Hail, Lincoln
- When
- May 17, 2:55 PM CST
- Where
- Lincoln County, 5 mi SSW of Sutherland
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 41.100, -101.167
Tornadoes and Hail in Nebraska, May 17, 2005
15 hail, 2 tornado, 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $20,000
- Crop damage
- $1,000
- Events
- 19
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 May 17, 1:35 PM CST, 1 hour 20 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 17, 1:35 PM CST, 1 hour 20 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
235 PM CDT TUE MAY 17 2005
...THE IMMEDIATE FORECAST PROBLEM IS THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUING INTO THE EVENING...
.DISCUSSION...
IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE, CONVECTION WILL PROBABLY BE UNDERWAY
ALREADY BY FORECAST ISSUANCE TIME. INITIAL PROJECTION OF THE
LOCATION OF THE DRY LINE AT 21Z IS LIKELY TO BE FROM JUST WEST OF
VALENTINE THROUGH NORTH PLATTE TO GOODLAND AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE
ALONG AND EAST OF THAT LINE.
IT IS THEN PROJECTED TO BE THROUGH CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST
NEBRASKA BY 03Z. THIS SHOULD END THE STORMS OVER ALL BUT ABOUT THE
EASTERN HALF OF THE STATE.
AFTER THAT, THE UPPER RIDGE BUILDS ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS
THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY KEEPING THE WEATHER QUIET FOR A DAY OR
TWO. ANOTHER FRONTAL SYSTEM MOVES INTO NORTHWEST NEBRASKA BY
SATURDAY EVENING AND THROUGH THE STATE BY SUNDAY EVENING. THERE IS
PLENTY OF MOISTURE WITH SPECIFIC HUMIDITY AT OR ABOVE 6G/KG.
CONVERGENCE AND WARM ADVECTION ALONG THE SYSTEM WILL GENERATE
THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY NIGHT IN WESTERN NEBRASKA. BY LATE SUNDAY
MORNING THE STORMS SHOULD BE OUT OF CENTRAL NEBRASKA. ONCE AGAIN,
QUIET WEATHER IS EXPECTED AS THE UPPER RIDGE BUILDS OVER THE
ROCKIES.
&&
.SYNOPSIS...
ANALYSIS OF THE 18Z SURFACE DATA INDICATED LOW PRESSURE CENTERS
IN NORTHEAST WYOMING, NORTHWEST NEBRASKA AND NORTHWEST KANSAS. A
QUASI-STATIONARY FRONT WAS DRAPED THROUGH NORTHEAST WYOMING AND
NORTHERN NEBRASKA WITH THE DRY LINE EAST OF ALLIANCE AND SYDNEY AND
WEST OF OGALLALA. DEWPOINTS WERE IN THE MID 50S EAST OF THE DRY LINE
AND DROP OFF RAPIDLY TO THE MID 30S WEST OF THE LINE.
&&
.LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 0300Z NEZ004>006-008-009-023>027-
057>059-069>071
&&
SPRINGERHazardous weather outlook, May 17, 1:09 PM CST, 1 hour 46 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE 209 PM CDT TUE MAY 17 2005 NEZ004>010-022>029-035>038-056>059-069>071-094-181100- ARTHUR NE-BLAINE NE-BOYD NE-BROWN NE-CHASE NE-CUSTER NE-DEUEL NE- EASTERN CHERRY NE-FRONTIER NE-GARDEN NE-GARFIELD NE-GRANT NE- HAYES NE-HOLT NE-HOOKER NE-KEITH NE-KEYA PAHA NE-LINCOLN NE-LOGAN NE- LOUP NE-MCPHERSON NE-PERKINS NE-ROCK NE-SHERIDAN NE-THOMAS NE- WESTERN CHERRY NE-WHEELER NE- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...AINSWORTH...ARNOLD...ARTHUR...BASSETT... BIG SPRINGS...BREWSTER...BROKEN BOW...BURWELL...CHAPPELL...CURTIS... GORDON...GRANT...HAY SPRINGS...HAYES CENTER...IMPERIAL...MULLEN... NORTH PLATTE...ONEILL...OGALLALA...OSHKOSH...RUSHVILLE...SPENCER... SPRINGVIEW...STAPLETON...TAYLOR...THEDFORD...TRYON AND VALENTINE 209 PM CDT TUE MAY 17 2005 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA THROUGH THIS EVENING... ...WIND ADVISORY FOR NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA THROUGH THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A STRONG SURFACE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE OUT ONTO THE HIGH PLAINS AND INTENSIFY THIS EVENING. AS THE COLD FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE OUTLOOK AREA...SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. THE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO RAPIDLY BECOME SEVERE. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREAT...HOWEVER AN ISOLATED TORNADO IS ALSO POSSIBLE. STRONG SOUTHEAST WINDS WILL CONTINUE THIS EVENING AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT...ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA. ALSO BEHIND THE COLD FRONT WILL BE A BRIEF PERIOD OF STRONG WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH TUESDAY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED AGAIN SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY AS ANOTHER COLD FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE AREA. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE LIKELY THIS EVENING AND POSSIBLY INTO THE OVERNIGHT. MASEK
In the hours before
Special weather statement, May 17, 12:51 PM CST, 2 hours 4 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE 151 PM CDT TUE MAY 17 2005 NEZ004>006-008-009-023>027-035>038-057>059-069>071-094-180300- ARTHUR NE-BLAINE NE-BROWN NE-CHASE NE-CUSTER NE-EASTERN CHERRY NE- FRONTIER NE-GRANT NE-HAYES NE-HOOKER NE-KEITH NE-KEYA PAHA NE- LINCOLN NE-LOGAN NE-LOUP NE-MCPHERSON NE-PERKINS NE-ROCK NE- SHERIDAN NE-THOMAS NE-WESTERN CHERRY NE- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...AINSWORTH...ARNOLD...ARTHUR...BASSETT... BREWSTER...BROKEN BOW...CURTIS...GORDON...GRANT...HAY SPRINGS... HAYES CENTER...IMPERIAL...MULLEN...NORTH PLATTE...OGALLALA... RUSHVILLE...SPRINGVIEW...STAPLETON...TAYLOR...THEDFORD... TRYON AND VALENTINE 151 PM CDT TUE MAY 17 2005 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR PARTS OF WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 10 PM CDT (9 PM MDT). COUNTIES INCLUDED IN THE WATCH ARE SHERIDAN...CHERRY...KEYA PAHA...BROWN...ROCK...LOUP... BLAINE...CUSTER...THOMAS...LOGAN...HOOKER...MCPHERSON... GRANT...ARTHUR...KEITH...PERKINS...LINCOLN...FRONTIER... HAYES...CHASE. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND OTHER LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES. MASEK
The radar
The North Platte radar (KLNX), 107 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:57 UTC.
Event by event
15 hail, 2 tornado, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Hail, Lincoln
- When
- May 17, 2:57 PM CST
- Where
- Lincoln County, 1 mi W of Sutherland
- Measured
- 1.75 in hail
- Property damage
- $18,000
- Crop damage
- $1,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 41.167, -101.150
Hail, Lincoln
- When
- May 17, 2:59 PM CST
- Where
- Lincoln County, Sutherland
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- METEOROLOGIST(NON NWS)
- Coordinates
- 41.167, -101.133
Tornado, Lincoln
- When
- May 17, 3:06 PM CST
- Where
- Lincoln County, 2 mi SSW of Hershey
- Rating
- F0
- Path length
- 0.1 mi
- Path width
- 20 yd
- Reported by
- STORM CHASER
- Coordinates
- 41.133, -101.017
A trained weather spotter recorded a brief tornado touchdown in an open field near Highway 30 west of North Platte.
Tornado, Lincoln
- When
- May 17, 3:26 PM CST
- Where
- Lincoln County, 5 mi W of North Platte
- Rating
- F0
- Path length
- 0.1 mi
- Path width
- 20 yd
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 41.150, -100.883
Storm chasers recorded a weak tornado touchdown briefly in an open field.
