Thunderstorms developed late in the afternoon of June 14th along and ahead of a cold front that moved into eastern Nebraska. Temperatures in the 90s ahead of the front combined with dew point temperatures in the mid 60s to near 70 and created moderately unstable conditions.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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 OAX wrote it up.
Thunderstorms developed late in the afternoon of June 14th along and ahead of a cold front that moved into eastern Nebraska. Temperatures in the 90s ahead of the front combined with dew point temperatures in the mid 60s to near 70 and created moderately unstable conditions. The thunderstorms developed into a line producing large hail and training of the cells brought areas of heavy rain. Areas of damaging winds also occurred in the line.
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 Jun 14, 2:20 PM CST, 55 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE 320 PM CDT THU JUN 14 2012 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT. LATEST WATER VAPOR IMAGERY AND SUBJECTIVE MORNING UPPER AIR ANALYSIS INDICATE A COUPLE OF WEAK IMPULSES MOVING ACROSS THE CENTRAL ROCKIES AND INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS TODAY. TAIL END OF NRN PLAINS COLD FRONT HAS NOW PUSHED INTO OUR FAR NWRN CWA WHERE CONVECTION SHOULD BEGIN TO DEVELOP LATER THIS AFTERNOON. AIRMASS AHEAD OF THIS COLD FRONT CONTINUES TO DESTABILIZE WITH MOIST ADVECTION AND DAYTIME HEATING. BULK OF PREVIOUS FORECAST IS RIGHT ON TRACK BUT DID ADD MENTION OF HEAVY RAINFALL FOR TWO REASONS. THE FIRST BEING THE RICH THETA-E AIRMASS ACROSS THE REGION WITH PW'S FORECAST AROUND 1.50-1.90". THE SECOND REASON IS BECAUSE OF THE SLOW NATURE OF ANTICIPATED STORM MOTION. HPC HAS PUT THE AREA IN A SLIGHT RISK FOR EXCESSIVE RAINFALL. KERN .LONG TERM...FRIDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS WILL FOCUS AROUND TIMING AND COVERAGE OF CONVECTION OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. MAIN BELT OF MID/UPPER TROPOSPHERIC WESTERLIES EXTENDS FROM THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST INTO THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES REGION. MAIN CHUNK OF ENERGY (WITH 500 MB HEIGHT FALLS ESTIMATED AT AROUND 70 METERS) WAS PUNCHING EAST/NORTHEAST ACROSS MANITOBA AND NORTH DAKOTA. THAT FEATURE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE REGION. A RIDGE ALOFT STRETCHED FROM TEXAS TOWARD THE OHIO VALLEY. PATTERN WILL BE CHANGING THROUGH SATURDAY...AS A CUTOFF LOW FORMS OVER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FRIDAY THEN DROPS SOUTH. A FAIRLY STRONG SHORTWAVE WILL BE MOVING FROM THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS ON SATURDAY. THIS WILL HELP DRIVE A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE REGION. FRIDAY...MODELS INDICATE A FRONTAL BOUNDARY IN THE AREA WITH FAIRLY HIGH MOISTURE IN PLACE (850 MB DEWPOINTS MOSTLY 10-15 C AND PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES MOSTLY 1.25 TO 1.50 INCHES). HAVE KEPT POPS FROM 20-50 PERCENT. COMBINATION OF PARAMETERS SEEMS MOST FAVORABLE FOR THE SOUTHEAST 1/2 OF THE AREA. PRECIPITABLE WATER INCREASES TO OVER 1.50 INCHES FRIDAY NIGHT AND BUMPED POPS UP TO THE 20-60 PERCENT RANGE FOR ALL OF THE AREA. POTENTIAL STORMY PATTERN REMAINS IN PLACE SATURDAY...THEN AS FRONTAL BOUNDARY SAGS SOUTH SATURDAY NIGHT FOCUS MOVES MORE DOWN INTO MISSOURI AND KANSAS. FARTHER OUT...THERE IS STILL PRETTY GOOD MODEL AGREEMENT