As deep low pressure occurred along the front range of the Rockies, a tight pressure gradient developed across western and north central Nebraska. Southerly winds of 35 to 45 mph with a few gusts to near 60 mph occurred during the afternoon and early evening hours on October 6th.
Every event with a place to put it; 22 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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 LBF wrote it up.
As deep low pressure occurred along the front range of the Rockies, a tight pressure gradient developed across western and north central Nebraska. Southerly winds of 35 to 45 mph with a few gusts to near 60 mph occurred during the afternoon and early evening hours on October 6th.
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 North Platte, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Oct 6, 11:46 AM CST, 14 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE 1246 PM CDT THU OCT 6 2011 .AVIATION... TWO CONCERNS GOING FOR THE 18Z TAF ISSUANCE...THE FIRST IS THE ONGOING GUSTY WIND. STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS ALL OF WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA...WITH GUST POTENTIAL OF GREATER THAN 40KTS AT BOTH THE KLBF AND KVTN TERMINALS. THE SECOND CONCERN REVOLVES AROUND SEVERE THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. A SURFACE LOW CONTINUES TO DEEPEN ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS OF COLORADO AND WYOMING EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. WITH MOISTURE INCREASING AHEAD OF THIS LOW...STORMS WILL DEVELOP FIRST ACROSS THE HIGH PLAINS...THEN DRIFT INTO A MORE FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT OVER WESTERN NEBRASKA. ISOLATED SUPERCELLS MAY BE POSSIBLE ACROSS NORTHWEST NEBRASKA AFTER 21Z AS SUGGESTED BY THE HRRR...THEN FURTHER STORM DEVELOPMENT IS LIKELY FURTHER SOUTH AND EAST ALONG A EASTWARD PROGRESSING DRYLINE. THE STORMS SHOULD CONGEAL INTO A LINE THAT WILL QUICKLY PUSH EAST ACROSS THE REGION. USING NEAR TERM MODEL SOLUTIONS...STORMS WOULD IMPACT THE VTN AND/OR LBF TERMINAL SHORTLY AFTER 00Z TONIGHT WITH HAIL AND STRONG WIND GUSTS BEING THE PRIMARY THREAT. WITH THE QUICK MOVING NATURE OF THIS LINE OF STORMS...WOULD EXPECT A RETURN TO VFR BEFORE OR SHORTLY AFTER 09Z TONIGHT AS DRIER AIR WORKS IN FROM THE WEST. && PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 346 AM CDT THU OCT 6 2011/ DISCUSSION...VERY INVOLVED FORECAST TODAY...WITH MANY THINGS TO LOOK AT. FIRST IS THE ANTICIPATED HIGH WIND EVENT. BUFKIT DATA...MAV GUIDANCE...AND NAM 500 METER WIND SPEEDS ALL SUGGEST HIGH WIND WARNING CRITERIA WILL BE MET THIS AFTERNOON. THE ONLY AREA TO ESCAPE THE HIGHEST WINDS WILL BE KEYA PAHA...HOLT...WHEELER...AND GARFIELD COUNTIES. WILL GO WITH A WIND ADVISORY IN THESE AREAS...AND ISSUE A HIGH WIND WARNING FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA. OF NOTE...A SIMILAR SYNOPTIC SET UP ON APRIL 13TH 2010 HAD DEEPENING LOW PRESSURE AT THE SFC ACROSS NORTHEAST WYOMING/SOUTHEAST MONTANA AND PRODUCED STRONG DAMAGING SOUTH WINDS ACROSS MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA. SO WITH THE LOW DEEPENING IN THAT SAME GENERAL AREA TODAY...AND MODEL DATA SUPPORTING HIGH WINDS...CONFIDENT A HIGH WIND WARNING IS NECESSARY. THE NEXT CONCERN IS CONVECTION THAT NEARLY ALL MODELS BREAK OUT AS UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT/JET DYNAMICS ARRIVE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. MLCAPE VALUES AROUND 1000 J/KG AND LIFTED INDEX NEAR -6 WOULD SUGGEST A RATHER UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT. NEGATIVE FOR WIDESPREAD SEVERE WILL BE THE LACK OF STRONGER