Flash Flood and Damaging Winds in Nebraska, May 23 to 24, 2008

Name: Flash Flood and Damaging Winds in Nebraska, May 23 to 24, 2008
Start: 2008-05-23T00:30
End: 2008-05-24T03:15
Location: Nebraska

May 23 to 24, 2008 · NWS OAX · 8 events in 6 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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: $80,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 8

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.

An area of thunderstorms, a few severe, rolled out of northern Kansas and into southeast Nebraska during the late evening hours of May 23rd and the early morning hours of May 24th. The storms produced strong winds with scattered areas of damage and were fed by a strong low-level jet advecting moisture northward. Ahead of the severe thunderstorms in southeast Nebraska, heavy rain producing thunderstorms, with isolated embedded severe thunderstorms, caused flash flooding near Platte Center, which is just northwest of Columbus, and wind damage in the Norfolk area. In addition, indirectly related to the thunderstorms, an area of strong winds of 50 to 60 mph developed in the wake of the thunderstorms. These winds produced areas of scattered damage, mainly in Lancaster county Nebraska in the middle of the night and in Page county Iowa between about 730 and 830 am.

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 22, 3:00 PM CST, 9 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 22, 3:00 PM CST, 9 hours 30 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
400 PM CDT THU MAY 22 2008

.DISCUSSION...
MASSIVE BLOCKING MERIDIONAL PATTERN MEANS WEATHER CHANGES WILL BE
SLOW...AND A PROLONGED RAINY PERIOD IS LIKELY.

TONIGHT THE PATTERN IS SIMILAR TO LAST NIGHT AS MOIST UNSTABLE AIR
IN THE SOUTHERN PLAINS IS FORCED OVER A SHARP LOW LEVEL FRONT BY
A STRONG LOW LEVEL JET.  TSTM DEVELOPMENT IS EXPECTED OVERNIGHT
WITH HEAVY RAIN POSSIBLE.  HOWEVER...STRONG FOCUS ON SOUTHEAST NEB
AND SURROUNDING AREAS IS LESS OBVIOUS THAN LAST NIGHT.  2 TO 3 INCHES
OF RAIN FELL IN AN AREA SOUTH OF BIE. A REPEAT IS POSSIBLE
TONIGHT...BUT HEAVY RAIN COULD END UP ELSEWHERE. IT STILL IS
PRUDENT TO ISSUE AN OVERNIGHT FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE AREA THAT
ALREADY HAD HEAVY RAIN.  THE MAIN FEATURE OF ADDITIONAL CONCERN FOR
THIS AREA IS MODEL AGREEMENT ON A PW MAXIMUM AROUND 1 2/3 INCHES
LATER TONIGHT.

WARM FRONT WILL EDGE SLOWLY NORTHWARD INTO THE EARLY PART OF THE WEEKEND
AS A SERIES OF SHORT WAVES EJECT OUT OF THE HUGE WESTERN CLOSED LOW.
THIS WILL KEEP THE AREA GENERALLY COOL WITH PERIODS OF RAIN.

THE PATTERN CHANGES SOMEWHAT ON SUNDAY AS THE WESTERN SYSTEM
SPLITS IN TWO. MODELS SUGGEST THAT THE WARM FRONT WILL ACTUALLY
MAKE IT THROUGH THE AREA. THIS WOULD ALLOW TEMPS TO RISE QUITE A
BIT...BUT LEAVE THE REGION VULNERABLE TO MAINLY NOCTURNAL TSTMS.
BOTH 12Z GFS AND ECMWF FOCUS A LOT OF RAIN ON THE AREA SUNDAY NIGHT
THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT AS A SECONDARY LOW FORMS ON THE CO LEE SLOPE
AND A FRONT EXTENDS EAST OF THIS FEATURE.  THE FRONT THEN GRADUALLY
SINKS SOUTH AS HI PRES DEVELOPS IN THE NORTHERN PLAINS.

WED AND THU MAY END UP MILD AND DRY...BUT EVEN THIS IS NOT A
HIGH CONFIDENCE FORECAST DESPITE OP MODEL AGREEMENT THAT FRONT
WILL DROP INTO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS FOR A FEW DAYS.  THIS IS
BECAUSE UPPER RIDGE DOES NOT BREAK DOWN VERY MUCH.  THIS COULD
WELL RESULT IN SLOW FRONTAL MOVEMENT.

&&

.AVIATION...
FOR TAF SITES KOMA...KLNK AND KOFK.

MVFR CONDITIONS AT ALL SITES IS EXPECTED TO PERSIST THROUGH LATE
EVNG BEFORE CIGS BEGIN TO LIFT...THOUGH WITH WARM FRONT NUDGING
NORTHWARD ONLY SLOWLY...CIGS MAY BE RELUCTANT TO BREAK AT ALL.
EXPECT ANOTHER ROUND OF SHRA WITH EMBEDDED SCT TSRA TNGT INTO EARLY
TMRW...MAINLY AFTER 06Z SOUTH/09Z NORTH AND LIKELY WINDING DOWN
AROUND 13-15Z.  HEAVIER SHRA MAY BRING VIS DOWN INTO MVFR
CATEGORY...WITH BRIEF IFR CIGS NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION.  GUSTY ERLY
WINDS WILL PERSIST THROUGH TNGT INTO TMRW AT ALL SITES AS STRONG
PRESSURE GRADIENT LINGERS.  AFTER SHRA WIND DOWN TMRW MRNG...SHOULD
SEE VFR CONDITIONS INTO EARLY AFTN BEFORE NEXT ROUND OF TSRA.

