The drought began in June and continued through October as below normal precipitation was observed across western and north central Nebraska. All areas were at D4 or exceptional drought conditions.
Every event with a place to put it; 27 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.
The drought began in June and continued through October as below normal precipitation was observed across western and north central Nebraska. All areas were at D4 or exceptional drought conditions.
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 Sep 30, 11:43 PM CST, 17 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE 1243 AM CDT MON OCT 1 2012 .AVIATION... FOR THE KLBF AND KVTN TERMINALS THROUGH 06Z TUESDAY. A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WILL SLIDE ACROSS THE EASTERN DAKOTAS AND NORTHERN NEBRASKA OVERNIGHT. THIS FEATURE WILL DROP A COLD FRONT THROUGH WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA. ABUNDANT MID LEVEL CLOUDINESS IS EXPECTED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AND SURFACE FRONT. CIGS OF AROUND 10000 FT AGL WILL PERSIST THROUGH 15Z MONDAY AT THE KVTN TERMINAL AND 16Z MONDAY AT THE KLBF TERMINAL. LOOK FOR CLEARING SKIES THEREAFTER. NORTHERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE BEHIND THE FRONT ON MONDAY AND MAY GUST AS HIGH AS 25 TO 30 KTS MONDAY AFTERNOON AT BOTH TERMINALS. WINDS WILL QUICKLY DECREASE TO UNDER 10 KTS MONDAY EVENING. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 329 PM CDT SUN SEP 30 2012/ SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY... TONIGHT...MODELS CONTINUE TO DIFFER ON THE LOCATION AND EXTENT OF PRECIPITATION. FAVORED AREA REMAINS IN VICINITY OF SURFACE TROUGH FROM NEAR HAYES CENTER AND NORTH PLATTE NORTHEAST TO NEAR AINSWORTH. THROUGH THE EVENING...AREAS EASTWARD INTO CUSTER COUNTY...HAVE RETAINED 30 POPS. KEPT SLIGHT CHANCE TO THE WEST/NORTHWEST INTO SHERIDAN AND CHERRY COUNTY AS ACTIVITY MOVES OFF THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE BLACK HILLS. AFTER MIDNIGHT...THE COLD FRONT WILL ADVANCE WITH SLIGHT CHANCE EAST OF HWY 83 TO END 09Z-12Z AS FRONT CLEARS THE FORECAST AREA. A FEW STORMS EARLY EVENING COULD PRODUCE SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS AS MODEST MUCAPES 300-500 STILL EXIST. MONDAY/MONDAY NIGHT...SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN WITH COOLER TEMPERATURES ALOFT TO BRING HIGH IN THE LOWER/MID 70S. NORTHERLY WINDS FORECAST TO REACH BREEZY CATEGORY. FORECAST SOUNDINGS INDICATE UNIDIRECTIONAL NORTHERLY WIND COMPONENT. MORNING DEWPOINTS IN THE MID/UPPER 30S WILL FALL INTO THE UPPER 20S/LOWER 30S BY LATE AFTERNOON. OVERNIGHT...WEAK HIGH PRESSURE INFLUENCE AND PRESENCE OF DRY AIR TO RESULT IN LIGHT WINDS AND COOLER LOWS OF 32 TO 40. FAVORED VALLEY AND LOW LYING AREAS MOST LIKELY TO REACH THE LOWER 30S. TUESDAY...A PREFRONTAL TROUGH TO OUR WEST AND RETURN SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL BRING A ONE DAY WARMUP FOR TUESDAY AS A RATHER STRONG COLD FRONT PUSHES THROUGH MONTANA AND WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA. HIGHS ACROSS WESTERN NEBRASKA FORECAST TO REACH 77 TO 83 DEGREES. DEWPOINTS TO REMAIN LOW IN THE LOW TO MID 30S FOR A HIGH FIRE DANGER. WEDNESDAY...A MAJOR PATTERN CHANGE TO OCCUR. UPPER LEVEL RIDGING FROM THE GULF OF ALASKA INTO ALASKA WITH A DOWNSTREAM TROUGH TO DIG SOUTH ALONG BRITISH COLUMBIA INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST/NORTH PLAINS. THIS WILL BRING A SHARP COOL DOWN THE TO NORTHERN PLAINS. A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL DROP SOUTHEAST FROM WYOMING AND SOUTH DAKOTA THROUGH MUCH OF NEBRASKA BY 00Z THURSDAY. PREFER THE FASTER NAM TIMING OF THE FRONT OVER THE SLIGHTLY SLOWER GFS AND ECMWF. FRONT SHOULD MOVE SOUTH QUICKLY EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING AND SLOW SLIGHTLY DURING THE DAY. STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENT AND COLD AIR ADVECTION WILL BRING STRONG NORTH WINDS OF 20 TO 35 MPH. TRENDED HIGHS DOWN CONSIDERABLY TO THE LOWER 70S SOUTHEAST AND NEAR 63 FAR NORTHWEST. LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY... EXTENDED