Hail and Damaging Wind in Nebraska, July 20, 2009

Name: Hail and Damaging Wind in Nebraska, July 20, 2009
Start: 2009-07-20T16:15
End: 2009-07-20T17:41
Location: Nebraska

July 20, 2009 · NWS GLD · 6 events in 2 counties and zones

An intense supercell developed in western Nebraska during the afternoon and moved south through the evening hours, producing golf ball to softball sized hail and damaging wind gusts to near 80 mph. Millions of dollars in property and crop damage and livestock fatalities and injuries occurred as a result.

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: $7,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 6

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 GLD 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 Goodland, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 20, 1:29 PM MST, 2 hours 46 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 20, 1:29 PM MST, 2 hours 46 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
229 PM MDT MON JUL 20 2009

.DISCUSSION...
228 PM MDT MON JUL 20 2009

THE 20Z SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWS A FRONT ACROSS CENTRAL
NEBRASKA AND AN INVERTED TROUGH EXTENDING NORTHWEST INTO NORTHEAST
COLORADO. RADAR GETTING RETURNS ALONG THE FRONT AND OVER EASTERN
COLORADO. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWING A SHORTWAVE MOVING OUT OF
WYOMING INTO EASTERN COLORADO.

NORTHWEST FLOW CONTINUES THROUGH THURSDAY ACROSS THE CENTRAL PLAINS WITH A
RIDGE OVER THE WESTERN CONUS. SHORTWAVES WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE DOWN
THE EAST SIDE OF THE RIDGE INTO NORTHWEST KANSAS DURING THIS TIME.
AT THE SURFACE...LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE SOUTH ALLOWING HIGH PRESSURE
TO BUILD INTO NORTHWEST KANSAS TONIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE WILL STAY IN
THE AREA THROUGH TUE NIGHT. ANOTHER AREA OF WEAK LOW PRESSURE WILL
MOVE INTO COLORADO WED/THU.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE EVERY DAY THROUGH THU. DIFFICULT TO
PROVIDE DEFINITION DUE TO TIMING ISSUES OF WAVES IN NORTHWEST FLOW.
CONSEQUENTLY ALMOST EVERY AFTERNOON/EVENING PERIOD WILL HAVE AT
LEAST A SLIGHT CHANCE. FOR TONIGHT THERE IS PLENTY OF SHEAR AND CAPE
FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. STORMS SHOULD FIRE ALONG THE TROUGH AND
AHEAD OF THE SURFACE COLD FRONT AND THEN MOVE EAST OUT OF THE
FORECAST AREA AFTER MIDNIGHT. FOR TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND
EVENING...UPSLOPE SHOULD FOCUS ENERGY OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN AND
THEN STORMS WILL MOVE INTO EASTERN COLORADO ZONES. STORMS SHOULD
INITIATE AGAIN WED/THU IN EASTERN COLORADO NEAR A SURFACE TROUGH AND
THEN DRIFT EAST INTO NW KANSAS DURING THE EVENING.

MAX TEMPERATURES WILL BE COOLER IN THE LOWER 80S BEHIND THE COLD
FRONT ON TUESDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL WARM BACK INTO THE UPPER
80S/LOWER 90S WITH RETURN FLOW WED/THU. MIN TEMPERATURES WILL COOL
DOWN INTO THE UPPER 50S TONIGHT/WED NIGHT AND THEN RETURN TO THE
LOW/MID 60S THU NIGHT.

IN THE EXTENDED...NORTHWEST FLOW PERSISTS THROUGH THIS PART OF THE
FORECAST. AT THE SURFACE...A TROUGH WILL BE OVER EASTERN COLORADO ON
FRI AND WILL BE FOLLOWED BY HIGH PRESSURE SAT/SUN. ANOTHER AREA OF
WEAK LOW PRESSURE WILL BE OVER WESTERN KANSAS SUN. POPS WILL BE THE
MAIN CONCERN ONCE AGAIN. IT APPEARS THAT FORCING IS AVAILABLE
THROUGH ALL THE PERIODS EXCEPT SATURDAY. HIGH PRESSURE AND NORTHERLY
SURFACE WIND SHOULD BE ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. OTHERWISE WILL HAVE
SLIGHT CHANCE POPS FOR THE AFTERNOON/EVENING PERIODS.

MAX TEMPERATURES WILL RANGE FROM THE UPPER 80S/LOW 90S. MIN
TEMPERATURES WILL RANGE FROM THE UPPER 50S IN THE WEST TO THE LOWER
60S ELSEWHERE.

FS
&&

.AVIATION...
1212 PM MDT MON JUL 20 2009

FOR THE 18Z TAF CYCLE...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO PREVAIL FOR
BOTH KGLD AND KMCK THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE TAF PERIOD. LATER THIS
AFTERNOON...BETWEEN 21Z AND 06Z...THUNDERSTORMS WILL FORM AND
MOVE THROUGH THE REGION. IF A STRONGER THUNDERSTORM HAPPENS TO
MOVE DIRECTLY OVER EITHER SITE...TAFS WILL NEED TO BE AMENDED TO
REFLECT THE POSSIBLE BRIEF DROP DOWN TO MVFR CONDITIONS. THIS WILL
BE MORE LIKELY FOR KMCK THAN FOR KGLD...INCLUDING LARGER HAIL ALSO
POSSIBLE FOR KMCK DURING THAT TIME.