CAPE IN SUCH A STRONGLY SHEARED ENVIRONMENT. NEVERTHELESS WIND DAMAGE IS LIKELY WITH SOME OF THE STORMS AS THE STRONGER H85 WINDS OF 70 KTS MIX TO THE SFC WITHIN STORMS. HAIL IS ALSO SOMEWHAT OF A THREAT...AND ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST NEBRASKA GOOD HODOGRAPH CURVATURE DEVELOPS THIS EVENING WITH A STRENGTHENING LOW LEVEL JET. 0 TO 3 KM SRH VALUES INCREASE MARKEDLY AT THIS TIME AS WELL...BUT THE RATHER MEAGER LOW LEVEL MOISTURE SHOULD KEEP ANY TORNADO THREAT AT A MINIMUM. SHOULD SEE A BREAK IN THE PRECIP DURING THE DAY FRIDAY AS THE FIRST UPPER LEVEL LOW MOVES NORTHEAST AWAY FROM OUR AREA INTO SOUTHERN CANADA. MORE ENERGY DIVING INTO THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES WILL SPIN UP ANOTHER LOW WHICH BECOMES CUT OFF AND NEGATIVELY TILTED ACROSS COLORADO SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY. GFS WEAKENS THIS LOW TO QUICKLY ON SUNDAY WHEN COMPARED TO IT/S ENSEMBLES AND ECMWF...SO HAVE TAILORED THE FORECAST TOWARD THE ENSEMBLES AND ECMWF. THIS MEANS INCREASING CHANCES FOR SHWRS/TSTMS ARRIVE SATURDAY AND THEN CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY. COULD BE SOME BENEFICIAL RAIN...ESPECIALLY ALONG AND SOUTHEAST OF AN AINSWORTH TO NORTH PLATTE LINE. SYSTEM QUICKLY DEPARTS TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE AREA SUNDAY NIGHT...WITH THE RAIN THREAT HAVING ENDED BY MONDAY. SHOULD SEE A QUICK WARM UP /HIGHS BACK INTO THE 70S/ ON TUESDAY BEFORE A COLD FRONT ARRIVES WEDNESDAY. COULD SEE A FEW SHOWERS WITH THE FRONT BUT WIDESPREAD PRECIP IS NOT EXPECTED. TAYLOR FIRE WEATHER...DEWPOINTS HAVE RECOVERED OVER WESTERN NEBRASKA WITH MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY EXPECTED IN THE 30 TO 40 PERCENT RANGE TODAY. THIS WILL HELP TO ALLEVIATE FIRE DANGER BUT FUELS ARE VERY DRY AND HIGH WINDS EXPECTED TODAY OVER MOST OF WESTERN NEBRASKA. IF A FIRE SHOULD START IT COULD SPREAD QUICKLY. PRECIPITATION EXPECTED OVER WESTERN NEBRASKA TONIGHT WILL ALLEVIATE FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS. MP HYDROLOGY...FLOWS ALONG THE NORTH PLATTE RIVER CONTINUE ELEVATED. THE FLOOD WARNING AT LEWELLEN WAS CANCELLED MONDAY MORNING OCTOBER 3RD 2011. THE NORTH PLATTE RIVER AT LEWELLEN REMAINS ABOVE ACTION STAGE WHICH IS 6 FEET. THE RIVER AT LEWELLEN WILL CONTINUE A SLOW FALL THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND MAY DROP BELOW ACTION STAGE BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK DUE TO REDUCED RELEASES FROM THE WYOMING RESERVOIRS UPSTREAM. RELEASES HAVE BEEN REDUCED FROM LAKE MC CONAUGHY AND THE GAGE READING AT NORTH PLATTE ON THE NORTH PLATTE RIVER CONTINUES A SLOW FALL. THE RIVER MAY FINALLY FALL BELOW FLOOD STAGE BY THE WEEKEND. WITH THE REDUCED FLOWS ALONG THE NORTH PLATTE RIVER THE PLATTE RIVER AT BRADY HAS FALLEN BELOW ACTION STAGE AND WILL CONTINUE TO FALL SLOWLY. RAIN IS EXPECTED TONIGHT AND FRIDAY WITH A QUARTER TO A HALF INCH OF PRECIPITATION EXPECTED. THIS IS NOT EXPECTED TO AFFECT RIVER LEVELS SIGNIFICANTLY. MP && .LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 10 PM CDT /9 PM MDT/ THIS EVENING FOR NEZ004>006-008-009-022>027-035>038-056>059-069>071-094. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR NEZ007-010-028- 029. && SHORT TERM/EXTENDED...TAYLOR AVIATION...JACOBS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE 1053 AM CDT THU OCT 6 2011 NEZ004>010-022>029-035>038-056>059-069>071-094-071600- SHERIDAN-EASTERN CHERRY-KEYA PAHA-BOYD-BROWN-ROCK-HOLT-GARDEN- GRANT-HOOKER-THOMAS-BLAINE-LOUP-GARFIELD-WHEELER-ARTHUR-MCPHERSON- LOGAN-CUSTER-DEUEL-KEITH-PERKINS-LINCOLN-CHASE-HAYES-FRONTIER- WESTERN CHERRY- 1053 AM CDT THU OCT 6 2011 /953 AM MDT THU OCT 6 2011/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SURFACE LOW PRESSURE ALONG THE FRONT RANGE OF THE ROCKIES WILL CONTINUE TO DEEPEN...IN RESPONSE A TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL DEVELOP OVER WESTERN NEBRASKA TODAY WITH SOUTHERLY WINDS INCREASING THROUGH THE DAY TO 35 TO 45 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 60 MPH. A HIGH WIND WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR MOST OF WESTERN NEBRASKA. ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA...A WIND ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED WHERE WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH MAY BE POSSIBLE. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TO THE WEST OF A LINE FROM AINSWORTH TO BROKEN BOW LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER WESTERN NEBRASKA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND SPREAD EAST OVERNIGHT. STORMS THAT DEVELOP WILL QUICKLY PUSH NORTH NORTHEAST. THE MAIN THREAT WITH STORMS THAT DEVELOP WILL BE DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WINDS AND HAIL BUT AN ISOLATED TORNADO IS POSSIBLE ACROSS NORTHWEST NEBRASKA. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING ALONG AND EAST OF AN O'NEILL TO MASON CITY LINE. STRONG THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS AND HAIL WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THE STORMS FRIDAY. EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR MAY BE POSSIBLE ALONG AND WEST OF A AINSWORTH TO STOCKVILLE LINE ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON. WIND GUSTS EXCEEDING 20 MPH WILL COMBINE WITH DRY ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS AND CURED FUELS TO PROMOTE EXTREME FIRE GROWTH. A RED FLAG WARNING MAY BE NEEDED FRIDAY AFTERNOON. THOSE PLANNING HARVESTING OPERATIONS NEED TO CONTINUE TO EXERCISE CAUTION. THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE OVER WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA AS AN UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM EJECTS OUT OF THE FOUR CORNERS AREA SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY. STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF HEAVY RAINFALL SOUTH AND EAST OF A LINE FROM VALENTINE TO OGALLALA. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED...ESPECIALLY ACROSS NORTHWEST NEBRASKA. && THIS PRODUCT IS NOW AVAILABLE...ALONG WITH OTHER WEATHER... HYDROLOGICAL AND CLIMATOLOGICAL INFORMATION...AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/NORTHPLATTE JACOBS
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
22 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
High winds of 35 to 45 mph with a few gusts to near 60 mph occurred across Hayes County during the afternoon and early evening hours. Nearby Imperial ASOS often indicated measured 40 mph sustained winds between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. CST with a peak wind gust of 61 mph at 245 p.m. CST.
High winds of 35 to 45 mph with a few gusts to near 60 mph occurred across Frontier County during the afternoon and early evening hours. Nearby McCook ASOS often indicated measured 40 mph sustained winds between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. CST.
High winds of 35 to 45 mph with a few gusts to near 60 mph occurred across Lincoln County during the afternoon and evening hours. North Platte ASOS measured a peak gust of 59 mph at 303 p.m. CST.
High winds of 35 to 45 mph with a few gusts to near 60 mph occurred across Logan County during the afternoon and evening hours. Nearby Thedford AWOS measured a peak gust of 59 mph at 755 p.m. CST.