PERIOD BEGINS WITH A POTENT SHORTWAVE TROUGH DIGGING SOUTH OUT OF CANADA AND INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS...WITH THE ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT CLEAR OF THE CWA BY 00Z THURSDAY. TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL FOLLOW IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT...BRINGING STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS TO THE CWA WEDNESDAY NIGHT. DECENT MID-LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS ALONG WITH AMPLE MOISTURE ALOFT WILL PROVIDE FOR A CHANCE OF RAIN. HAVE SLIGHT/LOW END CHANCE POPS IN THE GRIDS. AS HAS BEEN THE CASE FOR MONTHS NOW...LACK OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE MAY BE THE HITCH IN THIS FORECAST. GFS WANTS TO BRING A RAIN/SNOW MIX INTO OUR NORTHERN ZONES...BUT MODEL LAYER MAX WET BULB TEMPS AND SFC TEMPS STAY ABOVE FREEZING DURING THAT TIME FRAME SO EXPECTING ALL PRECIP TO BE LIQUID. THURSDAY WILL BE A COOL AND DRY DAY WITH CAA CONTINUING TO FILL INTO THE AREA AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT RELAXES. EC IS FASTER WITH MOVING THE SFC HIGH THROUGH CWA...WITH SOUTH FLOW RETURNING BY LATE AFTERNOON. THUS HAVE LEFT TEMPS IN THE MID TO UPPER 50S INSTEAD OF TRENDING COOLER. FRIDAY WILL BE SLIGHTLY WARMER WITH SOUTHERLY FLOW RAMPING UP AHEAD OF THE NEXT DIGGING PV ANOMALY EMBEDDED IN THE MEAN LONGWAVE TROUGH OVER THE NORTH CENTRAL CONUS...WITH ANOTHER FRONT AND PRECIP CHANCES TO MOVING INTO THE CWA FRIDAY NIGHT. GFS AND EC DIFFER ON THE HANDLING OF THE SHORTWAVE TROUGH...WITH THE EC THE WETTER SOLUTION. THIS IS DUE TO THE EC DIGGING THE SHORTWAVE SW AND PHASING IT WITH A CLOSED LOW OUT WEST AND BRINGING MORE MOISTURE INTO THE AREA IN A ZONAL PATTERN. THE GFS QUICKLY MOVES THE SHORTWAVE SOUTH AND KEEPS NORTHWEST/MERIDIONAL FLOW OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS...WHICH USUALLY MEANS DRY AND WINDY IN WESTERN NEBRASKA. THE WEEKEND WILL REMAIN COOL AS THE UPPER LEVEL FLOW REMAINS STAGNANT IN AN OMEGA BLOCK LOOKING PATTERN...WITH THE STRONG TROUGH REMAINING JUST EAST OF OUR AREA AND A HIGH AMPLITUDE RIDGE FIRMLY IN PLACE OVER THE WEST COAST. FIRE WEATHER... ONGOING DROUGHT...LEADING TO VERY DRY FUELS WILL KEEP FIRE WEATHER DANGER OF HIGH CONCERN AS WETTING RAINS ARE NOT EXPECTED IN THE NEXT WEEK. THE BOUNDARY LAYER WILL REMAIN DRY...WHICH WILL CONTINUE THE NEAR OR ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND LOW DEWPOINTS. THIS COMBINATION WILL LEAD TO LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY BOTH MONDAY AND TUESDAY...WITH VALUES EXPECTED TO DROP INTO THE 20S ON MONDAY AND WITH WARMER TEMPERATURES FORECAST FOR TUESDAY...UPPER TEENS AND LOW 20S. WINDS DO NOT LOOK TO BE REAL STRONG EITHER DAY...BUT GUSTS TO 20 MPH AT TIMES COULD LEAD TO NEAR CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. AT THIS POINT DO NOT ANTICIPATE THE NEED FOR RED FLAG WARNINGS...BUT IF THE FORECAST CHANGES...THIS MAY NEED TO BE RE-EVALUATED. A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION ON WEDNESDAY. WINDY NORTHWEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED BEHIND THE FRONT...HOWEVER THIS SYSTEM WILL USHER IN A MUCH COOLER AIRMASS FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE WEEK. DEWPOINTS WILL ALSO BE LOWER...BUT WITH HIGHS ONLY EXPECTED IN THE 50S AND 60S...MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY LOOKS TO BE IN THE 30 TO 40 PERCENT RANGE. && .LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && AVIATION...CLB/MASEK
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE 347 PM CDT SUN SEP 30 2012 NEZ004>010-022>029-035>038-056>059-069>071-094-012100- 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- 347 PM CDT SUN SEP 30 2012 /247 PM MDT SUN SEP 30 2012/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH TONIGHT ACROSS MUCH OF WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA. STORMS WILL PUSH EAST ACROSS NEBRASKA BUT MAY DECREASE IN COVERAGE AS THE NIGHT PROGRESSES. NO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED...HOWEVER MOST STORMS WILL NOT PRODUCE MUCH RAINFALL...WHICH COULD BRING A THREAT FOR DRY LIGHTNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED THROUGH TONIGHT. && THIS PRODUCT IS NOW AVAILABLE...ALONG WITH OTHER WEATHER... HYDROLOGICAL AND CLIMATOLOGICAL INFORMATION...AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/NORTHPLATTE BROOKS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE 722 PM CDT SUN SEP 30 2012 NEZ059-071-010100- FRONTIER NE-LINCOLN NE- 722 PM CDT SUN SEP 30 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN LINCOLN AND NORTHEASTERN FRONTIER COUNTIES UNTIL 800 PM CDT... AT 717 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 9 MILES NORTH OF MOOREFIELD...OR 14 MILES NORTHEAST OF CURTIS...MOVING SOUTH AT 20 MPH. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE FROM WESTERN DAWSON COUNTY INTO FAR NORTHEASTERN FRONTIER COUNTY THROUGH 8 PM CDT. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES IN ADDITION TO HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS UP TO 40 MPH. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE... CURTIS... MOOREFIELD... EUSTIS... IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. BUTTLER
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE 750 PM CDT SUN SEP 30 2012 NEZ071-010130- FRONTIER NE- 750 PM CDT SUN SEP 30 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR FRONTIER COUNTY UNTIL 830 PM CDT... AT 745 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MOOREFIELD...OR 12 MILES EAST OF CURTIS...MOVING SOUTH AT 20 MPH. ANOTHER AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED 10 MILES SOUTH OF CURTIS...AND WAS MOVING SOUTH AT 20 MPH. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS...ALONG WITH FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE... STOCKVILLE... MEDICINE CREEK RESERVOIR STATE RECREATION AREA... HIGHWAY 18 MILE MARKER 20... HIGHWAY 18 MILE MARKER 30... STRUNK RESERVIOR... IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. BUTTLER
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
842 PM CDT SUN SEP 30 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0820 PM HAIL 16 SW STOCKVILLE 40.37N 100.60W
09/30/2012 E1.25 INCH FRONTIER NE PUBLIC
&&
MARTINThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
27 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
The drought began in June and continued through October as below normal precipitation was observed. For the month, rainfall was near 1 inch below normal, while the yearly precipitation deficit was in excess of 9 inches. The exceptional (D4) drought continued into November.
The drought began in June and continued through October as below normal precipitation was observed. For the month, rainfall was near 1 inch below normal, while the yearly precipitation deficit was in excess of 9 inches. The exceptional (D4) drought continued into November.
The drought began in June and continued through October as below normal precipitation was observed. For the month, rainfall was near 1 inch below normal, while the yearly precipitation deficit was in excess of 9 inches. The exceptional (D4) drought continued into November.
The drought began in June and continued through October as below normal precipitation was observed. For the month, rainfall was near 1 inch below normal, while the yearly precipitation deficit was in excess of 9 inches. The exceptional (D4) drought continued into November.
The drought began in June and continued through October as below normal precipitation was observed. For the month, rainfall was near 1 inch below normal, while the yearly precipitation deficit was in excess of 9 inches. The exceptional (D4) drought continued into November.
The drought began in June and continued through October as below normal precipitation was observed. For the month, rainfall was near 1 inch below normal, while the yearly precipitation deficit was in excess of 9 inches. The exceptional (D4) drought continued into November.
The drought began in June and continued through October as below normal precipitation was observed. For the month, rainfall was near 1 inch below normal, while the yearly precipitation deficit was in excess of 9 inches. The exceptional (D4) drought continued into November.