WITH THE LARGE SCALE PATTERN. VERY FAST NEARLY ZONAL FLOW AT 500 MB SHOULD BE IN PLACE BY SATURDAY NIGHT FROM THE NORTH PACIFIC INTO THE NORTHERN ROCKIES. AT THE SAME TIME A RIDGE WILL BE OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. THIS FLOW WILL BUCKLE (VERY STRONG ZONAL FLOW/HIGH INDEX PATTERN USUALLY CAN NOT LAST FOR LONG) BY SUNDAY NIGHT...WITH A TROUGH FORMING FROM WESTERN CANADA INTO THE CENTRAL ROCKIES. AT LOW LATITUDES...FLOW WILL BE RETROGRESSIVE. NET RESULT SHOULD BE FOR A SOMEWHAT ACTIVE PERIOD FOR THE EARLY AND MID PART OF NEXT WEEK. FOR THE PERIOD FROM MONDAY INTO WEDNESDAY HIGHS SHOULD BE IN THE MID 80S TO LOWER 90S WITH LOWS IN THE MID 60S TO LOWER 70S. SLIGHTLY COOLER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED BY THURSDAY AS THE TROUGH LIFTS MORE INTO MINNESOTA AND THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES REGION. MILLER && .AVIATION... 18Z TAFS FOR KOFK...KOMA AND KLNK. MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGE IS ONSET OF CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND OVERNIGHT. VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED UP UNTIL TSTM ACTIVITY MOVES OVER SITES. EXPECT GUSTY SOUTHERLY SFC WINDS TO CONTINUE UNTIL WEAKENING COLD FRONT APPROACHES. LARGE HAIL...STRONG WINDS AND VERY HEAVY RAIN ARE EXPECTED WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE TSTMS. KERN && .OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...NONE. IA...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE 1138 AM CDT THU JUN 14 2012 IAZ043-055-056-069-079-080-090-091-NEZ011-012-015>018-030>034- 042>045-050>053-065>068-078-088>093-150645- 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- 1138 AM CDT THU JUN 14 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST IOWA...WEST CENTRAL IOWA...EAST CENTRAL NEBRASKA...NORTHEAST NEBRASKA AND SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...SOME POSSIBLY SEVERE...ARE POSSIBLE OVER NORTHEAST NEBRASKA LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND WILL SPREAD SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE EVENING ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF EASTERN NEBRASKA AND ALL OF SOUTHWEST IOWA. THESE STORMS WILL INITIALLY FOCUS ALONG A WEAKENING COLD FRONT OVER NORTHEAST NEBRASKA THIS AFTERNOON. INCREASING INSTABILITY AHEAD OF THE FRONT AND MODERATE WIND SHEAR WILL CREATE A FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS THEY SPREAD SOUTHEAST. A FEW UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES MOVING OUT OF THE ROCKIES WILL ENHANCE THESE THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING AND INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE PRIMARY HAZARDS HOWEVER THESE STORMS WILL ALSO BE CAPABLE OF DUMPING TORRENTIAL RAINFALL WHICH COULD RESULT IN LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY A SERIES OF UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES AND FRONTAL BOUNDARIES PASSING THROUGH THE CENTRAL PLAINS WILL KEEP THUNDERSTORM CHANCES ALIVE OVER THE OUTLOOK AREA THROUGH THE MAJORITY OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED LATER THIS AFTERNOON OR EARLY THIS EVENING. KERN
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA
353 PM CDT THU JUN 14 2012
IAZ069-NEZ045-052-142130-
POTTAWATTAMIE IA-DOUGLAS NE-WASHINGTON NE-
353 PM CDT THU JUN 14 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WESTERN POTTAWATTAMIE...
EASTERN DOUGLAS AND SOUTHEASTERN WASHINGTON COUNTIES UNTIL 430 PM
CDT...
