Multiple severe thunderstorms produced large hail up to softball size, localized flooding rains and one EF1 tornado between the evening of Wednesday the 2nd and early morning hours of Thursday the 3rd. Although no injuries were reported, this was the most significant of several severe weather episodes within South Central Nebraska between May 1st-4th and was also the most prolonged, with dozens…
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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 GID wrote it up.
Multiple severe thunderstorms produced large hail up to softball size, localized flooding rains and one EF1 tornado between the evening of Wednesday the 2nd and early morning hours of Thursday the 3rd. Although no injuries were reported, this was the most significant of several severe weather episodes within South Central Nebraska between May 1st-4th and was also the most prolonged, with dozens of warnings issued over nearly a 12-hour period between 7 PM and 7 AM CDT. Despite the number of storm reports, this event was rather localized as only six counties within the 24-county area bore the brunt of severe weather. Severe storms focused in two primary zones: one a narrow southwest-to-northeast corridor extending from Buffalo through Nance Counties, and the other a concentrated, east-to-west corridor through mainly Adams, Clay and Fillmore Counties. The lone confirmed tornado, which struck after nightfall along the Thayer-Fillmore County line, was only on the ground for approximately one mile but caused considerable damage to a farmstead northeast of Davenport. Several areas experienced hail to at least golf ball size, but some of the most significant hail damage focused in and near northern portions of Hastings, where two separate rounds of large hail occurred between 10 PM-12 AM CDT. During the first round, stones up to softball size were reported within the city, and during the second round 2-inch diameter stones pounded the National Weather Service office. Rainfall wise, the heaviest measured amounts of 3-4 inches targeted much of Clay and Fillmore Counties, resulting in water running over Highway 6 west of Sutton, along with flooding of numerous county roads.
In both primary zones of severe weather described above, things got underway between 7 PM-9 PM CDT. In the northern corridor between Buffalo and Nance Counties, initially linear multicell storms eventually transitioned into brief, semi-discrete supercells, with hail to around golf ball size reported near Amherst, Fullerton and Genoa. By 10 PM CDT, most of this activity north of Interstate 80 had either weakened or moved out of the area to the northeast. Meanwhile, storms within the southern area first developed as a multicell cluster in Nuckolls and Clay Counties. Around sunset, a slow-moving cyclic supercell evolved from this activity, producing the EF1 tornado near Davenport shortly after 10 PM CDT. Although reports of funnel clouds continued as this supercell drifted northeast toward Strang, no additional tornado touchdowns were confirmed. Between 10 PM-2 AM CDT, a nearly solid east-west corridor of hail and heavy rain-producing severe storms trained near the Highway 6 corridor between Adams and Fillmore Counties, as the original tornadic storm exited Fillmore County to the east. Between 2 AM-4 AM CDT, there was a brief lull in storm severity, while additional activity flared up farther north and west near the Interstate 80 and Highway 6 corridors. Finally, between 4 AM-7 AM CDT, one last round of hail-producing severe storms tracked east across parts of Adams, Clay and Fillmore Counties before exiting into eastern Nebraska.
Regarding synoptic and mesoscale forcing, broad southwesterly flow aloft was not overly strong, with South Central Nebraska positioned well south of the primary shortwave trough traversing the Northern Rockies and Northern Plains. As a result, the initiation of severe storms was largely driven by the combination of strong convective instability and low level convergence. At the surface, the northern zone of severe weather was tied to a southwest-to-northeast oriented front/retreating outflow boundary. The initiation of the southern storm cluster and cyclic tornadic supercell appeared to be triggered by persistent moisture convergence along the northeast periphery of a weak surface low in north central Kansas. Once these storms developed, the onset of a modest low level jet after nightfall helped to enhance low level shear profiles, with 0-1 kilometer storm relative helicity around 200 m2/s2 by the time of the EF1 tornado. The mesoscale environment was quite supportive of supercells, with mid-evening parameters including 40 knots of 0-6 kilometer vertical wind shear and at least 3000 J/kg mixed-layer CAPE.