The drought began in June and continued through October as below normal precipitation was observed. For the month, rainfall was near 1 inch below normal, while the yearly precipitation deficit was in excess of 9 inches. The exceptional (D4) drought continued into November.
The drought began in June and continued through October as below normal precipitation was observed. For the month, rainfall was near 1 inch below normal, while the yearly precipitation deficit was in excess of 9 inches. The exceptional (D4) drought continued into November.
The drought began in June and continued through October as below normal precipitation was observed. For the month, rainfall was near 1 inch below normal, while the yearly precipitation deficit was in excess of 9 inches. The exceptional (D4) drought continued into November.
The drought began in June and continued through October as below normal precipitation was observed. For the month, rainfall was near 1 inch below normal, while the yearly precipitation deficit was in excess of 9 inches. The exceptional (D4) drought continued into November.
The drought began in June and continued through October as below normal precipitation was observed. For the month, rainfall was near 1 inch below normal, while the yearly precipitation deficit was in excess of 9 inches. The exceptional (D4) drought continued into November.
The drought began in June and continued through October as below normal precipitation was observed. For the month, rainfall was near 1 inch below normal, while the yearly precipitation deficit was in excess of 9 inches. The exceptional (D4) drought continued into November.
The drought began in June and continued through October as below normal precipitation was observed. For the month, rainfall was near 1 inch below normal, while the yearly precipitation deficit was in excess of 9 inches. The exceptional (D4) drought continued into November.
The drought began in June and continued through October as below normal precipitation was observed. For the month, rainfall was near 1 inch below normal, while the yearly precipitation deficit was in excess of 9 inches. The exceptional (D4) drought continued into November.
The drought began in June and continued through October as below normal precipitation was observed. For the month, rainfall was near 1 inch below normal, while the yearly precipitation deficit was in excess of 9 inches. The exceptional (D4) drought continued into November.
The drought began in June and continued through October as below normal precipitation was observed. For the month, rainfall was near 1 inch below normal, while the yearly precipitation deficit was in excess of 9 inches. The exceptional (D4) drought continued into November.
The drought began in June and continued through October as below normal precipitation was observed. For the month, rainfall was near 1 inch below normal, while the yearly precipitation deficit was in excess of 9 inches. The exceptional (D4) drought continued into November.
The drought began in June and continued through October as below normal precipitation was observed. For the month, rainfall was near 1 inch below normal, while the yearly precipitation deficit was in excess of 9 inches. The exceptional (D4) drought continued into November.
The drought began in June and continued through October as below normal precipitation was observed. For the month, rainfall was near 1 inch below normal, while the yearly precipitation deficit was in excess of 9 inches. The exceptional (D4) drought continued into November.
The drought began in June and continued through October as below normal precipitation was observed. For the month, rainfall was near 1 inch below normal, while the yearly precipitation deficit was in excess of 9 inches. The exceptional (D4) drought continued into November.
The drought began in June and continued through October as below normal precipitation was observed. For the month, rainfall was near 1 inch below normal, while the yearly precipitation deficit was in excess of 9 inches. The exceptional (D4) drought continued into November.
The drought began in June and continued through October as below normal precipitation was observed. For the month, rainfall was near 1 inch below normal, while the yearly precipitation deficit was in excess of 9 inches. The exceptional (D4) drought continued into November.
The drought began in June and continued through October as below normal precipitation was observed. For the month, rainfall was near 1 inch below normal, while the yearly precipitation deficit was in excess of 9 inches. The exceptional (D4) drought continued into November.
The drought began in June and continued through October as below normal precipitation was observed. For the month, rainfall was near 1 inch below normal, while the yearly precipitation deficit was in excess of 9 inches. The exceptional (D4) drought continued into November.
The drought began in June and continued through October as below normal precipitation was observed. For the month, rainfall was near 1 inch below normal, while the yearly precipitation deficit was in excess of 9 inches. The exceptional (D4) drought continued into November.
The drought began in June and continued through October as below normal precipitation was observed. For the month, rainfall was near 1 inch below normal, while the yearly precipitation deficit was in excess of 9 inches. The exceptional (D4) drought continued into November.
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, October 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: 412770, 412785, 412788, 412790, 412792, 412793, 412795, 412797, 412798, 412801, 412802, 412803, 412804, 412805, 412807, 412809, 412811, 412769, 412789, 412791, 412794, 412796, 412799, 412800, 412806, 412808, 412810.