Flash Flooding and Hail in Nebraska, August 8, 2007

Name: Flash Flooding and Hail in Nebraska, August 8, 2007
Start: 2007-08-08T16:15
End: 2007-08-08T22:20
Location: Nebraska

August 8, 2007 · NWS OAX · 15 events in 4 counties and zones

For the second day in a row a stationary front extended across extreme southeast Nebraska and southwest Iowa during the afternoon of August 8th. Conditions along and south of the boundary were very unstable with temperatures well into the 90s and dew point temperatures in the mid and upper 70s.

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: $5,000
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.

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 Aug 8, 2:16 PM CST, 1 hour 59 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 8, 2:16 PM CST, 1 hour 59 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
316 PM CDT WED AUG 8 2007

.DISCUSSION...

OR

.SHORT TERM...TONIGHT AND THURSDAY. STLT SHOWED MCS/MCV MOVING
ACROSS THE ERN CWA AT 20Z...POSITION OF WHICH IS NOT UNLIKE
MONDAY AFTN. ATMOSPHERE HAD STABILIZED A BIT IN ITS WAKE WITH SWRN
EXTENT OF THE REMAINING CONVECTION OVER NERN 1/4 OR SO OF THE CWA.
VERY UNSTABLE AIR WAS LOCATED S OF NWD ADVANCING SURFACE WARM
FRONT WITH THE BOUNDARY APPROACHING SERN NEBR AS OF 20Z. MLCAPES
THERE WERE IN EXCESS OF 4000 J/KG WITH CIN DECREASING. DECENT 850
MB MOISTURE TRANSPORT PER RUC INTO FAR SERN NEBR/SWRN IA THRU 03Z
SO WOULD EXPECT A RENEWED INCREASE IN CONVECTION SRN ZONES THRU
EARLY EVENING. THERE IS SOME SEVERE THREAT WITH LOW
LCLS...MODERATE LOW LVL HELICITY AND MODEST 0-6KM BULK
SHEAR...SPCLY IF BNDRY CAN ADVANCE INTO THE CWA AND CONVECTION CAN
BECOME SFC BASED. SINCE PD OF LOW LVL THETA E ADVCTN IS LIMITED
CONVECTION MAY QUICKLY SHIFT OUT OF THE CWA SO HELD OFF ON A FLASH
FLOOD WATCH. OTHER CONVECTION COULD CONTINUE DVLPG ON SWRN FLANK
OF DEPARTING MCS AS A SECONDARY AREA OF UNSTABLE AIR WAS
LOCATED ALONG THE NRN CWA SECTIONS OF THE MO RIVER AREA. AS NRN PLAINS
WAVE...CURRENTLY TRACKING ACRS WRN ND...ALSO DEPARTS...APPEARS
TSTM CHCS DECREASE OR END OVR THE CWA AFT 06Z. WEAK NWRLY FLOW
COULD PRECLUDE FOG/ST DVLPMENT LATER...BUT MODELS HAVE BEEN
OVERDOING THE LOW LVL DRYING LATELY SO LEFT MENTION IN. WITH WEAK
FLOW AND WET GROUND ON THURSDAY WENT MORE WITH PREV FORECAST WITH
HIGHS WHICH WERE BELOW MAV.

.LONG TERM...THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY. UPPER RIDGE STILL
FORECAST TO BUILD NWWD ACROSS THE SRN PLAINS AND SRN SECTIONS OF
THE CNTRL PLAINS THROUGH THIS TIME PERIOD. SO IT LOOKS LIKE MAX
TEMPS COULD MAKE A RUN AT 100 SOME LOCALS BY THE WEEKEND AND
POSSIBLY EVEN NEXT WEEK. HEAT ADVISORIES MAY BE NEEDED BY THIS
WEEKEND BUT ATTM HANDLED BEST IN THE HWO. ALSO WITH BUILDING
HEIGHTS POSSIBLY KEEPING MOST OF ANY SHORTWV ENERGY TO OUR
N...TSTM CHCS SHOULD BE DECREASING. HOWEVER...SMALL...NOCTURNAL
CHANCES DO EXIST THU NGT AND FRI NGT...MAINLY NRN ZONES AS LOW LVL
JET COULD KEEP ANY ACTIVITY THAT DVLPS TO OUR N THRU W GOING
OVERNIGHT. ANOTHER SMALL CHANCE EXISTS SAT NGT AS WEAK FRONT DROPS
SEWD INTO NERN ZONES UNDERNEATH UPPER RIDGE PER 12Z GFS/NAM AND
ECMWF. ATTM LEFT PCPN OUT OF FORECAST THU AND FRI NGTS BUT DID
INCLUDE A SLGT CHC SAT NGT WITH FRONT. HIGHS COULD BE A BIT COOLER
NERN ZONES SUN AND MON AS A BIT MORE ERLY COMPONENT TO THE WIND
DVLPS...BUT HOT TEMPERATURES LIKELY TO RETURN EVEN THERE BY
TUE/WED.