High winds of 35 to 45 mph with a few gusts to near 60 mph occurred across Blaine County during the afternoon and evening hours. Nearby Thedford AWOS measured a peak gust of 59 mph at 755 p.m. CST.
High winds of 35 to 45 mph with a few gusts to near 60 mph occurred across McPherson County during the afternoon and evening hours. North Platte ASOS measured a peak gust of 59 mph at 303 p.m. CST.
High winds of 35 to 45 mph with a few gusts to near 60 mph occurred across Custer County during the afternoon and evening hours. Broken Bow ASOS measured a peak gust of 59 mph at 233 p.m. CST.
High winds of 35 to 45 mph with gusts to near 60 mph occurred across Sheridan County during the afternoon hours. Nearby Alliance ASOS measured 40 mph sustained winds between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. MST.
High winds of 35 to 45 mph with gusts to 60 mph occurred across Garden County during the afternoon hours. Nearby Sidney ASOS often measured 40 mph sustained winds between 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. MST with a peak gust of 60 mph at 338 p.m. MST.
High winds of 35 to 45 mph with gusts to 60 mph occurred across Deuel County during the afternoon hours. Nearby Sidney ASOS often measured 40 mph sustained winds between 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. MST with a peak gust of 60 mph at 338 p.m. MST.
High winds of 35 to 45 mph with gusts to near 60 mph occurred across Grant County during the afternoon hours. Nearby Alliance ASOS measured 40 mph sustained winds between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. MST.
High winds of 35 to 45 mph with a few gusts to near 60 mph occurred across Keith County during the afternoon hours. Ogallala AWOS often indicated measured 40 mph sustained winds between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. MST with a peak wind gust of 61 mph at 343 p.m. MST.
High winds of 35 to 45 mph with a few gusts to near 60 mph occurred across Arthur County during the afternoon hours. Surrounding ASOS and AWOS often indicated measured 40 mph sustained winds between 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. MST.
High winds of 35 to 45 mph with a few gusts to near 60 mph occurred across Perkins County during the afternoon hours. Nearby Ogallala AWOS often indicated measured 40 mph sustained winds between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. MST with a peak wind gust of 61 mph at 343 p.m. MST.
High winds of 35 to 45 mph with a few gusts to near 60 mph occurred across Chase County during the afternoon hours. Imperial ASOS often indicated measured 40 mph sustained winds between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. MST with a peak wind gust of 61 mph at 145 p.m. MST.
High winds of 35 to 45 mph with a few gusts to near 60 mph occurred across Hooker County during the afternoon and evening hours. Nearby Thedford AWOS measured a peak gust of 59 mph at 755 p.m. CST.
High winds of 35 to 45 mph with a few gusts to near 60 mph occurred across Loup County during the afternoon and evening hours. Broken Bow ASOS measured a peak gust of 58 mph at 233 p.m. CST.
High winds of 35 to 45 mph with gusts to near 60 mph occurred across eastern Cherry County during the afternoon and evening hours. Valentine ASOS measured 40 mph sustained winds between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. MST with a peak gust of 58 mph at 542 p.m. CST.
High winds of 35 to 45 mph with gusts to near 60 mph occurred across Keya Paha County during the afternoon and evening hours. Nearby Valentine ASOS measured 40 mph sustained winds between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. CST with a peak gust of 58 mph at 542 p.m. CST.
High winds of 35 to 45 mph with gusts to near 60 mph occurred across Brown County during the afternoon and evening hours. Ainsworth AWOS measured 40 mph sustained winds between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. CST with a peak gust of 58 mph at 555 p.m. CST.
High winds of 35 to 45 mph with gusts to near 60 mph occurred across Rock County during the afternoon and evening hours. Nearby Ainsworth AWOS often measured 40 mph sustained winds between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. CST with a peak gust of 58 mph at |555 p.m. CST.
High winds of 35 to 45 mph with gusts to near 60 mph occurred across western Cherry County during the afternoon and evening hours. Nearby Valentine ASOS measured 40 mph sustained winds between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. MST.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nebraska in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Nebraska, October 2011
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: 344096, 344097, 344098, 344100, 344101, 344106, 344113, 344052, 344075, 344077, 344078, 344083, 344084, 344085, 344088, 344103, 344112, 344059, 344063, 344069, 344111, 344053.