A thunderstorm complex moved out of eastern Nebraska and across southwest Iowa late in the evening on the 27th. The complex of storms brought heavy rainfall to southwest Iowa in areas where the ground was already nearly saturated.
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.
A thunderstorm complex moved out of eastern Nebraska and across southwest Iowa late in the evening on the 27th. The complex of storms brought heavy rainfall to southwest Iowa in areas where the ground was already nearly saturated. This led to isolated flash flooding.
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 May 27, 11:05 PM CST, 34 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE 1205 AM CDT TUE MAY 28 2013 .AVIATION... 06Z TAFS FOR KOFK...KOMA AND KLNK. RADAR MOSAIC SHOWING AREA OF TSRA HAVE MOVED OUT OF ERN NEB AND INTO WRN IA. UPSTREAM THOUGH...A NARROW LINE OF STORMS WERE PUSHING ACROSS N-CNTRL/NE NEB. AT THIS POINT APPEARS THAT ONLY KOFK WILL SEE ANY ADDITIONAL STORMS THE NEXT COUPLE HOURS WITH NEXT LINE MOVING THRU. OTHERWISE...MODEL GUIDANCE IS ADVERTISING MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS PREVAILING OVER ERN NEB THRU MOST OF TUES MORNING. VFR CONDITIONS THEN EXPECTED THE REST OF THE FCST PD. DEE PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 307 PM CDT MON MAY 27 2013/ DISCUSSION... SPC DAY 1 OUTLOOK HAS MOD RISK INVOF THE SRN CWA TONIGHT IN RESPONSE TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS TURNING PRIME FOR SIGNIFICANT SVR STORMS. FOCUS FOR STRONG/SVR STORM ACTIVITY WILL BE A WARM FRONT PROGGED TO SET UP ALONG THE NEB/KS BORDER LATE THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING. OVERLAPPING PARAMETERS OF 0-6KM SHEAR 60KT...EFFECTIVE SRH PUSHING 400 J/KG...0-1KM ML EHI 10...MUCAPE 4500 J/KG...ML LCL AOB 1200 FT ALL POINT TWD RATHER FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR SUPPORTING TOR DEVELOPMENT...ALONG WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. STORMS THEN LATER TONIGHT SHOULD ORGANIZE INTO AN MCS AND EVENTUALLY TAKE A SEWD TRACK PER MEAN STORM MOTION PROGS. SPC DAY 2 OUTLOOK AGAIN PLACES CWA IN THE SLGT RISK IN ANTICIPATION FOR NEXT ROUND OF SVR STORMS TUES AFTN/EVENING. INCREASING INSTABILITY AND DEEP LAYER SHEAR ALONG A SFC BNDRY. AT THIS POINT IT APPEARS THAT THE TOR THREAT WILL NOT BE AS PRONOUNCED AS TONIGHT. HOWEVER..THREAT WILL STILL EXIST FOR ISOLATED TOR AND SHOULD BE FOCUSED MOSTLY OVER N-CNTRL KS. LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE MODELS CONTINUE TO ADVERTISE LARGE SCALE FLOW TRANSITION A DEEP ELONGATED LONGWAVE TROF EXTENDING FROM THE ALASKAN GULF TO THE SRN TIP OF TX. THURS/FRI..A POTENT VORT MAX LIFTING OUT OF THE CNTRL ROCKIES WILL RESULT IN A CLOSED LOW FORMING OVER THE DAKOTAS...PROMPTING ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WHEN AN ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT SWEEPS INTO THE CNTRL PLAINS. CONDITIONS LOOK DRY THEN SAT THRU MON WHEN AS MORE STABLE AIRMASS FILTERS INTO THE REGION. && .OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...NONE. IA...NONE. && 99/99
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE 445 PM CDT MON MAY 27 2013 IAZ043-055-056-069-079-080-090-091-NEZ011-012-015>018-030>034- 042>045-050>053-065>068-078-088>093-281145- 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- 445 PM CDT MON MAY 27 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT AND TUESDAY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...A FEW SEVERE WITH HEAVY RAIN...WILL LIKELY MOVE ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT. DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL ARE THE PRIMARY THREATS...BUT ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH EARLY TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY SOUTH OF A SEWARD TO PLATTSMOUTH TO SHENANDOAH LINE. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE NEAR OR NORTH OF A WARM FRONT OVER NORTHERN KANSAS AND SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA THROUGH EARLY EVENING...WHILE OTHER THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOP OVER WESTERN NEBRASKA. THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE OR DEVELOP EAST ACROSS THE REGION THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. AS MENTIONED ABOVE...ANY OF THE STORMS TONIGHT COULD PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL BUT AN INCREASING LOW LEVEL JET OVER KANSAS AND POSSIBLY INTO SOUTHERN NEBRASKA COULD INTERACT WITH THE ACTIVITY BRINGING THE TORNADO THREAT TO THE SOUTHERN SECTIONS OF THE REGION. DUE TO FAVORABLE MOISTURE OVER THE PLAINS...ANY OF THE STORMS COULD ALSO PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY PERIODS OF THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY OF THIS WEEK. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN ARE POSSIBLE FROM ANY OF THE ACTIVITY WHICH WILL FAVOR THE LATE AFTERNOON AND OVERNIGHT HOURS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY ALONG AND SOUTHWEST OF NEBRASKA CITY TO LINCOLN TO SEWARD LINE. CHERMOK
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA
1045 PM CDT MON MAY 27 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1043 PM FLASH FLOOD CORTLAND 40.51N 96.71W
05/27/2013 GAGE NE LAW ENFORCEMENT
WATER REPORTED OVER HIGHWAY 77 NEAR CORTLAND.
