Nebraska, 2007Flooding in Nebraska, May 30 to 31, 2007
May 30 to 31, 2007 · NWS OAX · 4 events in 3 counties and zones
Heavy rain fell across large parts of Boone, Madison and western Platte counties Tuesday and Tuesday night May 29th and May 30th. Rainfall of 2 to 3 inches was common across this area, with unofficial reports of over 5 inches near St Edward.
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
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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $500,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 4
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.
Heavy rain fell across large parts of Boone, Madison and western Platte counties Tuesday and Tuesday night May 29th and May 30th. Rainfall of 2 to 3 inches was common across this area, with unofficial reports of over 5 inches near St Edward. The rain was the result of a large upper level low pressure system that moved from the northern Rockies onto the northern Plains.
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 May 29, 9:13 PM CST, 3 hours 17 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 29, 9:13 PM CST, 3 hours 17 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
1013 PM CDT TUE MAY 29 2007
.UPDATE...
HAVE ISSUED A FLOOD WATCH FOR PARTS OF NORTHEAST NEBRASKA BASED ON
CURRENT RAINFALL AMOUNTS AND EXPECTED ADDITIONAL RAINFALL INTO
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. 00Z/30 NAM CONTINUES TO POINT TOWARD SLOW
MOVING FRONT THROUGH THE AREA WITH FOCUS OF CONVECTION ALONG THAT
BOUNDARY.
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 255 PM CDT TUE MAY 29 2007/
DISCUSSION...
TIMING AND PLACEMENT OF HEAVY RAIN THROUGH FRIDAY IS THE PRIMARY
CONCERN. MAIN PLAYER WITH THIS PATTERN WILL BE THE COLD FRONT THAT
WAS ANALYZED AT 19Z FROM NEAR VALENTINE INTO THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF
NEBRASKA. IN ADDITION...HIGH VALUES OF MOISTURE WERE NOTED ON THE
12Z SOUNDINGS...INCLUDING PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES OF 166 PERCENT
OF NORMAL AT OMAHA AND 178 AT NORTH PLATTE. PRECIPITATION
EFFICIENCY IS HIGH...WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN ALREADY OCCURRING IN
CENTRAL AND WESTERN NEBRASKA LEADING TO FLASH FLOODING THERE. SEE
SPENES AND FFWLBF FOR MORE DETAILS.
PRECIPITATION FORECAST WILL MAINLY BE A FUNCTION OF THE FRONTAL
MOVEMENT/POSITIONING... AND VERTICAL MOTION FROM THE UPPER LOW THAT
SLOWS DOWN OVER SOUTH DAKOTA. SREF MEAN FRONTAL POSITION IS IN
AGREEMENT WITH THE NAM...HOWEVER THE GFS IS SLOWER. THE SLOWER
TREND HAS BEEN VERIFYING BETTER THUS FAR...BUT EITHER WAY THE FRONT
SHOULD REMAIN IN THE CWA THROUGH WEDNESDAY AND FINALLY EXIT
WEDNESDAY EVENING. THE SLOW MOVING FRONT AND MOISTURE ALONE
WARRANTS AT LEAST LIKELY POPS TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
CONSIDERED A FLOOD WATCH FOR SOME OF OUR SOUTHERN COUNTIES FOR
WEDNESDAY NIGHT...BUT CONFIDENCE IN GFS SOLUTION AND TIMING IS NOT
YET HIGH ENOUGH TO COUNT ON FLOODING RAINS.
SEVERE POTENTIAL THIS EVENING SHOULD REMAIN LOW JUST DUE TO THE LACK
OF DEEP LAYER SHEAR AND ONLY MARGINAL INSTABILITY. THESE CONDITIONS
HOWEVER CAN SUPPORT VERY HEAVY RAIN WITH SLOW MOVING CELLS. CORFIDI
VECTORS REMAIN UNDER 10 KNOTS THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.
THE UPPER WAVE IS PROGGED TO MOVE THROUGH SOUTH DAKOTA...WITH SMALL
VORTICITY MAXIMAS ROTATING AROUND IT AND DIFFICULT TO TIME. COLDER
MID LEVEL TEMPERATURES WILL ALSO STEEPEN LAPSE RATES. THE GFS
SOLUTION HAS A SURGE OF MOISTURE ADVECTION ASSOCIATED WITH A
SHORTWAVE THAT INTERACTS WITH THE FRONT WEDNESDAY EVENING AND LEADS
TO FAIRLY HIGH RAINFALL AMOUNTS OVER SOUTHWEST IOWA THEN. THIS
TIMING AND PLACEMENT IS SUPPORTED BY THE SREF QPF MEAN. THEREFORE
HAVE INCREASED POPS WEDNESDAY NIGHT ESPECIALLY SOUTHEAST PORTIONS OF
FORECAST AREA. OTHERWISE THE BROAD BRUSHED POPS THAT ARE IN THE
GOING FORECAST SEEM APPROPRIATE GIVEN THE PRESENT INGREDIENTS FOR
RAIN THROUGH WEDNESDAY.