AT 350 PM CDT...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED A STRONG
THUNDERSTORM NEAR MILLARD...OR 5 MILES WEST OF OMAHA...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF DIMES WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
OMAHA...CARTER LAKE...BOYS TOWN AND CRESCENT.
THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING HIGHWAYS...
INTERSTATE 29 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 54 AND 72.
INTERSTATE 80 IN IOWA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 8 AND 11.
INTERSTATE 80 IN NEBRASKA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 446 AND 448.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO
AND TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE.
&&
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM CDT
THURSDAY AFTERNOON FOR SOUTHWESTERN IOWA AND EAST CENTRAL
NEBRASKA.
LAT...LON 4129 9570 4120 9613 4127 9619 4151 9590
4151 9588
TIME...MOT...LOC 2050Z 247DEG 21KT 4127 9611
KERNSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA
414 PM CDT THU JUN 14 2012
NEZ034-044-142200-
DODGE NE-BURT NE-
414 PM CDT THU JUN 14 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN DODGE AND BURT
COUNTIES UNTIL 500 PM CDT...
AT 414 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS
TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR UEHLING...OR 41 MILES
NORTHWEST OF OMAHA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF DIMES WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
TEKAMAH...UEHLING...CRAIG AND OAKLAND.
THIS INCLUDES HIGHWAY 77 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 132 AND 147.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO
AND TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE.
&&
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM CDT
THURSDAY AFTERNOON FOR EAST CENTRAL NEBRASKA.
LAT...LON 4176 9609 4166 9652 4174 9659 4174 9656
4182 9656 4202 9639 4202 9633
TIME...MOT...LOC 2114Z 240DEG 20KT 4175 9649
KERNThe Omaha radar (KOAX), 68 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:14 UTC.
9 hail, 4 thunderstorm wind, 2 high wind, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
Hail up to 3/4 inch in diameter was reported from a little northwest of David City into town.
Hail just under quarter-size was reported east of Brainard.
Hail up to penny-size was observed a little east southeast of Garrison.
Rainfall of around 4 inches was reported north of Crete from thunderstorms from late afternoon of June 14th until the early morning hours of the 15th. The heavy rain caused the Big Blue River near Crete to get close to flood stage later on the 15th and early on the 16th.
Rainfall of 1.80 inches fell along with hail that reached quarter-size.
Hail up to nickel-size was reported near Dwight.
Hail up to quarter-size.
Hail up to quarter-size was reported near Seward.
A spotter estimated that thunderstorm outflow winds reached 60 to 70 mph.
A thunderstorm gust of 60 mph was recorded at the Lincoln airport. The strong winds downed some tree limbs which in turned brought down a few power lines in the Lincoln area. More than 450 LES customers lost power.
A thunderstorm wind gust was measured at 69 mph at Offutt AFB. Similar strength winds were estimated elsewhere near the base and the winds lasted for at least several minutes. Some tree limbs and trees were downed in the area.
Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 65 mph or higher downed numerous large limbs and a few trees in the La Vista area. Power was lost in the area as well. Several tents set up for the Papillion Days festival in Papillion sustained damage because of the wind or because tree limbs fell on them.
Wake-low type winds in response to a thunderstorm area that had pushed off to the southeast brought strong east to southeast winds to much of Saunders county for a period late on 14th and early on the 15th. The winds peaked a little after midnight CDT with a gust of 58 mph recorded by the Wahoo Awos.
Wake-low type winds in response to a thunderstorm area that had pushed off to the southeast brought strong east to southeast winds to much of Burt county for a period late on 14th and early on the 15th. The winds peaked a little before 1 am CDT with a gust of 61 mph recorded by the Tekamah Asos.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nebraska in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Nebraska, June 2012
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: 376698, 376700, 376701, 376922, 376702, 376703, 376705, 376706, 376707, 376897, 376898, 376708, 376899, 376896, 376902, 376903.