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 May 2, 4:31 AM CST, 1 hour 29 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE 531 AM CDT WED MAY 2 2012 .AVIATION...12Z KGRI TAF...MVFR VSBYS AND AND BRIEF MVFR CIGS WILL CONTINUE AT KGRI FOR THE NEXT HOUR OR SO...WITH SHALLOW PATCHY MORNING FOG EXPECTED TO RAPIDLY CLEAR BY AROUND 02/14Z. ONLY SCATTERED HIGH CLOUDS ARE THEN EXPECTED AT THE TERMINAL THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS...WITH SOUTHEASTERLY WINDS GUSTING TO BETWEEN 16-18KTS THROUGH ABOUT 03/00Z. THEREAFTER...EXPECT THE NEXT FRONTAL BOUNDARY TO REACH KGRI AROUND 03/06Z...RESULTING IN A SHIFT OF WINDS...ALONG WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME STRONG THUNDERSTORMS AROUND THE PASSAGE OF THIS FRONT...GENERALLY BETWEEN 03/03Z AND 03/09Z. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 421 AM CDT WED MAY 2 2012/ SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH 12Z SATURDAY. MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS WILL BE CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS AND TEMPERATURES. LATEST RADAR HAS THUNDERSTORMS WELL TO THE EAST OF THE FORECAST AREA EARLY THIS MORNING. SURFACE OBSERVATIONS AND ANALYSIS SHOWS THE SURFACE BOUNDARY ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA FROM NORTHEAST TO SOUTHWEST. THE BOUNDARY WILL BE THE FOCUS FOR MORE THUNDERSTORMS FOR THE FORECAST AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. MODELS ARE FAIRLY CONSISTENT WITH THE PLACEMENT OF THE BOUNDARY ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA TODAY THEN MOVING IT TO THE SOUTHEAST TONIGHT. THERE IS PLENTY OF MOISTURE ALONG THE BOUNDARY AND THERE WILL BE AN UPPER LEVEL WAVE THAT MOVES THROUGH THE REGION TONIGHT AS WELL. EXPECT THAT THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ALONG THE BOUNDARY LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE INTO TONIGHT. THE NAM KEEPS THE PRECIPITATION A LITTLE FURTHER NORTH THAN THE GFS BUT IT WILL ALL DEPEND ON HOW FAR SOUTH THE BOUNDARY GETS PUSHED. WILL KEEP THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA BUT THE GREATEST CHANCE WILL BE NORTH AND THE BEST CHANCE FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE ACROSS THE NEBRASKA PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA. THE UPPER LEVEL WAVE SHOULD MOVE TO THE EAST BY LATE TONIGHT AND THE PRECIPITATION SHOULD MOVE OUT OF THE FORECAST AREA LATE TONIGHT. THURSDAY MORNING WILL BE DRY BUT ANOTHER WEAK UPPER LEVEL WAVE MOVES INTO THE AREA THURSDAY AFTERNOON. THE BOUNDARY WILL BE MAINLY TO THE SOUTH OF THE FORECAST AREA...BUT PRECIPITATION DEVELOPS ALONG AND NORTH OF THE BOUNDARY AGAIN SO EXPECT SOME THUNDERSTORMS IN THE SOUTHEAST PART OF THE AREA DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING...BEFORE MOVING OFF TO THE EAST AGAIN. FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT WILL BE DRY. THERE IS A SURFACE LOW DEVELOPING IN THE CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS WITH A WARM FRONT DRAPED TO THE EAST ACROSS KANSAS ON FRIDAY AND LIFTING NORTH FRIDAY NIGHT. WITH THE WARM ADVECTION ACROSS THE AREA AND THE WARM FRONT LIFTING TO THE NORTH EXPECT WARMER TEMPERATURES FOR FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. LONG TERM...STARTING 12Z SATURDAY...MODELS ARE FAIR AGREEMENT TO START THE EXTENDED PERIODS WITH A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE SWINGING ACROSS THE WESTERN STATES AND SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT PREVAILING ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN PLAINS. THIS UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO LIFT NORTH TO NEAR THE ND/CANADIAN BORDER LATE IN THE WEEKEND...WITH BOTH THE GFS AND EC INDICATING AN ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT PUSHING ACROSS THE LOCAL AREA SATURDAY NIGHT OR EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. AHEAD OF THIS FRONT...COULD SEE A DRY START TO THE WEEKEND...HOWEVER...THIS DRY START TO SATURDAY WILL BE SHORT LIVED...AS GOOD CONSISTENCY EXISTS AMONG VARIOUS MODELS DEVELOPING WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE LOCAL AREA ON SUNDAY. IN ADDITION TO THE INCREASED CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION WITH THIS FRONT...THE AIRMASS IS EXPECTED TO COOL SIGNIFICANTLY BEHIND THE BOUNDARY...WITH SEASONAL TO SLIGHTLY BELOW SEASONAL TEMPERATURES FORECAST TO RETURN FROM SUNDAY THROUGH AT LEAST TUESDAY. WHILE INSTABILITY WILL WANE BEHIND SUNDAYS FRONT...SUFFICIENT UNCERTAINTY EXISTS IN THE TIMING AND EFFECT OF MULTIPLE SHORTWAVES OVER THE SUBSEQUENT DAYS TO BRING AT LEAST SOME CHANCE OF A SHOWER OR THUNDERSTORM TO PORTIONS OF THE OUTLOOK AREA EACH PERIOD. OVERALL...HOWEVER...INSTABILITY WILL BE LIMITED...SO BEYOND SUNDAY...THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS APPEARS LOW. && .GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...NONE. KS...NONE. && AVIATION/LONG TERM...ROSSI