&&
PEARSONPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA
1053 PM CDT MON MAY 27 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1043 PM FLASH FLOOD FAIRBURY 40.14N 97.18W
05/27/2013 JEFFERSON NE LAW ENFORCEMENT
SEVERAL ROADS FLOODED IN TOWN, WATER IS BEGINNING TO
RECEDE.
&&
PEARSONPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA
1124 PM CDT MON MAY 27 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1103 PM TSTM WND GST FALLS CITY 40.07N 95.60W
05/27/2013 M58 MPH RICHARDSON NE ASOS
&&
DEEPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA
1142 PM CDT MON MAY 27 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1100 PM TSTM WND DMG SHUBERT 40.24N 95.68W
05/27/2013 RICHARDSON NE EMERGENCY MNGR
POWER LINES DOWNED.
&&
CZAPOTOCSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA 1144 PM CDT MON MAY 27 2013 NEZ011-012-016-017-030-280530- BOONE NE-CEDAR NE-ANTELOPE NE-PIERCE NE-KNOX NE- 1144 PM CDT MON MAY 27 2013 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHERN BOONE...SOUTHWESTERN CEDAR...ANTELOPE...NORTHWESTERN PIERCE AND KNOX COUNTIES UNTIL 1230 AM CDT... AT 1140 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF PLAINVIEW...OR 31 MILES NORTHWEST OF NORFOLK...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. OTHER STORMS IN CENTRAL NEBRASKA WERE ALSO MOVING NORTHEAST TOWARD NORTHEAST NEBRASKA. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF DIMES AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... NELIGH...PLAINVIEW...CREIGHTON...BLOOMFIELD...OSMOND...ELGIN... WAUSA...VERDIGRE...ORCHARD...CLEARWATER...OAKDALE...BRUNSWICK... CENTER...MAGNET...ROYAL...WINNETOON...FOSTER...MCLEAN AND BAZILE MILLS. LAT...LON 4275 9761 4245 9738 4172 9828 4264 9830 TIME...MOT...LOC 0440Z 230DEG 24KT 4230 9791 MILLER
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA
1227 AM CDT TUE MAY 28 2013
NEZ011-016-017-030-031-280615-
BOONE NE-ANTELOPE NE-PIERCE NE-MADISON NE-KNOX NE-
1227 AM CDT TUE MAY 28 2013
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHERN BOONE...ANTELOPE...
WESTERN PIERCE...NORTHWESTERN MADISON AND KNOX COUNTIES UNTIL 115 AM
CDT...
AT 1222 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 9 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF NIOBRARA TO 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF PETERSBURG...OR ALONG A
LINE EXTENDING FROM 28 MILES NORTHEAST OF ONEILL TO 42 MILES WEST OF
NORFOLK...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.
WIND GUSTS UP TO AROUND 45 MPH AND SMALL HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THESE STORMS AS THEY CONTINUE TO TRACK ACROSS NORTHEAST NEBRASKA
EARLY THIS MORNING.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
NELIGH...PLAINVIEW...CREIGHTON...BLOOMFIELD...ELGIN...VERDIGRE...
ORCHARD...CLEARWATER...NIOBRARA...PETERSBURG...OAKDALE...MEADOW
GROVE...SANTEE...TILDEN...BRUNSWICK...CENTER...ROYAL...WINNETOON...
FOSTER AND VERDEL.
LAT...LON 4287 9831 4284 9815 4276 9804 4277 9795
4287 9786 4285 9764 4194 9763 4171 9829
TIME...MOT...LOC 0522Z 234DEG 41KT 4270 9820 4180 9818
MILLERThe Omaha radar (KOAX), 100 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:40 UTC.
1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy thunderstorm rainfall of 1 to 2 inches fell quickly across Red Oak leading to flash flooding in the city with numerous streets flooded.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, May 2013
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: 445959.