1 flash flood, as filed by the National Weather Service.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
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 May 12, 1:50 PM CST, 3 hours 39 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE 250 PM CDT THU MAY 12 2005 .DISCUSSION... STORMS CONTINUE TO FIRE ALONG OCCLUDED FRONT EXTENDING SWD FM LOW PRESSURE CENTER IN CNTRL NEB. MEANWHILE...SFC WARM FRONT EXTENDS SEWD FM CENTER OF LOW INTO EXTREME SERN NEB AND THEN INTO NERN KS. WE EXPECT ACTIVITY TO MOVE EWD THRU SERN NEB WHERE DESTABILIZATION CONTINUES IN THE SUNNY SKIES WITH 2000-2500J/KG AND AROUND 50KTS OF BULK SHEAR. LOW LEVELS CONTINUE TO BE QUITE MOIST WITH MID TO UPPER 60S DEWPOINTS POOLING NEAR THE BOUNDARY (66F AT FNB). KOAX 18Z SOUNDING INDICATED A 13C DEWPOINT AT 850MB WHICH 12Z ETA HAD A GOOD HANDLE ON. WITH PLENTY OF MOISTURE AROUND AND ALSO SATURATED GROUNDS FROM PREVIOUS RAINS...WL CONTINUE FLOOD WATCH FOR MUCH OF SOUTH AND EASTERN CWA THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING. SOME RIVERS ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA ARE ALREADY FORECAST TO BE NEAR FLOOD STAGE. UPPER LEVEL DIVERGENCE REMAINS QUITE STRONG AS MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA RESIDES UNDER RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION OF UPPER LEVEL JET. THIS ALONG WITH A PERSISTENT LOW LEVEL JET SHOULD HELP SUSTAIN SCATTERED THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY ACROSS SERN CWA TONIGHT AS SFC LOW CONTINUES EAST. ACTIVITY SHOULD CONTINUE INTO THE DAYTIME FRIDAY ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST BEHIND THE SFC BOUNDARY AS LARGE SCALE VERTICAL MOTION CONTINUES WITH AREA STILL UNDER RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION OF THE UPPER LEVEL JET. ACTIVITY SHOULD SUBSIDE BY AFTERNOON HOURS AND HIGH PRESSURE BEGINS TO BUILD IN FOR LATE IN THE DAY/EVENING. QUIET WEEKEND IN STORE FOR THE WEEKEND AS HIGH PRESSURE SLIDES INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. RETURN FLOW SETS UP BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND UPPER LEVEL RIDGING MOVES IN FOR EARLY IN THE WORK WEEK. THIS SHOULD ALLOW FOR A GOOD WARM UP INTO THE MID TO UPPER 70S ON MONDAY. WITH A WEAK SHORTWAVE TOPPING THE RIDGE MONDAY AFTERNOON...COULD SEE A FEW ISOLATED STORMS POP IF WE REACH CONVECTIVE TEMPS. WL LEAVE DRY FOR NOW DUE TO SUCH AN ISOLATED POSSIBILITY...BUT MAY NEED TO BE ADDED LATER. LATEST MODELS HAVE SLOWED TUESDAYS FROPA DOWN SOMEWHAT...BUT WL STILL COVER MUCH OF MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY WITH A CHANCE OF TSTMS. OTHERWISE...WL CONT A DRY FORECAST FOR THE EXTENDED. && .OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...FLOOD WATCH BURT...BUTLER...CASS...CUMING...DODGE...DOUGLAS... GAGE...JEFFERSON...JOHNSON...LANCASTER...NEMAHA...OTOE... PAWNEE...RICHARDSON...SALINE...SARPY...SAUNDERS...SEWARD...THURSTON.. .WASHINGTON...WAYNE THROUGH 9AM FRI. IA...FLOOD WATCH FREMONT...HARRISON...MILLS...MONONA...MONTGOMERY... PAGE...POTTAWATTAMIE...SHELBY THROUGH 9AM FRI. && GRIFFIS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE 532 PM CDT THU MAY 12 2005 NEZ011-012-016-017-030>032-042-043-131100- ANTELOPE-BOONE-CEDAR-COLFAX-KNOX-MADISON-PIERCE-PLATTE-STANTON- 532 PM CDT THU MAY 12 2005 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST NEBRASKA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT AND FRIDAY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS MAY REDEVELOP AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS AND INTO FRIDAY MORNING ACROSS THE OUTLOOK AREA. HOWEVER...NO ORGANIZED SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE AGAIN MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED TONIGHT OR FRIDAY. IAZ043-055-056-069-079-080-090-091-NEZ015-018-033-034-044-045- 050>053-065>068-078-088>093-131100- BURT-BUTLER-CASS-CUMING-DODGE-DOUGLAS-FREMONT IA-GAGE-HARRISON IA- JEFFERSON-JOHNSON-LANCASTER-MILLS IA-MONONA IA-MONTGOMERY IA-NEMAHA- OTOE-PAGE IA-PAWNEE-POTTAWATTAMIE IA-RICHARDSON-SALINE-SARPY- SAUNDERS-SEWARD-SHELBY IA-THURSTON-WASHINGTON-WAYNE- 532 PM CDT THU MAY 12 2005 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN NEBRASKA AND SOUTHWEST IOWA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT AND FRIDAY A FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9AM FRIDAY. VERY HEAVY RAINFALL FROM PAST THUNDERSTORMS HAVE CAUSED SOILS TO SATURATE IN MANY AREAS. ADDITIONAL PRECIPITATION WILL MOST LIKELY AGGRAVATE THE SITUATION...AND POSSIBLY CAUSE FLOODING OVER PORTIONS OF THE OUTLOOK AREA. OTHERWISE...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS MAY REDEVELOP AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS AND INTO FRIDAY MORNING. HOWEVER...NO ORGANIZED SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE AGAIN MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED TONIGHT OR FRIDAY. DEE
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA
422 PM CDT THU MAY 12 2005
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0356 PM TSTM WND GST 3 E SYRACUSE 40.66N 96.13W
05/12/2005 90 MPH OTOE NE TRAINED SPOTTER
POSSIBLE TORNADO,AWAITING CONFIRMATION.