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE 453 AM CDT WED MAY 2 2012 KSZ005>007-017>019-NEZ039>041-046>049-060>064-072>077-082>087- 031200- PHILLIPS-SMITH-JEWELL-ROOKS-OSBORNE-MITCHELL-VALLEY-GREELEY-NANCE- SHERMAN-HOWARD-MERRICK-POLK-DAWSON-BUFFALO-HALL-HAMILTON-YORK- GOSPER-PHELPS-KEARNEY-ADAMS-CLAY-FILLMORE-FURNAS-HARLAN-FRANKLIN- WEBSTER-NUCKOLLS-THAYER- 453 AM CDT WED MAY 2 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA AND PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE OUTLOOK AREA. THE BEST CHANCES FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80...WITH LESSER CHANCES TOWARD THE STATE LINE AND IN NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS. THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAIL TO THE SIZE OF GOLF BALLS...DAMAGING WINDS TO AT LEAST 60 MPH...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IN EXCESS OF 1 INCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THUNDERSTORM CHANCES RETURN TO THE OUTLOOK AREA THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SOME OF THESE STORMS COULD BE STRONG TO SEVERE. FROM SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY...THERE ARE VARIOUS CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE OUTLOOK AREA. AT THIS TIME...THERE APPEARS TO BE THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WITH THE PASSAGE OF A COLD FRONT SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY...WITH DIMINISHING CHANCES FOR STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS EXPECTED BEHIND THIS FRONT BOTH MONDAY AND TUESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80 AFTER 5 PM. SPOTTERS MAY BE NEEDED SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 80 IN SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA AND NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS. && MORE INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED AT THE FOLLOWING WEB PAGE: HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/HASTINGS (ALL LOWERCASE)
The Grand Island radar (KUEX), 70 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 12:01 UTC.
40 hail, 6 heavy rain, 2 tornado, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
A rainfall total of 3.55 inches was reported over a 24 hour period by a Nebraska Rainfall Assessment and Information Network Observer.
A rainfall total of 3.10 inches was reported over a 24 hour period by a Nebraska Rainfall Assessment and Information Network Observer.
A rainfall total of 3.45 inches was reported over a 24 hour period.
A rainfall total of 3.43 inches was reported over a 24 hour period by a Nebraska Rainfall Assessment and Information Network Observer.
A rainfall total of 3.21 inches was reported over a 24 hour period by a Nebraska Rainfall Assessment and Information Network Observer.
A 24 hour rainfall total of 3.22 inches was reported.
This tornado crossed from Thayer County into Fillmore County, touching down approximately 2.5 miles northeast of Davenport and lifting approximately 3.5 miles northeast of Davenport. Along its path, a farmstead sustained house, garage and vehicle damage and a grain bin was destroyed. Two outbuildings, including a recently built barn, were destroyed and a center irrigation pivot was twisted. The maximum wind speed was estimated at 105 mph.
This tornado crossed from Thayer County into Fillmore County, touching down approximately 2.5 miles northeast of Davenport and lifting approximately 3.5 miles northeast of Davenport. Along its path, a farmstead sustained house, garage and vehicle damage and a grain bin was destroyed. Two outbuildings, including a recently built barn, were destroyed and a center irrigation pivot was twisted. The maximum wind speed was estimated at 105 mph.
Golf ball size hail reported at Lake Hastings.
Hail to the size of softballs was reported on the north side of town.
Quarter size hail was reported at the intersection of 12th and Bellevue.
Golf ball size hail was reported at the intersection of 14th and California.
Penny size hail reported at the intersection of 12th and Showboat.
Quarter size hail reported near the intersection of 12th Street and Brentwood Avenue.
Hail measured at the NWS office.
Water was reported running over Highway 6 approximately 1.5 miles east of the Highway 14 intersection. Numerous rural roads were under water.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nebraska in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Nebraska, 2012Warnings in Nebraska, May 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: 376186, 376187, 376189, 376190, 376191, 384108, 376122, 376123, 376126, 376127, 376128, 376130, 376131, 376133, 376136, 376134, 376135, 376137, 376138, 376139, 376140, 376307, 376144, 376308, 376145, 376150, 376151, 376152, 376154, 376156, 376157, 376161, 376162, 376164, 376165, 376167, 376169, 376170, 376171, 376173, and more.