Thunderstorms continued to develop north of a cold front from eastern Nebraska into southwest Iowa during the morning and afternoon of September 18th. The storms produced large hail over portions of northeast Nebraska during the early morning hours, weakened some by mid morning, but regained a little strength toward noon as they crossed into western Iowa.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS OAX wrote it up.
Thunderstorms continued to develop north of a cold front from eastern Nebraska into southwest Iowa during the morning and afternoon of September 18th. The storms produced large hail over portions of northeast Nebraska during the early morning hours, weakened some by mid morning, but regained a little strength toward noon as they crossed into western Iowa.
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 Sep 18, 2:04 AM CST, 8 hours 21 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE 304 AM CDT SAT SEP 18 2010 .DISCUSSION... SEVERE WEATHER THREAT EARLY THIS MORNING AS CONVECTION DEVELOPED FAR NORTH OF THE ACTUAL SURFACE FRONT...MORE NEAR THE H85 FRONT...AND CONTINUES. THE ATMOSPHERE SUPPORTS 1500/2000 J/KG OF MUCAPE WITHIN AN EFFECTIVE SHEAR ZONE OF 40/50 KTS WITHIN AN AREA OF STEEP MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES AND WITHIN A MOIST AXIS OF PW VALUES APPROACHING 1.5 INCHES. FEEL ACTIVITY WILL GENERALLY BE CONFINED TO AREAS ALONG/NORTH OF I80 THIS MORNING AND MAY NOT MAKE IT ALL THE WAY TO THE KS/NE BORDER REGION. THIS ALSO SETS THE STAGE FOR A GENERALLY CLOUDY DAY WITH CONTINUED PRECIPITATION CHANCES...ESPECIALLY NORTHERN HALF OF THE CWFA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT AS ISENTROPIC LIFT CONTINUES ACROSS THE REGION. TEMP FORECAST DAY WILL ALSO BE A CHALLENGE...WITH READINGS REMAINING IN THE LOWER 50S ACROSS NERN NEBRASKA...BUT STILL REACHING THE LOWER 70S ACROSS EXTREME SERN NEBRASKA. FOR SUNDAY...THE MODELS ARE STILL STRUGGLING WITH HANDLING OF THE SURFACE FRONT THAT STALLS TO OUR SOUTH. THE NAM STILL REMAINS THE ODD MODEL OUT IN NOT WANTING TO LIFT THE FRONT NORTH WHILE ALL OTHER MODELS GENERALLY BEGIN LIFTING IT NORTH BY AFTERNOON. THIS RESULTS IN MOS GUIDANCE DISCREPANCIES OF SOME 20 DEGREES BETWEEN MET/MAV. BELIEVE THERE COULD ALSO BE AN ISOLATED SHOWER OR THUNDERSTORM ALONG/NORTH OF THE FRONT SUNDAY AS IT MOVES NORTHWARD THROUGH THE AREA. WITH FRONT WELL TO THE NORTH ON MONDAY...MOSTLY SUNNY...BREEZY AND SUMMERLIKE CONDITIONS DEVELOP ONCE AGAIN WITH HIGHS BACK INTO THE 80S. THIS IS AHEAD OF THE NEXT COLD FRONT THAT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE REGION MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY. DIDN/T HAVE ANY TIME TO LOOK AT THE MIDWEEK FORECAST...BUT THIS FRONT ESSENTIALLY STALLS...THEN LIFTS BACK TO THE NORTH A BIT ON WEDNESDAY...BUT THEN GETS PUSHED SOUTHEAST OF THE REGION TOWARD THE END OF THE WEEK. THUS...SOME UP/DOWN TEMPERATURE PATTERNS WITH CONTINUED CHANCE OF STORMS. && .AVIATION... TAF SITES KOFK/KOMA/KLNK 06Z TAFS THE SFC FRONT IS SOUTH OF KLNK AND KAFK...HOWEVER...A CLUSTER OF STORMS HAS DEVELOPED NORTH OF THE FRONT. FAVORABLE MOISTURE AND LIFT OVER THE FNT WILL PERSIST AS THE FRONT SLOWLY SAGS SOUTHWARD. THE LOW LEVEL JET WILL REMAIN IN A FAVORABLE POSITION THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD...THUS HAVE PERIODS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH MVFR CIGS AND LOCAL IFR VSBYS/CIGS. SOME OF THE STORMS MAY BE SEVERE...THUS WILL INCLUDE HIGHER WINDS AND HAIL AS NEEDED. && .OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...NONE. IA...NONE. && DEWALD/ZAPOTOCNY
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE 553 AM CDT SAT SEP 18 2010 IAZ043-055-056-069-079-080-090-091-NEZ011-012-015>018-030>034- 042>045-050>053-065>068-078-088>093-190100- 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- JEFFERSON-GAGE-JOHNSON-NEMAHA-PAWNEE-RICHARDSON- 553 AM CDT SAT SEP 18 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN NEBRASKA AND SOUTHWEST IOWA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS MORNING ACROSS THE AREA...ALTHOUGH WIDESPREAD SEVERE STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED. HEAVY DOWNPOURS...ALONG WITH SOME SMALL HAIL ARE THE PRIMARY HAZARDS ACROSS NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL NEBRASKA AND WEST CENTRAL IOWA. ISOLATED NON SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MAY STILL BE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND OVERNIGHT ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 80. ALL OF THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BE NORTH OF A FRONTAL BOUNDARY THAT HAS PUSHED THROUGH THE REGION. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL LIFT BACK TO THE NORTH AS A WARM FRONT ON SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP ALONG AND NORTH OF THE FRONT. ANOTHER COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO MOVE INTO THE REGION MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY...THEN PUSH SOUTH OF THE AREA...BUT LIFT BACK TO THE NORTH ON WEDNESDAY. THE FRONT SHOULD THEN GET ANOTHER PUSH FROM THE WEST AND MOVE BACK ACROSS THE REGION ON THURSDAY. THESE VARIOUS FRONTS WILL PROVIDE THE NECESSARY LIFT FOR THUNDERSTORMS CHANCES FROM MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY ACROSS THE REGION. SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION SHOULD NOT BE NEEDED TODAY OR TONIGHT. DEWALD
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA 540 AM CDT SAT SEP 18 2010 IAZ079-181145- MILLS IA- 540 AM CDT SAT SEP 18 2010 ...SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR MILLS COUNTY UNTIL 645 AM CDT... AT 536 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR PLATTSMOUTH...OR 16 MILES SOUTH OF OMAHA...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF NICKELS AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN. LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE... PACIFIC JUNCTION... GLENWOOD... MALVERN... EMERSON... SILVER CITY... HASTINGS... HENDERSON... TORRENTIAL RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND UNDERPASSES...IS ALSO LIKELY. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE ON A FLOODED ROADWAY. ZAPOTOCNY
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA 557 AM CDT SAT SEP 18 2010 NEZ043-044-181145- COLFAX NE-DODGE NE- 557 AM CDT SAT SEP 18 2010 ...SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR DODGE AND EASTERN COLFAX COUNTIES UNTIL 645 AM CDT... AT 553 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES SOUTH OF HOWELLS...OR 20 MILES NORTHEAST OF COLUMBUS...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE... DODGE... SNYDER... NORTH BEND... SCRIBNER... HOOPER... ROGERS... 7 MILES NORTH OF NORTH BEND... DEAD TIMBER STATE RECREATION AREA... FREMONT LAKES STATE RECREATION AREA... ZAPOTOCNY
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA 618 AM CDT SAT SEP 18 2010 NEZ043-181200- COLFAX NE- 618 AM CDT SAT SEP 18 2010 ...SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR NORTHERN COLFAX COUNTY UNTIL 700 AM CDT... AT 615 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR LEIGH...OR 18 MILES NORTH OF COLUMBUS... MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH. HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER IS EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE... CLARKSON... HOWELLS... 9 MILES NORTH OF SCHUYLER... IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. DEWALD
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA 738 AM CDT SAT SEP 18 2010 NEZ044-181315- DODGE NE- 738 AM CDT SAT SEP 18 2010 ...SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR SOUTHEASTERN DODGE COUNTY UNTIL 815 AM CDT... AT 734 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR CEDAR BLUFFS...OR 34 MILES NORTHWEST OF OMAHA...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE... INGLEWOOD... FREMONT... NICKERSON... ZAPOTOCNY
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA
805 AM CDT SAT SEP 18 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0755 AM HAIL FREMONT 41.44N 96.49W
09/18/2010 E0.88 INCH DODGE NE AMATEUR RADIO
PEA TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL IN SOUTHEAST PART OF FREMONT
&&
MILLERSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA 1118 AM CDT SAT SEP 18 2010 IAZ056-181700- SHELBY IA- 1118 AM CDT SAT SEP 18 2010 ...SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR NORTHERN SHELBY COUNTY UNTIL NOON CDT... AT 1117 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR DEFIANCE...OR 51 MILES NORTHEAST OF OMAHA...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF NICKELS IS EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN. LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE... IRWIN... KIRKMAN... THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY. MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. TORRENTIAL RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND UNDERPASSES...IS ALSO LIKELY. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE ON A FLOODED ROADWAY. EASTLACK
The Omaha radar (KOAX), 102 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:25 UTC.
1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
The hail was mostly nickel-size, but a few stones were as big as quarters.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, September 2010
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: 253364.