THE NORTHERN PLAINS UPPER LOW SENDS ANOTHER COLD FRONT INTO NEBRASKA
FRIDAY...WHICH MAY SQUEEZE OUT ANY REMAINING MOISTURE. THEN AS THE
PERSISTENT UPPER LOW MOVES EAST... UPPER RIDGE BUILDS TO OUR WEST
WITH LESS CHANCES FOR RAIN INTO THE WEEKEND.
AVIATION...
MVFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF TAF PD AS
STRONG SRLY FLOW CONTS TO ADVECT MOISTURE INTO THE AREA. SCT SHOWERS
WL BE COMMON ACROSS ALL THREE TAF SITES THRU PD WITH HEAVIEST TSRA
ACTIVITY EXPECTED AT OFK WHICH IS CLOSER TO SLOW MOVING CDFNT. HAVE
PREVAILING -SHRA WITH CB MENTIONED IN LATER PERIODS DUE TO
UNCERTAINTY IN THUNDER POTENTIAL. WINDS WL REMAIN SRLY THRU ENTIRE
TAF PERIOD FOR OMA AND LNK BUT AS CDFNT PASSES THRU OFK BY LATE WED
MORNING...HAVE WINDS TRANSITIONING AROUND TO 270 DEGREES.
&&
.OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NE...FLOOD WATCH THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING FOR NEZ011-012-016>018-
030>032-042.
IA...NONE.
&&
FOBERT/DEWALDHazardous weather outlook, May 29, 9:04 PM CST, 3 hours 26 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
1004 PM CDT TUE MAY 29 2007
IAZ043-055-056-069-079-080-090-091-NEZ015-033-034-043>045-050>053-
065>068-078-088>093-301015-
MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-
PAGE-THURSTON-CUMING-BURT-COLFAX-DODGE-WASHINGTON-BUTLER-SAUNDERS-
DOUGLAS-SARPY-SEWARD-LANCASTER-CASS-OTOE-SALINE-JEFFERSON-GAGE-
JOHNSON-NEMAHA-PAWNEE-RICHARDSON-
1004 PM CDT TUE MAY 29 2007
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST
IOWA...WEST CENTRAL IOWA...EAST CENTRAL NEBRASKA...NORTHEAST
NEBRASKA AND SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA.
.DAY ONE...TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY ACROSS ALL OF EASTERN NEBRASKA
AND SOUTHWEST IOWA TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN IS
POSSIBLE LATE TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT
ANTICIPATED.
A COLD FRONT WILL DRIFT SLOWLY INTO EAST CENTRAL NEBRASKA
OVERNIGHT AND LINGER ACROSS THE AREA ON WEDNESDAY. BECAUSE OF THE
SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE FRONT...HEAVY RAIN IS POSSIBLE.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY
THE COLD FRONT WILL CONTINUE A SLOW EASTWARD MOVEMENT WEDNESDAY NIGHT...
WITH THUNDERSTORMS MOST LIKELY AFFECTING FAR EASTERN NEBRASKA AND
SOUTHWEST IOWA. AGAIN SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED...BUT
HEAVY RAIN IS POSSIBLE.
MORE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY AS AN UPPER
LOW STALLS ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED TONIGHT OR WEDNESDAY.
NEZ011-012-016>018-030>032-042-301015-
KNOX-CEDAR-ANTELOPE-PIERCE-WAYNE-BOONE-MADISON-STANTON-PLATTE-
1004 PM CDT TUE MAY 29 2007
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST
NEBRASKA.
.DAY ONE...TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY ACROSS NORTHEAST NEBRASKA
TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. PROLONGED RAINFALL AND PERIODS OF HEAVY
RAIN MAY RESULT IN FLOODING ON SOME STREAMS AND RIVERS.