&&

.AVIATION...

18Z/07-18Z/08...MANY UNCERTAINTIES FOR THIS FCST. BATCH OF PCPN
SHOULD BE OUT OF THE TAF SITES BY 22Z...BUT SWD MOVING BNDRY
SUGGESTS ADDITIONAL SCT CONVECTION DEVELOPING AFTER 23Z NEAR NEB/KS
BORDER. HOWEVER...DECIDED TO LEAVE OUT OF TAFS AS LATEST GUID PLACES
BEST CHANCES FM SRN IA TO NERN KS. HOWEVER...CLEARING SKIES...LIGHT
WINDS AND MOIST BNDRY LYR AFTER 06Z ENHANCE CHANCE FOR IFR COND OR
LESS MAINLY OMA/OFK SITES BETWEEN 10Z-14Z.  OVERALL CONFIDNCE NOT
ADDING TS IN TAFS MOD...WHILE HIGH FOR FLIGHT CAT RESTRICTIONS.

&&

.OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NE...NONE.
IA...NONE.
&&

CHERMOK/DEE

Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 8, 3:58 PM CST, 17 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTION TO GROUPS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
458 PM CDT WED AUG 8 2007

IAZ069-079-080-090-091-NEZ050>053-065>068-078-088>093-091000-
BUTLER-CASS-DOUGLAS-FREMONT IA-GAGE-JEFFERSON-JOHNSON-LANCASTER-
MILLS IA-MONTGOMERY IA-NEMAHA-OTOE-PAGE IA-PAWNEE-POTTAWATTAMIE IA-
RICHARDSON-SALINE-SARPY-SAUNDERS-SEWARD-
458 PM CDT WED AUG 8 2007

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

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT AND THURSDAY

THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING OVER
SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA AND SOUTHWEST IOWA...MAINLY SOUTH OF A
SEWARD TO OMAHA TO AVOCA IOWA LINE. SOME STORMS MAY BE SEVERE
WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS...AN ISOLATED TORNADO IS
POSSIBLE NEAR THE KANSAS BORDER. HEAVY RAIN IS ALSO LIKELY
AND MAY PRODUCE LOCALIZED FLOODING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY

HOT AND HUMID WEATHER WILL PREVAIL OVER THE OUTLOOK AREA BEGINNING
FRIDAY AS THE REGION ENTERS INTO A PROLONGED SUMMER HEAT
WAVE. DURING THIS TIME...AFTERNOON HEAT INDICES MAY EXCEED 105 FOR
SEVERAL DAYS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY
THIS EVENING.

IAZ043-055-056-NEZ011-012-015>018-030>034-042>045-091000-
ANTELOPE-BOONE-BURT-CEDAR-COLFAX-CUMING-DODGE-HARRISON IA-KNOX-
MADISON-MONONA IA-PIERCE-PLATTE-SHELBY IA-STANTON-THURSTON-
WASHINGTON-WAYNE-
458 PM CDT WED AUG 8 2007

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PARTS OF NORTHEAST
NEBRASKA AND WEST CENTRAL IOWA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT AND THURSDAY

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MOVING OUT OF NORTHEAST NEBRASKA
EAST OF A WAYNE TO COLUMBUS LINE AND WEST CENTRAL IOWA EARLY THIS
EVENING. BRIEF HEAVY RAIN IS POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY

HOT AND HUMID WEATHER WILL PREVAIL OVER THE OUTLOOK AREA BEGINNING
FRIDAY AS THE REGION ENTERS INTO A PROLONGED SUMMER HEAT
WAVE. DURING THIS TIME...AFTERNOON HEAT INDICES MAY EXCEED 105 FOR
SEVERAL DAYS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED TONIGHT OR THURSDAY.

