Tornado and Hail in Nebraska, July 20, 2013

Name: Tornado and Hail in Nebraska, July 20, 2013
Start: 2013-07-20T16:05
End: 2013-07-20T22:00
Location: Nebraska

July 20, 2013 · NWS LBF · 14 events in 4 counties and zones

A line of thunderstorms developed across the northeastern Nebraska Panhandle and portions of Cherry County during the evening of July 20th. The line moved south to produce damaging winds, large hail and a brief tornado.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $18,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 14

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS LBF wrote it up.

What forecasters said that day

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 Jul 20, 12:56 PM MST, 3 hours 9 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 20, 12:56 PM MST, 3 hours 9 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
256 PM CDT SAT JUL 20 2013

.SYNOPSIS...
ISSUED AT 253 PM CDT SAT JUL 20 2013

THE H5 ANALYSIS THIS MORNING...HAS AN ACTIVE NW FLOW
PATTERN ACROSS THE NRN CONUS. HIGH PRESSURE WAS ANCHORED ACROSS THE
CENTRAL VALLEY OF CA...WITH A PERSISTENT BERMUDA HIGH PRESENT ACROSS
THE WESTERN ATLANTIC. A BROAD TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE EXTENDED FROM
NRN QUEBEC INTO THE MID ATLANTIC STATES. ACROSS THE NRN ROCKIES AND
CENTRAL PLAINS...NUMEROUS SHORTWAVES WERE EMBEDDED IN THE NWRLY
FLOW. ONE OVER NWRN WYOMING...AND A SECOND OVER THE IDAHO PANHANDLE.
ANOTHER DISTURBANCE WAS NOTED OVER NWRN IA AS WELL. AT THE
SURFACE...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE CONTINUED ACROSS NORTHERN
NEBRASKA THIS MORNING AND EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...ALONG A WEAK
SURFACE BOUNDARY. TEMPERATURES AS OF 2 PM CDT RANGED FROM 68 IN RAIN
COOLED AIR AT ONEILL...TO 87 AT OGALLALA...IMPERIAL AND NORTH PLATTE.

&&

.SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY)
ISSUED AT 253 PM CDT SAT JUL 20 2013

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER
THE NEBRASKA PANHANDLE AND NORTHWEST NEBRASKA AND COALESCE INTO A
CONVECTIVE SYSTEM BY EARLY THIS EVENING. WITH THE DEEP SHEAR VECTORS
DIAGONAL TO THE LOW LEVEL BOUNDARY...IT APPEARS TO FAVOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF A LINEAR CONVECTIVE SYSTEM. ACCORDING TO THE SHORT
RANGE HRRR AND RAP13...THE SYSTEM WILL AFFECT A LARGE PART OF THE
SANDHILLS AND SOUTHWEST NEBRASKA BY 01Z AND FINALLY CLEARING CENTRAL
NEBRASKA BY 09Z. THEY DO INDICATE SOME LINGERING SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS EVEN INTO EARLY SUNDAY.

INSTABILITY CONTINUES OVER WESTERN NEBRASKA SUNDAY AND THERE IS A
CHANCE OF ANOTHER CONVECTIVE SYSTEM DEVELOPING IN SOUTH DAKOTA AND
NORTHWEST NEBRASKA LATE SUNDAY MORNING OR EARLY AFTERNOON...THEN
CROSSING WESTERN NEBRASKA THROUGH THE AFTERNOON.