A COLD FRONT WILL DRIFT SLOWLY INTO EAST CENTRAL NEBRASKA
OVERNIGHT AND LINGER ACROSS THE AREA ON WEDNESDAY. BECAUSE OF THE
SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE FRONT...HEAVY RAIN IS POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY
IN NORTHEAST NEBRASKA TONIGHT.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY
THE COLD FRONT WILL CONTINUE A SLOW EASTWARD MOVEMENT WEDNESDAY NIGHT...
WITH THUNDERSTORMS MOST LIKELY AFFECTING FAR EASTERN NEBRASKA AND
SOUTHWEST IOWA. AGAIN SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED...BUT
HEAVY RAIN IS POSSIBLE.
MORE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY AS AN UPPER
LOW STALLS ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED TONIGHT OR WEDNESDAY.
FOBERT
In the hours before
Local storm report, May 29, 9:14 PM CST, 3 hours 16 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA
1014 PM CDT TUE MAY 29 2007
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1012 PM HEAVY RAIN ALBION 41.69N 98.00W
05/29/2007 E2.00 INCH BOONE NE EMERGENCY MNGR
AVERAGED FROM SEVERAL RAIN GAGES IN THE AREA. COUNTY
ROADS ARE VERY SOFT DUE TO THE HEAVY RAIN. NO FLOODING AT
THIS TIME.
&&Flood, Boone
- When
- May 30, 12:30 AM CST to 3:30 PM CST
- Where
- Boone County, Boone to St Edward
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 41.630, -97.930
Unofficial rainfall of 5 inches fell over parts of Boone county, especially around the St Edward area. The heavy rain flooded some basements in St Edward and also caused Beaver Creek to flood county roads and even Highway 39 near town. Some of the flood waters spilled onto sections of downtown St Edward, reportedly for the first time since the mid 1980s.
Flood, Madison
- When
- May 30, 12:30 AM CST to May 31, 7:15 AM CST
- Where
- Madison County, 6 mi SW of Battle Creek to Battle Creek
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Property damage
- $500,000
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 41.939, -97.683
Rainfall of 2 to 4 inches fell across much of Madison county. The heavy rain caused Battle Creek to flood low areas around the Battle Creek area, including Highway 121 near town causing its closure. The creek also flooded the water treatment plant and prompted sandbagging around town, with up to 10,000 bags used. At least 400 homes received some sort of flood damage. The flooding also left debris in several county bridges.
Flood, Platte
- When
- May 30, 12:30 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
- Where
- Platte County, Lindsay to 2 mi NE of (Olu)columbus Arpt
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 41.700, -97.700
Rainfall of 2 to 3 inches fell across northern and western Platte county. The heavy rain caused Shell Creek to flood county roads from Lindsay to Platte Center to just northeast of Columbus. Some bridge damage was noted near Lindsay, with road damage reported from Lindsay to near Platte Center. A few homes around the Lindsay area had to be sandbagged. The swollen Shell Creek caused 3 to 4 inches of water to flow across Highway 81 south of Platte Center for a while Thursday May 30th. The flooding continued through midday June 1st.
Flood, Platte
- When
- May 30, 11:00 AM CST to May 31, 9:00 AM CST
- Where
- Platte County, 5 mi SW of Monroe to 2 mi W of Columbus
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 41.429, -97.688
Rainfall of 2 to 3 inches fell across western Platte county with heavier amounts farther west on Tuesday and Tuesday night May 29th and May 30th. The heavy rain caused the Loup River to flood some low farmland and county roads from southwest of Monroe to west of Columbus.
- Flood
- Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Texas, May 30 to 31, 2007$435,000 · 1.75 in hail · 42 events
- Flash Flood and Hail in Oklahoma, May 30, 2007$233,000 · 1.75 in hail · 14 events
- Lightning Strike in Louisiana, May 30, 2007$80,000 · 1 event
- Damaging Winds in Texas, May 30, 2007$40,000 · 55 kt wind · 7 events
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in North Dakota, May 30, 2007EF1 · 4 events
- Damaging Wind in Ohio, May 30, 2007$30,000 · 50 kt wind · 1 event
- Damaging Winds in Arkansas, May 30, 2007$22,000 · 54 kt wind · 2 events
- Damaging Wind in Louisiana, May 30, 2007$20,000 · 50 kt wind · 1 event
- Hail in Texas, May 30 to 31, 2007$13,000 · 1.75 in hail · 5 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Michigan, May 30, 2007$12,000 · 1 in hail · 4 events
- Flash Flood and Damaging Winds in Louisiana, May 30, 2007$7,000 · 52 kt wind · 4 events
- Hail in Virginia, May 30, 20071 in hail · 3 events
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: 25100, 25101, 25102, 25744.