WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 60S AROUND YUMA TO MID 70S ELSEWHERE. WITH
HIGH PRESSURE SETTLING EAST OF HIGHWAY 81...WEDNESDAY NIGHT COULD
SEE TEMPERATURES BOTTOM OUT IN THE LOWER 40S IN SOME LOCATIONS.

THE WESTERN U.S. TROF FLATTENS SOMEWHAT THURSDAY...BUT SHOULD BE
MAINTAINED BY A STRONG NORTHWESTERLY JET BRINGING COOL AIR INTO THE
PACIFIC NORTHWEST. THE RESULT IS A PERIOD OF ZONAL FLOW OVER THE
HIGH PLAINS BEFORE SOUTHWEST FLOW BECOMES REESTABLISHED ON SATURDAY.
IT APPEARS AS THOUGH SOME MOISTURE WILL TRY TO SNEAK UP IN TO
NORTHWEST KANSAS THURSDAY AFTERNOON...AND THEN SLIGHTLY GREATER
MOISTURE FRIDAY AFTERNOON ACROSS THE REST OF THE REGION. THE ZONAL
FLOW ALOFT WILL MAINTAIN STEEP MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES...SO I WOULD
NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE A FEW THUNDERSTORMS FORM ALONG THE EDGE OF
THE RETURNING MOISTURE. HOWEVER...THE MOISTURE DEPTH IS
QUESTIONABLE...THE CAP IS GOING TO BE INCREASING...AND MODELS ARE
FORECASTING NEAR ZERO POPS. I INSERTED SOME 5 TO 10 POPS FOR
NOW...WHICH COULD BE ADJUSTED UP OR DOWN DEPENDING ON MOISTURE
RETURN. OTHERWISE...THE MAIN WEATHER THAT PEOPLE WILL FEEL IS A
RETURN TO THE INCESSANT SOUTH BREEZE 15 TO 25 MPH AND GUSTY WHICH
WILL LIKELY PERSIST FROM FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY. TEMPERATURES MAY
REACH THE UPPER 80S TO LOWER 90S BY THE WEEKEND. TIMING OF THE NEXT
COLD FRONT IS UNCERTAIN...BUT FOR NOW APPEARS TO TAKE PLACE LATE ON
MONDAY...AND THIS SHOULD USHER IN MUCH COOLER AIR ALONG WITH THE
NEXT SIGNIFICANT CHANCE FOR RAIN.

&&

.GLD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
KS...NONE.
NE...NONE.
CO...NONE.

&&

BURKE

Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 14, 9:48 AM MST, 8 hours 3 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
1048 AM MDT TUE SEP 14 2004

COZ090>092-KSZ001>004-013>016-027>029-041-042-NEZ079>081-151200-
CHEYENNE KS-CHEYENNE CO-DECATUR KS-DUNDY NE-GOVE KS-GRAHAM KS-
GREELEY KS-HITCHCOCK NE-KIT CARSON CO-LOGAN KS-NORTON KS-RAWLINS KS-
RED WILLOW NE-SHERIDAN KS-SHERMAN KS-THOMAS KS-WALLACE KS-WICHITA KS-
YUMA CO-
1048 AM MDT TUE SEP 14 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST KANSAS...EXTREME
SOUTHWEST NEBRASKA...AND EAST CENTRAL COLORADO.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE ACROSS THE ENTIRE TRI STATE AREA
THIS EVENING...

AN UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM OVER THE CENTRAL ROCKIES WILL EMERGE
ONTO THE COLORADO PLAINS THIS AFTERNOON AND INTERACT WITH A STALLED
OUT FRONTAL BOUNDARY. THUNDERSTORMS WILL INITIALLY DEVELOP OVER THE
FRONT RANGE NEAR DENVER LATER THIS AFTERNOON...REACHING FAR EASTERN
COLORADO AFTER 5 PM MDT...THEN NORTHWEST KANSAS AND SOUTHWEST
NEBRASKA THIS EVENING. THERE WILL BE SUFFICIENT WIND SHEAR AND
INSTABILITY SO THAT A FEW STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE. LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREATS...HOWEVER A TORNADO OR
TWO CANNOT BE RULED OUT WEST OF A TRENTON NEBRASKA TO TRIBUNE KANSAS
LINE EARLY THIS EVENING.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT
HOURS...BUT THE THREAT FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL DIMINISH AFTER
MIDNIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE LIKELY THIS EVENING.