.LONG TERM...(SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY)
ISSUED AT 253 PM CDT SAT JUL 20 2013

MID RANGE...SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY...A FAIRLY ACTIVE PATTERN
WILL CONTINUE INTO TUESDAY...THANKS TO NWLY FLOW AND THE PRESENCE OF
EMBEDDED SHORTWAVES WITHIN THAT FLOW. BEGINNING SUNDAY
NIGHT...ANOTHER UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL TRACK FROM THE CENTRAL
AND NORTHERN ROCKIES...ACROSS WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA.
CONVECTION WILL BE ONGOING BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND IS EXPECTED TO
IMPACT MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA DURING THE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT
HOURS. ATTM...WILL PAINT THE HIGHEST POPS IN THE CENTRAL AND
SOUTHWESTERN CWA...AS THESE LOCATIONS WILL SEE THE BEST DEEP LAYER
SHEAR OF 30 TO 40 KTS. SHEAR IN THE NERN ZONES WILL RUN 10 TO 20 KTS
SUNDAY EVENING...SO ANY TSRAS IN THESE AREAS WILL BE FEW AND FAR
BETWEEN. WILL CONTINUE MENTION OF THUNDERSTORMS IN THE FORECAST
OVERNIGHT IN THE SOUTHWESTERN ZONES AS THERE ARE INDICATIONS OF THE
DEVELOPMENT OF A LOW LEVEL JET...WHICH BECOMES FOCUSED ACROSS SWRN
AND CENTRAL NEBRASKA OVERNIGHT SUNDAY NIGHT. CONVECTION ALONG WITH
THE EXITING DISTURBANCE...WILL FORCE A FRONTAL BOUNDARY THROUGH THE
FORECAST AREA ON MONDAY...STALLING THIS FEATURE ACROSS CENTRAL AND
EASTERN NEBRASKA MONDAY EVENING. ONCE AGAIN...UPPER LEVEL ENERGY
WILL ENTER THE CENTRAL PLAINS FROM THE ROCKIES LATE IN THE DAY
MONDAY...LEADING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THUNDERSTORMS. THERE IS SOME
DISAGREEMENT AS TO WHERE THE UPPER LEVEL ENERGY WILL TRACK DURING
THIS PERIOD SO CONFIDENCE IN LOCATION OF POPS IS LACKING ATTM.
DECIDED TO CONFINE POPS INVOF OF THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY...IE...EASTERN
CWA FOR MONDAY NIGHT. ON TUESDAY...EASTERLY WINDS WILL BECOME
SOUTHERLY BY AFTERNOON AS HIGH PRESSURE DRIFTS EAST INTO THE UPPER
MIDWEST. THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL WASH OUT WHILE NORTHWESTERLY FLOW
ALOFT CONTINUES. ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL
TRACK ACROSS THE REGION TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND TUESDAY NIGHT AS
ANOTHER UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE TRACKS FROM THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN
ROCKIES ONTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS.

LONG RANGE...TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY...A FAIRLY ACTIVE
PATTERN WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EXTENDED PERIODS WITH ABUNDANT LOW
LEVEL MOISTURE AND PERSISTENT WESTERLY AND NORTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT.
NUMEROUS SHORTWAVES WILL TRACK ACROSS THE CENTRAL ROCKIES ACROSS THE
CENTRAL PLAINS THROUGH THE PERIOD...LEADING TO A GOOD CHANCE FOR
PRECIPITATION DURING THE PERIOD. TEMPERATURES WILL BE SEASONAL WITH
HIGHS IN THE 80S AND LOWS IN THE UPPER 50S AND LOWER 60S.

&&

.AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SUNDAY AFTERNOON)
ISSUED AT 253 PM CDT SAT JUL 20 2013

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THIS EVENING OVER A LARGE PART
OF CENTRAL AND WESTERN NEBRASKA. WITH STORMS FORMING INTO A LINE
LATE THIS AFTERNOON...THE PROBABILITY OF THUNDERSTORMS AT ANY ONE
SITE IS LIKELY TO BE 50 PERCENT OR HIGHER. AS A RESULT THUNDER IS IN
THE TERMINAL FORECASTS FOR VTN AND LBF THIS EVENING.

