Hail and Damaging Winds in Nebraska, March 23, 2009

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Nebraska, March 23, 2009
Start: 2009-03-23T11:00
End: 2009-03-23T21:00
Location: Nebraska

March 23, 2009 · NWS GID · 21 events in 13 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 12 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: $70,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 21

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 GID wrote it up.

A strong, slow moving upper level low pressure system shifted east out of the Rocky Mountains and onto the plains during the daytime hours of March 23rd. A well vertically stacked system, it brought strong winds as well as thunderstorms to portions of South Central Nebraska. With strong forcing and a tight pressure gradient across the area, this lead to widespread sustained wind speeds of 35 to 40 mph and gusts near 60 mph, which lingered into the evening hours. These winds blew some dust around, causing some problems for travelers, also making it difficult to fight a number of wildfires which developed across the area. Some strong to severe thunderstorms developed during the afternoon hours, dropping penny to half dollar size hail across eastern portions of the area, with some damage reported in Hamilton and Fillmore Counties.

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 Hastings, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 23, 10:14 AM CST, 46 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 23, 10:14 AM CST, 46 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
1114 AM CDT MON MAR 23 2009

.UPDATE...WINDS CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN ACROSS THE CWA THIS
MORNING...WITH WINDS NEARING HIGH WIND WARNING LIMITS ACROSS OUR
SOUTHEAST. LATEST DATA CONTINUES TO INDICATE STRONG WINDS OUT
AHEAD OF THE DRY LINE CURRENTLY ENTERING SOUTHWESTERN PORTIONS OF
OUR CWA...WITH GUIDANCE SUGGESTING THE STRONGEST WINDS ALONG AND
SOUTH OF I-80 AND ALONG AND EAST OF HIGHWAY 183. HAVE GONE AHEAD
AND ISSUED A HIGH WIND WARNING FOR OUR SOUTHEAST THROUGH
00Z...WITH A WIND ADVISORY CONTINUING FARTHER NORTHWEST.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 654 AM CDT MON MAR 23 2009/

AVIATION...12Z KGRI TAF. VERY WINDY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TODAY
WITH SOUTH WINDS GUSTING TO WELL OVER 40 KTS. MVFR CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED AS THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOP NEAR THE TERMINAL AND MOVE EAST.
SOME STORMS COULD BE SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND.
STORMS SHOULD BE EAST OF THE TERMINAL BY LATE AFTERNOON...WITH
WINDS SWITCHING TO THE WEST BUT REMAINING QUITE WINDY.

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 351 AM CDT MON MAR 23 2009/

DISCUSSION...FOCUS IS ON TSTMS/SVR POTENTIAL AND VERY STRONG WINDS
TODAY AS A POTENT UPPER LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM LIFTS ACROSS NEBRASKA
TODAY. SATELLITE AND EVENING UPPER AIR ANALYSIS PLACED THE POTENT
LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IN EASTERN UTAH. HEIGHT FALLS AT H5 WERE ON
THE ORDER OF 150M NEAR THE FOUR CORNERS REGION. A 110KT H3 JET WAS
ROUNDING THE BASE OF THE SYSTEM. MODELS ARE CONSISTENT IN TRACKING
THE LOW INTO EASTERN COLORADO THIS MORNING...THEN LIFTING THE
SYSTEM NORTH INTO NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA/SOUTHERN SOUTH DAKOTA
THIS EVENING/TONIGHT.

AT THE SURFACE AT 07Z...A 988MB SURFACE LOW WAS LOCATED NEAR KSNY
WITH A TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT IN PLACE ACROSS THE CENTRAL PLAINS.
PROFILER DATA INDICATES AN INTENSE LOWLEVEL JET OF 60 TO 70KTS
ORIENTED FROM OKLAHOMA THROUGH NEBRASKA.  SURFACE WINDS HAVE
INTERMITTENTLY REACHED WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA AT KEAR...KLXN...KHDE
IN THE LAST COUPLE OF HOURS AND GIVEN THE STRONG WINDS ALREADY IN
PLACE WILL GO AHEAD AND BUMP UP THE ONSET TIME OF THE CURRENT WIND
ADVISORY TODAY.  FORECAST SOUNDINGS SUGGEST MIXING MAY REACH HEIGHTS
NEAR H75 WHERE WIND SPEEDS EXCEED 40KTS...AND WILL NEED TO MONITOR
FOR HIGH WIND WARNING POTENTIAL...BUT FOR NOW HAVE KEPT WINDS AT A
HIGH END ADVISORY.