0415 PM TORNADO 3 E SYRACUSE 40.66N 96.13W
05/12/2005 OTOE NE LAW ENFORCEMENT
&&
LANDSVORKPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA
453 PM CDT THU MAY 12 2005
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0437 PM FLOOD DUNBAR 40.67N 96.03W
05/12/2005 OTOE NE EMERGENCY MNGR
HWY 67 ROADWAY WASHED OUT 1/2 N OF DUNBAR, WITH DEBRIS IN
THE ROAD. SEVERAL OTHER GRAVEL COUNTY ROADS WASHED OUT
VICINITY OF OTOE AND DUNBAR.
&&
LANDSVORKPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA
501 PM CDT THU MAY 12 2005
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0415 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 E SYRACUSE 40.66N 96.13W
05/12/2005 OTOE NE PUBLIC
TREES SNAPPED OFF AT HWY 2 AND OTOE SPUR INTERSECTION.
&&
LANDSVORKSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
503 PM CDT THU MAY 12 2005
IAZ069-079-080-090-091-NEZ067-068-090>093-130200-
CASS-FREMONT IA-JOHNSON-MILLS IA-MONTGOMERY IA-NEMAHA-OTOE-PAGE IA-
PAWNEE-POTTAWATTAMIE IA-RICHARDSON-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...AUBURN...CLARINDA...COUNCIL BLUFFS...
FALLS CITY...GLENWOOD...LOUISVILLE...NEBRASKA CITY...PAWNEE CITY...
RED OAK...SIDNEY...TECUMSEH
503 PM CDT THU MAY 12 2005
...TORNADO WATCH 259 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT FOR THE
FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
IN SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA
CASS...OTOE...JOHNSON...NEMAHA...PAWNEE AND RICHARDSON.
IN SOUTHWEST IOWA
POTTAWATTAMIE...MILLS...MONTGOMERY...PAGE AND FREMONT.
NEZ052-053-130200-
DOUGLAS-SARPY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BELLEVUE...OMAHA
503 PM CDT THU MAY 12 2005
...TORNADO WATCH 259 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR
THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
IN EAST CENTRAL NEBRASKA
DOUGLAS AND SARPY.
AGAIN...THE WATCH WHICH WAS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT HAS BEEN
CANCELLED FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL NEBRASKA.
GRIFFISPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA
517 PM CDT THU MAY 12 2005
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0400 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 E SYRACUSE 40.66N 96.13W
05/12/2005 OTOE NE EMERGENCY MNGR
SEVERAL OLDER TREES BROKEN.
&&
LANDSVORKSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
546 PM CDT THU MAY 12 2005
IAZ069-079-080-090-091-NEZ091-093-130200-
FREMONT IA-MILLS IA-MONTGOMERY IA-NEMAHA-PAGE IA-POTTAWATTAMIE IA-
RICHARDSON-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...AUBURN...CLARINDA...COUNCIL BLUFFS...
FALLS CITY...GLENWOOD...RED OAK...SIDNEY
546 PM CDT THU MAY 12 2005
...TORNADO WATCH 259 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT FOR THE
FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
IN SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA
RICHARDSON AND NEMAHA.
IN SOUTHWEST IOWA
POTTAWATTAMIE...MILLS...MONTGOMERY...PAGE AND FREMONT.
NEZ067-068-090-092-130200-
CASS-JOHNSON-OTOE-PAWNEE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...LOUISVILLE...NEBRASKA CITY...PAWNEE CITY...
TECUMSEH
546 PM CDT THU MAY 12 2005
...TORNADO WATCH 259 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR
THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
IN SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA
CASS...OTOE...JOHNSON...AND PAWNEE.
AGAIN...THE WATCH WHICH WAS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT HAS BEEN
CANCELLED FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL NEBRASKA.
GRIFFISThe Omaha radar (KOAX), 127 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:29 UTC.
1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain caused flash flooding along Highway 71 near the Page and Montgomery county line which washed a car off the highway. Rain amounts were around 2 to 3 inches this evening.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2005Every state in 2005This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, May 2005
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: 5449583.