FOBERT

The radar

The Omaha radar (KOAX), 99 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:13 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

9 thunderstorm wind, 4 flash flood, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Gage

When: August 8, 4:15 PM CST
Where: Gage County, 3 mi SW of Adams
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 40.439, -96.540

Hail, Johnson

When: August 8, 4:50 PM CST
Where: Johnson County, Tecumseh
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.370, -96.180

Thunderstorm Wind, Nemaha

When: August 8, 5:15 PM CST
Where: Nemaha County, 2 mi SW of Johnson
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 40.400, -96.027

Thunderstorm winds knocked a 10 inch limb onto house and blew a small shed away. Corn was also flattened in the area.

Thunderstorm Wind, Nemaha

When: August 8, 5:20 PM CST
Where: Nemaha County, 5 mi SW of Auburn
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Storm Chaser
Coordinates: 40.349, -95.897

Thunderstorm wind gusts were estimated at 60 mph by a storm chaser.

Thunderstorm Wind, Nemaha

When: August 8, 5:27 PM CST
Where: Nemaha County, 2 mi E of Auburn
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.400, -95.792

The winds were estimated by a trained weather spotter and they caused roof damage to a house and downed several large tree limbs and power lines near Auburn.

Thunderstorm Wind, Richardson

When: August 8, 5:31 PM CST
Where: Richardson County, Humboldt
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 40.170, -95.930

Numerous tree limbs were downed, including one 12 inches in diameter, due to thunderstorm wind gusts in Humboldt.

Thunderstorm Wind, Richardson

When: August 8, 5:35 PM CST
Where: Richardson County, Dawson
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 40.130, -95.830

Thunderstorms winds snapped a power pole in the vicinity...wind speed was estimated at 65 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind, Nemaha

When: August 8, 5:36 PM CST
Where: Nemaha County, Peru
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 40.480, -95.730

Thunderstorm wind gusts were estimated at 70 mph by the Emergency manager of Nemaha county.

Thunderstorm Wind, Richardson

When: August 8, 5:45 PM CST
Where: Richardson County, 1.73 mi WSW of Shubert
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 40.220, -95.710

Thunderstorm winds downed numerous 3 inch in diameter tree limbs.

Thunderstorm Wind, Richardson

When: August 8, 5:50 PM CST
Where: Richardson County, Barada
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 40.220, -95.580

Some large tree limbs were downed, corn stripped and some bean fields flattened by thunderstorms winds near Barada.

Thunderstorm Wind, Richardson

When: August 8, 6:20 PM CST
Where: Richardson County, Rulo
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 40.050, -95.430

Thunderstorm winds downed power lines near Rulo.

Flash Flood, Nemaha

When: August 8, 6:20 PM CST to 8:20 PM CST
Where: Nemaha County, 5 mi S of Auburn
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 40.328, -95.830

Heavy rain caused flash flooding across Highway 75 south of Auburn for a while this evening.

Flash Flood, Nemaha

When: August 8, 6:30 PM CST to 8:30 PM CST
Where: Nemaha County, 2.61 mi SW of Johnson
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 40.393, -96.035

Rainfall of around 2 inches in an hour caused a local creek to flood across some county roads southwest of Johnson. The rain was on top of 1 to 3 inches that fell about 12 to 18 hours prior.

Flash Flood, Richardson

When: August 8, 7:01 PM CST to 9:01 PM CST
Where: Richardson County, 6 mi NE of Humboldt
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 40.231, -95.850

Heavy rain caused flash flooding across Highway 75 northeast of Humboldt near the Nemaha county line.

Flash Flood, Richardson

When: August 8, 8:20 PM CST to 10:20 PM CST
Where: Richardson County, Falls City
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 40.070, -95.600

Rainfall of around 2 inches in an hour or so caused flooding across Highway 73 north of Falls City closing it for a while this evening.

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 2007 Every state in 2007 This day in weather history Warnings in Nebraska, August 2007

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: 39795, 39796, 39798, 39801, 39802, 39803, 39799, 39804, 39800, 43680, 39805, 39808, 39790, 39809, 39791.