A FEW THUNDERSTORMS HAD DEVELOPED ACROSS OUR EASTERN CWA OR JUST
EAST OF OUR CWA...WHICH IS ALIGNED WELL WITH ISENTROPIC LIFT AS
INDICATED ON THE 310K SURFACE. THE CONVECTION IS EXPECTED TO
CONTINUE TO SHIFT NORTHEASTWARD THIS MORNING...THEN REDEVELOPMENT
IS EXPECTED BY LATE MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON. THE SURFACE LOW AND
NEARLY STACKED SYSTEM PUSHES INTO OUR WESTERN NEB CWA AROUND
MIDDAY...WITH THE DRYLINE EXTENDING SOUTH INTO OUR WESTERN KS
COUNTIES. INSTABILITY IS MARGINAL AROUND MIDDAY BUT INCREASES TO
NEAR 1000 J/KG ACROSS OUR EASTERN CWA DURING THE AFTN. TREMENDOUS
DEEP LAYER SHEAR IS PRESENT AND TSTMS SHOULD INITIATE ALONG/AHEAD
OF THE ADVANCING SURFACE LOW/DRY LINE/COLD FRONT ACROSS OUR WEST
CENTRAL CWA. STORMS SHOULD BECOME LINEAR AND DAMAGING WINDS/LARGE
HAIL WILL BE THE PRIMARY HAZARDS AS THEY RAPIDLY TRACK TO THE
NORTH NORTHEAST. CANNOT COMPLETELY RULE OUT ISOLATED TORNADOES ACROSS OUR
FAR EASTERN CWA. OVERALL SHOULD BE A QUICK SVR EVENT OVERALL WITH
THE FAST STORM MOTION...AND THE SURFACE LOW QUICKLY LIFTS NORTHEAST
INTO NORTHEAST NEBRASKA BY 00Z WITH THE ASSOCIATED DRY LINE THRU
ALL BUT OUR FAR EASTERN COUNTIES.

THE COLD FRONT SWEEPS THROUGH AFTER DARK AND ALTHOUGH MAIN
WRAPAROUND SHOULD REMAIN TO OUR NORTH...THERE IS AN OUTSIDE CHANCE
FOR A RAIN/SNOW MIX OR SOME SNOW ACROSS OUR NORTHWEST CWA.  COLD AIR
CONTINUES TO ADVECT SOUTH ON TUESDAY AND TEMPERATURES WILL BE MUCH
COLDER AND STRUGGLE IN THE 30S IN OUR NORTH...WITH 40S IN OUR
SOUTH.  LIGHT SNOW POTENTIAL WILL LINGER ACROSS OUR NORTH/NORTHWEST
COUNTIES ON TUESDAY AND WINDS WILL REMAIN STRONG AND GUSTY...THIS
TIME FROM THE NORTHWEST.  FORECAST SOUNDINGS SUGGEST MIXING ON
TUESDAY WILL REACH H85 WITH WIND SPEEDS JUST OVER 30KTS AND WILL
NEED TO MONITOR FOR ANOTHER POTENTIAL WIND ADVISORY.

THE SYSTEM FINALLY LIFTS INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST TUESDAY NIGHT AND
THE FORECAST DRIES...AND THE AIRMASS WILL BEGIN TO MODERATE. HIGH
TEMPS ON WEDNESDAY SHOULD CLIMB BACK INTO THE 50S.

ANOTHER SYSTEM IS ON THE HORIZON FOR THE END OF THE WEEK/INTO THE
WEEKEND BUT HAVE NOT MADE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE EXTENDED ATTM.

AVIATION....AVIATION...06Z KGRI TAF. WILL MORE THAN LIKELY STAY DRY
TONIGHT...BUT EXPECT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP AROUND
KGRI BY LATE MORNING TO EARLY AFTERNOON. BEST SHOT AT SEEING
THUNDERSTORMS CURRENTLY APPEARS TO BE IN THE 17Z TO 20Z WINDOW.
LOW STRATUS DECK IS EXPECTED TO PERSIST WITH MVFR CONDITIONS
THROUGH AT LEAST MID DAY AND POSSIBLY LONGER. WINDS WILL BE AN
ISSUE TODAY WITH ADVISORY LEVEL SOUTH WINDS THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
SOME OF THE EARLY AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE.

&&

.GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NE...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR NEZ061>064-
     074>077-084>087.

     WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR NEZ039>041-046>049-
     060-072-073-082-083.

KS...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR KSZ006-007-018-
     019.

     WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR KSZ005-017.

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 23, 10:08 AM CST, 52 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
1108 AM CDT MON MAR 23 2009

KSZ005-017-NEZ039>041-046>049-060-072-073-082-083-241200-
PHILLIPS-ROOKS-VALLEY-GREELEY-NANCE-SHERMAN-HOWARD-MERRICK-POLK-
DAWSON-GOSPER-PHELPS-FURNAS-HARLAN-
1108 AM CDT MON MAR 23 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA AND
PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS...GENERALLY NORTH OF I-80 AND
WEST OF HIGHWAY 183.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM FOR WIND SPEEDS OF 25 TO
35 MPH AND GUSTS TO NEAR 45 MPH.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE BETWEEN NOON AND 7 PM...PRIMARILY
EAST OF A LINE FROM LEXINGTON TO PHILLIPSBURG. THE MAIN HAZARDS
FROM THE STORMS WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS OF 60 MPH AND HAIL TO THE
SIZE OF GOLF BALLS. ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE...GENERALLY
EAST OF HIGHWAY 281.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

ON TUESDAY...NORTHWEST WINDS WILL AVERAGE 25 TO 35 MPH AND GUST TO
40 MPH. ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL IS POSSIBLE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY
EVENING.