Hail, McPherson
- When
- May 17, 3:53 PM CST
- Where
- McPherson County, 11 mi SSE of Tryon
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- GENERAL PUBLIC
- Coordinates
- 41.400, -100.883
Hail, McPherson
- When
- May 17, 4:00 PM CST
- Where
- McPherson County, 12 mi SE of Tryon
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- GENERAL PUBLIC
- Coordinates
- 41.433, -100.800
Hail covered the ground.
Hail, Lincoln
- When
- May 17, 4:01 PM CST
- Where
- Lincoln County, 4 mi SW of North Platte
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- NWS EMPLOYEE(OFF DUTY)
- Coordinates
- 41.117, -100.833
Hail, Blaine
- When
- May 17, 4:20 PM CST
- Where
- Blaine County, Purdum
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- GENERAL PUBLIC
- Coordinates
- 42.067, -100.267
Hail, Logan
- When
- May 17, 4:30 PM CST
- Where
- Logan County, 5 mi W of Stapleton
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 41.483, -100.617
Hail covered the ground.
Hail, Blaine
- When
- May 17, 4:50 PM CST
- Where
- Blaine County, 5 mi SSE of Purdum
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- GENERAL PUBLIC
- Coordinates
- 42.000, -100.233
Thunderstorm Wind, Blaine
- When
- May 17, 4:50 PM CST
- Where
- Blaine County, 5 mi SSE of Purdum
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
- Property damage
- $2,000
- Reported by
- GENERAL PUBLIC
- Coordinates
- 42.000, -100.233
Thunderstorm winds tore numerous shingles off of a house at a farmstead.
Hail, Lincoln
- When
- May 17, 4:52 PM CST
- Where
- Lincoln County, 17 mi NNE of North Platte
- Measured
- 0.88 in hail
- Reported by
- AMATEUR RADIO
- Coordinates
- 41.383, -100.650
Hail, Logan
- When
- May 17, 4:59 PM CST
- Where
- Logan County, 10 mi ESE of Stapleton
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- GENERAL PUBLIC
- Coordinates
- 41.433, -100.333
Hail, Brown
- When
- May 17, 5:00 PM CST
- Where
- Brown County, 15 mi S of Ainsworth
- Measured
- 0.88 in hail
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 42.333, -99.850
Hail, Custer
- When
- May 17, 5:10 PM CST
- Where
- Custer County, 14 mi NW of Callaway
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- GENERAL PUBLIC
- Coordinates
- 41.450, -100.117
Hail, Rock
- When
- May 17, 5:48 PM CST
- Where
- Rock County, 7 mi WSW of Bassett
- Measured
- 0.88 in hail
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 42.550, -99.650
Thunderstorm Wind, Custer
- When
- May 17, 5:59 PM CST
- Where
- Custer County, (Bbw)broken Bow Arpt
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
- Coordinates
- 41.433, -99.633
Hail, Custer
- When
- May 17, 7:06 PM CST
- Where
- Custer County, 3 mi W of Mason City
- Measured
- 0.88 in hail
- Reported by
- GENERAL PUBLIC
- Coordinates
- 41.233, -99.350
What these are
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
- Tornado
- A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
- 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
- Damaging Wind in Georgia, May 17, 2005
- Tornado and Hail in Nebraska, May 17, 2005
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Puerto Rico, May 17, 2005
- Hail in Kansas, May 17, 2005
- Hail and Damaging Winds in South Dakota, May 17, 2005
- Debris Flows and Flooding in Puerto Rico, May 17, 2005
- Flash Flooding in Puerto Rico, May 17, 2005
- Flash Flooding in Puerto Rico, May 17, 2005
- Debris Flows and Flood in Puerto Rico, May 17, 2005
- Waterspouts in Gulf of Mexico, May 17, 2005
- High Wind in Oregon, May 17 to 18, 2005
- Flash Flooding in South Carolina, May 17, 2005
More
Every storm in Nebraska in 2005Every state in 2005This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Nebraska, 2005Warnings in Nebraska, May 2005
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: 5446974, 5446975, 5446976, 5446977, 5446978, 5446980, 5447052, 5447053, 5447056, 5446979, 5447057, 5447058, 5447054, 5447059, 5447055, 5447060, 5447062, 5447061, 5447063.