&&

.OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NE...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM 11 PM CDT THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY
     MORNING FOR NEZ088-089-092.

IA...NONE.
&&

MAYES/POLLACK

Hazardous weather outlook, May 22, 3:46 PM CST, 8 hours 44 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
446 PM CDT THU MAY 22 2008

IAZ043-055-056-069-079-080-090-091-NEZ011-012-015>018-030>034-
042>045-050>053-065>068-078-090-091-093-231200-
MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-
PAGE-KNOX-CEDAR-THURSTON-ANTELOPE-PIERCE-WAYNE-BOONE-MADISON-
STANTON-CUMING-BURT-PLATTE-COLFAX-DODGE-WASHINGTON-BUTLER-
SAUNDERS-DOUGLAS-SARPY-SEWARD-LANCASTER-CASS-OTOE-SALINE-JOHNSON-
NEMAHA-RICHARDSON-
446 PM CDT THU MAY 22 2008

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 FRIDAY

THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY ACROSS THE AREA AGAIN TONIGHT...MAINLY
AFTER MIDNIGHT...WITH HEAVY RAIN POSSIBLE. THUNDERSTORMS WILL
LINGER INTO FRIDAY MORNING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY

PERIODS OF THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE FROM FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH
TUESDAY. THERE IS SOME POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LATE
FRIDAY EVENING...AND A HIGHER POTENTIAL ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED TONIGHT OR FRIDAY.

NEZ088-089-092-231200-
JEFFERSON-GAGE-PAWNEE-
446 PM CDT THU MAY 22 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST
NEBRASKA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT AND FRIDAY

THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY ACROSS THE AREA AGAIN TONIGHT...MAINLY
AFTER MIDNIGHT...WITH HEAVY RAIN AND LOCAL FLOODING POSSIBLE.
A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH 700 AM FRIDAY.
THUNDERSTORMS WILL LINGER INTO FRIDAY MORNING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY

PERIODS OF THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE FROM FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH
TUESDAY. THERE IS SOME POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LATE
FRIDAY EVENING...AND A HIGHER POTENTIAL ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED TONIGHT OR FRIDAY.

FOBERT

The radar

The Omaha radar (KOAX), 107 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 06:27 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning, 1 high wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Madison

When: May 23, 12:30 AM CST to 12:45 AM CST
Where: Madison County, 0.77 mi ESE of Madison to Norfolk
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 41.827, -97.456

Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at close to 60 mph caused damage in the Norfolk area due to uprooted trees which damaged several homes and vehicles. A few trees and large limbs were also downed in the Madison area to the south of Norfolk. Wet ground due to heavy rain over the few days prior to this event may have contributed to how easily the trees were uprooted.

Lightning, Otoe

When: May 23, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Otoe County, Nebraska City
Property damage: $80,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 40.650, -95.850

A lightning strike started a fire that caused an estimated $80,000 damage to a home in Nebraska City.

Thunderstorm Wind, Jefferson

When: May 24, 12:50 AM CST
Where: Jefferson County, 0.87 mi SW of Fairbury
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 40.140, -97.180

The emergency manager of Jefferson county reported that a thunderstorm wind gust of 63 mph was recorded by a weather station near town.

Thunderstorm Wind, Saline

When: May 24, 1:10 AM CST
Where: Saline County, 0.31 mi SSW of De Witt
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 40.396, -96.922

Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 60 to 70 mph caused some tree damage in De Witt.

Thunderstorm Wind, Saline

When: May 24, 1:10 AM CST
Where: Saline County, 0.07 mi SSW of Swanton
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 40.379, -97.080

Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 60 to 70 mph caused some tree damage in Swanton.

High Wind, Lancaster

When: May 24, 1:10 AM CST to 2:10 AM CST
Where: Lancaster forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 40.784, -96.688 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds estimated to gust as high as 60 mph occurred over much of Lincoln for a 30 to 60 minute period during the early morning hours of May 24th. The high winds were in the wake of a thunderstorm complex that tracked south through southeast of the area and were strongest as the storms passed farther from the region. The strong winds downed large tree limbs and knocked down a few trees in town causing areas of power outages. LES reported that 2,500 customers were still without power the next day.

Thunderstorm Wind, Saline

When: May 24, 1:20 AM CST
Where: Saline County, 0.53 mi W of Wilber
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 40.480, -96.960

Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 60 to 70 mph broke large tree limbs in town and damaged several rural outbuildings.

Flash Flood, Platte

When: May 24, 1:50 AM CST to 3:15 AM CST
Where: Platte County, 0.86 mi NW of Platte Center to 1.73 mi NW of Platte Center
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $200
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 41.540, -97.510

Heavy rain caused water to flow over a few roads in the Platte Center area with mud and other debris on the road. The flooding was along Shell Creek tributaries and subsided after a short time.

What these are

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.
Lightning: A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
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 2008 Every state in 2008 This day in weather history Warnings in Nebraska, May 2008

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: 102122, 102154, 89685, 89678, 89679, 93897, 89677, 89683.