&&

MORE INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED AT THE FOLLOWING WEB PAGE:
   HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/HASTINGS  (ALL LOWERCASE)

KSZ006-007-018-019-NEZ061>064-074>077-084>087-241200-
SMITH-JEWELL-OSBORNE-MITCHELL-BUFFALO-HALL-HAMILTON-YORK-KEARNEY-
ADAMS-CLAY-FILLMORE-FRANKLIN-WEBSTER-NUCKOLLS-THAYER-
1108 AM CDT MON MAR 23 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA AND
PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS...GENERALLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-80
AND ALONG AND EAST OF HIGHWAY 183.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM FOR WIND SPEEDS OF 35
TO 45 MPH AND GUSTS TO NEAR 50 MPH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE BETWEEN NOON AND 7 PM...PRIMARILY
EAST OF A LINE FROM LEXINGTON TO PHILLIPSBURG. THE MAIN HAZARDS
FROM THE STORMS WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS OF 60 MPH AND HAIL TO THE
SIZE OF GOLF BALLS. ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE...GENERALLY
EAST OF HIGHWAY 281.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY
EVENING.

&&

MORE INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED AT THE FOLLOWING WEB PAGE:
   HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/HASTINGS  (ALL LOWERCASE)

The radar

The Grand Island radar (KUEX), 23 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:12 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 high wind, 6 hail, 3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Adams

When: March 23, 11:00 AM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where: Adams forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 40.525, -98.501 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Buffalo

When: March 23, 11:00 AM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where: Buffalo forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 40.855, -99.075 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Clay

When: March 23, 11:00 AM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where: Clay forecast zone
Measured: 59 kt (68 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 40.524, -98.051 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Fillmore

When: March 23, 11:00 AM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where: Fillmore forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 40.525, -97.596 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Franklin

When: March 23, 11:00 AM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where: Franklin forecast zone
Measured: 59 kt (68 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 40.176, -98.953 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Hall

When: March 23, 11:00 AM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where: Hall forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 40.873, -98.502 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Hamilton

When: March 23, 11:00 AM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where: Hamilton forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 40.874, -98.023 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Kearney

When: March 23, 11:00 AM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where: Kearney forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 40.507, -98.948 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Nuckolls

When: March 23, 11:00 AM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where: Nuckolls forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 40.176, -98.047 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Thayer

When: March 23, 11:00 AM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where: Thayer forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 40.176, -97.595 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Webster

When: March 23, 11:00 AM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where: Webster forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 40.176, -98.500 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, York

When: March 23, 11:00 AM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where: York forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 40.873, -97.597 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Hamilton

When: March 23, 1:14 PM CST
Where: Hamilton County, Aurora
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 40.870, -98.000

Thunderstorm Wind, Hamilton

When: March 23, 1:15 PM CST
Where: Hamilton County, 0.69 mi S of Giltner to 1.66 mi WSW of Murphy
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $30,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 40.770, -98.150

Accompanied by nickel size hail. Damage to siding and windows on the south side of numerous homes was reported, as well as damage to approximately 15 pivots. Two semi trucks were blown over on Highway 34, with no injuries.

Hail, York

When: March 23, 1:25 PM CST
Where: York County, 1.04 mi W of Bradshaw
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 40.880, -97.750

Hail reported covering the ground.

Hail, Polk

When: March 23, 1:40 PM CST
Where: Polk County, 1.04 mi E of Polk
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 41.080, -97.780

Accompanied by estimated winds of 50 mph.

Hail, York

When: March 23, 1:50 PM CST
Where: York County, 2.96 mi SSW of Mc Cool Jct
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.710, -97.600

Hail reported covering the ground.

Hail, Thayer

When: March 23, 1:58 PM CST
Where: Thayer County, 2.73 mi ESE of Deshler
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 40.140, -97.670

Thunderstorm Wind, Polk

When: March 23, 2:00 PM CST
Where: Polk County, 2.5 mi ENE of Shelby
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 41.220, -97.390

Accompanied by dime size hail.

Thunderstorm Wind, Fillmore

When: March 23, 2:25 PM CST to 2:30 PM CST
Where: Fillmore County, 2.6 mi ENE of Fairmont
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 40.641, -97.522

Reports received included snapped power poles, overturned pivot, as well as an accident involving an overturned semi truck.

Hail, Fillmore

When: March 23, 2:30 PM CST
Where: Fillmore County, 0.69 mi S of Exeter
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 40.640, -97.450

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
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.

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, March 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: 160168, 160169, 160170, 160171, 160172, 160173, 160174, 160175, 160176, 160177, 160178, 160179, 158122, 158128, 158123, 158124, 158125, 158126, 158129, 160161, 158127.