&&

.LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NONE.
&&

SYNOPSIS...CLB
SHORT TERM...SPRINGER
LONG TERM...CLB
AVIATION...SPRINGER

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 20, 1:30 PM MST, 2 hours 35 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
330 PM CDT SAT JUL 20 2013

NEZ004>010-022>029-035>038-056>059-069>071-094-212030-
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-
330 PM CDT SAT JUL 20 2013 /230 PM MDT SAT JUL 20 2013/

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND
NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

THERE IS A RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING IN WESTERN
AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA. A NEARLY STATIONARY FRONT ON THE HIGH
PLAINS WILL BE THE FOCUS FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT AND VERY
UNSTABLE AIR WILL BE FAVORABLE FOR LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

ANOTHER THUNDERSTORM SYSTEM IS EXPECTED SUNDAY AS SCATTERED
THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOP IN EASTERN WYOMING...SOUTHWEST SOUTH DAKOTA
AND THE NEBRASKA PANHANDLE DURING THE AFTERNOON AND MERGE INTO A
THUNDERSTORM SYSTEM. THE STORMS WILL THEN MAKE THEIR WAY ACROSS
THE AREA AND THROUGH CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST NEBRASKA.

AS THE FRONT DRIFTS NORTH AND SOUTH FROM DAY TO DAY ACROSS THE
PLAINS...THERE IS SOME CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY THROUGH
MOST OF NEXT WEEK.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED.

&&

THIS PRODUCT IS NOW AVAILABLE...ALONG WITH OTHER WEATHER...
HYDROLOGICAL AND CLIMATOLOGICAL INFORMATION...AT
HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/NORTHPLATTE

JRS

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 20, 10:15 AM MST, 5 hours 50 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
1215 PM CDT SAT JUL 20 2013

NEZ006-009-010-201815-
HOLT NE-KEYA PAHA NE-ROCK NE-
1215 PM CDT SAT JUL 20 2013

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN ROCK...SOUTHEASTERN
KEYA PAHA AND HOLT COUNTIES UNTIL 115 PM CDT...

AT 1211 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 11 MILES NORTH OF
NEWPORT TO 5 MILES EAST OF BASSETT TO LONG PINE...AND MOVING
SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE
EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.

THESE STORMS WILL BE NEAR...
NEWPORT AROUND 1220 PM CDT.
STUART AROUND 1235 PM CDT.
PONY LAKE AROUND 1240 PM CDT.
ATKINSON AND SYBRANT AROUND 1250 PM CDT.
EMMET AROUND 105 PM CDT.
SWAN LAKE AND AMELIA AROUND 115 PM CDT.

THIS INCLUDES HIGHWAY 20 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 253 AND 328.

THIS INCLUDES HIGHWAY 183 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 172 AND 182.

THESE STORMS 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.

SPRINGER

Special weather statement, Jul 20, 3:47 PM MST, 18 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
547 PM CDT SAT JUL 20 2013

NEZ004-202330-
SHERIDAN NE-
447 PM MDT SAT JUL 20 2013

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WESTERN SHERIDAN COUNTY UNTIL 530
PM MDT...

AT 444 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF HAY SPRINGS...MOVING EAST AT
15 MPH.

HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE
EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN.

LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
  HAY SPRINGS...
  RUSHVILLE...
  INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAY 87 AND ANTELOPE ROAD...
  WALGREN LAKE STATE RECREATION AREA...
  HIGHWAY 250 CROSSING THE NIOBRARA RIVER...

THIS INCLUDES HIGHWAY 20 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 75 AND 93.

THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...AND A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN
EFFECT FOR THIS AREA. 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.

CDC

Special weather statement, Jul 20, 3:58 PM MST, 7 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
458 PM MDT SAT JUL 20 2013

NEZ005-094-202345-
EASTERN CHERRY NE-WESTERN CHERRY NE-
458 PM MDT SAT JUL 20 2013

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN CHERRY COUNTY UNTIL
545 PM MDT/645 PM CDT/...

AT 554 PM CDT/454 PM MDT/...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR
WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 11
MILES NORTH OF KILGORE TO 21 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GORDON...AND MOVING
EAST AT 15 MPH.

HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE
EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN.

LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...
  NENZEL...
  KILGORE...
  INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAY 61 AND SHADBOLT ROAD...
  CODY...
  HIGHWAY 61 CROSSING THE SNAKE RIVER...
  MEDICINE LAKE...
  INDIAN HILL...
  SCHOOLHOUSE LAKE...

THIS INCLUDES HIGHWAY 20 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 114 AND 185.

THIS INCLUDES HIGHWAY 61 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 188 AND 230.

THESE STORMS MAY INTENSIFY...AND A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN
EFFECT FOR THIS AREA. 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.

CDC

The radar

The Rapid City radar (KUDX), 170 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:05 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

10 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Sheridan

When: July 20, 4:05 PM MST
Where: Sheridan County, 5.55 mi S of Hay Spgs
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates: 42.600, -102.690

Tornado, Sheridan

When: July 20, 4:26 PM MST to 4:36 PM MST
Where: Sheridan County, 10 mi SE of Rushville
Rating: EF0
Path length: 0.1 mi
Path width: 60 yd
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates: 42.600, -102.340

At 1626MDT, the Rushville Fire Department reported a tornado on the ground for approximately 10 minutes. The tornado was stationary over open range land with no damage reported. The path width was 60 yards.

Hail, Cherry

When: July 20, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Cherry County, 3.49 mi S of Kilgore
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 42.880, -100.960

Several tree branches were downed by estimated 60 MPH winds as well.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cherry

When: July 20, 6:18 PM CST
Where: Cherry County, 10.14 mi SSE of Merritt Res
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 42.490, -100.870

Several large tree limbs down due to thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 70 MPH.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cherry

When: July 20, 6:30 PM CST
Where: Cherry County, 11.78 mi SSW of Merritt Res
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 42.480, -101.040

Large tree uprooted due to thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 80 MPH.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cherry

When: July 20, 6:30 PM CST
Where: Cherry County, 11.78 mi SSW of Merritt Res
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 42.480, -101.040

Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 70 MPH uprooted a large tree.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cherry

When: July 20, 6:47 PM CST
Where: Cherry County, 11.55 mi SW of Brownlee
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 42.170, -100.790

Tree damage reported on a farmstead 12 miles southwest of Brownlee. Thunderstorm wind gusts were estimated at 65 MPH.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cherry

When: July 20, 7:03 PM CST
Where: Cherry County, 0.69 mi N of Brownlee
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 42.290, -100.620

Thunderstorm wind gusts to 70 MPH damaged trees in and around Brownlee.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cherry

When: July 20, 7:08 PM CST
Where: Cherry County, 3.64 mi E of Brownlee
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 42.290, -100.550

Thunderstorm wind gusts to 60 MPH caused some minor damage to trees.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cherry

When: July 20, 7:08 PM CST
Where: Cherry County, 13.37 mi S of Brownlee
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 42.090, -100.570

Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 60 MPH caused minor damage to trees.

Hail, Hooker

When: July 20, 6:23 PM MST
Where: Hooker County, 1.69 mi WSW of Mullen
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 42.040, -101.060

Thunderstorm Wind, Custer

When: July 20, 9:40 PM CST
Where: Custer County, 0.86 mi NE of Broken Bow
Measured: 64 kt (74 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 41.410, -99.640

Thunderstorm wind gust to 74 MPH, measured at the Broken Bow Airport.

Thunderstorm Wind, Custer

When: July 20, 9:54 PM CST
Where: Custer County, 0.86 mi NE of Broken Bow
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.410, -99.640

A trained spotter estimated thunderstorm wind gusts of 55 to 60 MPH.

Thunderstorm Wind, Custer

When: July 20, 10:00 PM CST
Where: Custer County, 4.15 mi N of Berwyn
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 41.410, -99.500

Thunderstorm wind gusts were estimated at 60 MPH and downed numerous 4 inch diameter tree limbs.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Nebraska in 2013 Every state in 2013 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Nebraska, 2013 Warnings in Nebraska, July 2013

Sources

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: 464405, 464406, 464408, 464411, 464412, 464444, 464421, 464428, 464429, 464440, 464438, 464445, 464448, 464449.