BLM
&&

.GLD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
KS...NONE.
NE...NONE.
CO...NONE.
&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 20, 1:47 PM MST, 2 hours 28 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
247 PM MDT MON JUL 20 2009

COZ090>092-KSZ001>004-013>016-027>029-041-042-NEZ079>081-211615-
YUMA-KIT CARSON-CHEYENNE CO-CHEYENNE KS-RAWLINS-DECATUR-NORTON-
SHERMAN-THOMAS-SHERIDAN-GRAHAM-WALLACE-LOGAN-GOVE-GREELEY-WICHITA-
DUNDY-HITCHCOCK-RED WILLOW-
247 PM MDT MON JUL 20 2009 /347 PM CDT MON JUL 20 2009/

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EXTREME SOUTHWEST
NEBRASKA...NORTHWEST KANSAS AND EAST CENTRAL COLORADO.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE TRI-STATE AREA LATER TODAY. IT
WILL INTERACT WITH MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIR TO PRODUCE SCATTERED
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE TRI STATE REGION THIS AFTERNOON. SOME OF
THE STRONGER STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE. THE BEST CHANCE FOR SEVERE
STORMS WILL BE EAST OF A LINE FROM YUMA TO LEOTI. THE GREATEST
THREATS WILL BE LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

THE CURRENT WEATHER PATTERN WILL PERSIST OVER THE TRI STATE
REGION...BRINGING A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE TRI STATE
REGION NEARLY EACH AFTERNOON AND EVENING THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.
STORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING
WINDS...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED.

HENDERSON

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 20, 3:48 PM MST, 27 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
448 PM MDT MON JUL 20 2009

NEZ079-202315-
DUNDY-
448 PM MDT MON JUL 20 2009

...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GOODLAND HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR DUNDY COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST NEBRASKA...

AT 443 PM MDT/543 PM CDT/...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR
WAS TRACKING A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF IMPERIAL...AND
MOVING SOUTH AT 35 MPH. IF THIS STORM MAINTAINS ITS STRENGTH...IT
WILL BEGIN TO IMPACT DUNDY COUNTY BY 515 PM MDT.

GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL...AND DAMAGING WINDS OF 60 TO 75 MPH ARE EXPECTED
WITH THIS STORM. BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION IF WARNINGS ARE ISSUED
FOR THE AREA.

JRM

Special weather statement, Jul 20, 3:55 PM MST, 20 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
455 PM MDT MON JUL 20 2009

KSZ001-202330-
CHEYENNE-
555 PM CDT MON JUL 20 2009

...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GOODLAND HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CHEYENNE COUNTY IN NORTHWEST KANSAS...

AT 555 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR ST. FRANCIS...AND MOVING SOUTH AT 25 MPH.

NICKEL SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS TO 55 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.

BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IN THE EVENT THESE STORMS INTENSIFY AND
BECOME SEVERE.

JRM

Local storm report, Jul 20, 4:05 PM MST, 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
505 PM MDT MON JUL 20 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0458 PM     HAIL             ST. FRANCIS             39.77N 101.80W
07/20/2009  E1.75 INCH       CHEYENNE           KS   TRAINED SPOTTER

0500 PM     HAIL             1 NW ST. FRANCIS        39.78N 101.81W
07/20/2009  E1.50 INCH       CHEYENNE           KS   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

HENDERSON

The radar

The Goodland radar (KGLD), 103 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:14 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Dundy

When: July 20, 4:15 PM MST
Where: Dundy County, 16.59 mi N of Parks
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 40.290, -101.730

A third of an inch of rain was also reported.

Hail, Dundy

When: July 20, 4:17 PM MST
Where: Dundy County, 14.66 mi N of Parks
Measured: 4.25 in hail
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 40.260, -101.760

Hail and wind reportedly broke windows in their home.

Hail, Dundy

When: July 20, 4:40 PM MST to 4:45 PM MST
Where: Dundy County, 1.73 mi WNW of Colfer
Measured: 2.5 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.040, -101.900

Golf ball to tennis ball sized hail fell for about 5 minutes.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dundy

When: July 20, 4:40 PM MST to 4:45 PM MST
Where: Dundy County, 0.87 mi SW of Parks
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 40.040, -101.730

Estimated wind gusts of 60 to 70 mph occurred along with quarter size hail. Multiple tree limbs reported down in town by law enforcement. The time of this event was adjusted to 540 pm MDT based on Doppler radar information.

Lightning, Hitchcock

When: July 20, 5:41 PM CST
Where: Hitchcock County, 2.76 mi S of Swanson Lake
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.140, -101.100

Cloud-to-ground lightning started grass fires southwest of Trenton Dam. No known damage to any structure.

Hail, Dundy

When: July 20, 4:50 PM MST
Where: Dundy County, 2.98 mi ESE of Colfer
Measured: 4.25 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.010, -101.820

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.
Lightning: A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Nebraska in 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history Warnings in Nebraska, July 2009

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: 181492, 181493, 181494, 181498, 181501, 181495.