JDK

In the hours before

Local storm report, Sep 14, 4:43 PM MST, 1 hour 8 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT ... CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
543 PM MDT TUE SEP 14 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0526 PM     HAIL             8 SSW YUMA              40.02N 102.78W
09/14/2004  0.88 INCH        YUMA               CO   TRAINED SPOTTER

0527 PM     HAIL             3 SE YUMA               40.09N 102.68W
09/14/2004  0.88 INCH        YUMA               CO   TRAINED SPOTTER

0531 PM     HAIL             4 S YUMA                40.07N 102.72W
09/14/2004  1.00 INCH        YUMA               CO   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

GML

Local storm report, Sep 14, 5:04 PM MST, 47 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
604 PM MDT TUE SEP 14 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0558 PM     HAIL             ECKLEY                  40.11N 102.49W
09/14/2004  0.75 INCH        YUMA               CO   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

GML

Local storm report, Sep 14, 5:14 PM MST, 37 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
614 PM MDT TUE SEP 14 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0558 PM     HAIL             VERNON                  39.93N 102.32W
09/14/2004  1.75 INCH        YUMA               CO   TRAINED SPOTTER

0610 PM     HAIL             7 W WRAY                40.08N 102.36W
09/14/2004  0.75 INCH        YUMA               CO   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

GML

Local storm report, Sep 14, 5:23 PM MST, 28 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
623 PM MDT TUE SEP 14 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0619 PM     HAIL             WRAY                    40.08N 102.23W
09/14/2004  1.00 INCH        YUMA               CO   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

GML

Local storm report, Sep 14, 5:42 PM MST, 9 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT ... CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
642 PM MDT TUE SEP 14 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0616 PM     HAIL             5 NW WRAY               40.13N 102.29W
09/14/2004  0.88 INCH        YUMA               CO   TRAINED SPOTTER

0619 PM     HAIL             WRAY                    40.08N 102.23W
09/14/2004  1.00 INCH        YUMA               CO   TRAINED SPOTTER

0621 PM     HAIL             10 S WRAY               39.93N 102.23W
09/14/2004  1.75 INCH        YUMA               CO   EMERGENCY MNGR

            WINDOWS BROKEN OUT OF VEHICLE ON HIGHWAY

0621 PM     HAIL             WRAY                    40.08N 102.23W
09/14/2004  0.88 INCH        YUMA               CO   TRAINED SPOTTER

0625 PM     HAIL             12 SE WRAY              39.96N 102.07W
09/14/2004  2.00 INCH        YUMA               CO   TRAINED SPOTTER

            ONE WINDOW WEST SIDE OF HOUSE BROKEN

0635 PM     HAIL             4 WSW HAIGLER           39.99N 102.01W
09/14/2004  2.00 INCH        CHEYENNE           KS   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

GML

Special weather statement, Sep 14, 5:45 PM MST, 6 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
645 PM MDT TUE SEP 14 2004

COZ090-KSZ001-NEZ079-150700-
CHEYENNE KS-DUNDY-YUMA-
645 PM MDT (745 PM CDT) TUE SEP 14 2004

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH #821 IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF THE
TRI-STATE AREA...

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
#821 FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN THE TRI-STATE AREA UNTIL 1 AM MDT
(2 AM CDT).

THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN THE TRI-STATE AREA ARE INCLUDED IN THE
WATCH:

IN NEBRASKA...HITCHCOCK AND RED WILLOW
IN KANSAS...NORTON...RAWLINS AND DECATUR

HAIL TO 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 70
MPH...AND DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE
AREAS.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE
FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN
THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER
CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES.

MWM

The radar

The Goodland radar (KGLD), 75 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:52 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Dundy

When: September 14, 5:51 PM MST
Where: Dundy County, Haigler
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 40.017, -101.933

Broken winds on house and vehicle.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dundy

When: September 14, 6:06 PM MST
Where: Dundy County, Benkelman
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 40.050, -101.533

Hail, Dundy

When: September 14, 6:17 PM MST
Where: Dundy County, Benkelman
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 40.050, -101.533

Hail, Dundy

When: September 14, 6:20 PM MST
Where: Dundy County, 4 mi NW of Benkelman
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 40.083, -101.583

Thunderstorm Wind, Dundy

When: September 14, 6:20 PM MST
Where: Dundy County, 4 mi NW of Benkelman
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 40.083, -101.583

Picnic table blown around with glass top broken.

Hail, Dundy

When: September 14, 6:25 PM MST
Where: Dundy County, Benkelman
Measured: 2.5 in hail
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 40.050, -101.533

Hail, Hitchcock

When: September 14, 6:40 PM MST
Where: Hitchcock County, Stratton
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 40.150, -101.233

Hail, Hitchcock

When: September 14, 6:49 PM MST
Where: Hitchcock County, 12 mi SSW of Trenton
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 40.017, -101.100

Hail, Red Willow

When: September 14, 7:25 PM MST
Where: Red Willow County, 4 mi SW of Mc Cook
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 40.167, -100.667

Hail, Red Willow

When: September 14, 7:26 PM MST
Where: Red Willow County, 7 mi SSE of Mc Cook
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 40.100, -100.567

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.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Nebraska in 2004 Every state in 2004 This day in weather history Warnings in Nebraska, September 2004

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: 5421270, 5421271, 5421272, 5421273, 5421274, 5421275, 5421276, 5421277, 5421278, 5421279.