A small-scale bow echo tracked southward out of Nebraska into North Central Kansas on this Wednesday evening. This bow echo, which evolved from a supercell, produced a long swath of significant severe weather over South Central Nebraska.
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 GID wrote it up.
A small-scale bow echo tracked southward out of Nebraska into North Central Kansas on this Wednesday evening. This bow echo, which evolved from a supercell, produced a long swath of significant severe weather over South Central Nebraska. This storm tracked across Jewell County between 8:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. CDT and was in the process of weakening. However, one final report of severe weather occurred in the town of Randall, where strong winds downed large tree limbs which resulted in some minor damage to one home.
This storm originally developed in an upslope flow regime, north of a quasi-stationary front, with high pressure over the Midwest. The front extended from northwest to southeast across Nebraska and bisected South Central Nebraska, separating temperatures in the 80s to near 90 from rain cooled air in the 60s and 70s during the late afternoon hours. Aloft, subtropical high pressure was over New Mexico, with a low amplitude ridge over the Rockies and a trough over the eastern United States. These storms formed on the eastern fringe of the instability gradient. Poor mid-level lapse rates, and cool surface temperatures, resulting in innocuous MLCAPE of 500 to 1500 J/kg. Deep layer shear was between 40 and 50 knots.
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 Jul 9, 5:33 PM CST, 2 hours 54 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE 633 PM CDT WED JUL 9 2014 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY) ISSUED AT 341 PM CDT WED JUL 9 2014 THE BIG ISSUE FOR THE SHORT TERM WILL BE ASSESSING THE CHANCE FOR SEVERE SEVERE WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH OVERNIGHT. UPPER LEVEL FLOW IS NORTHWEST AS WE WILL BE NEAR THE NORTHEAST SIDE OF A DEAMPLIFYING RIDGE OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN ROCKIES. SMALL IMPULSES WILL MAKE THEIR WAY THROUGH THE CWA THIS AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. MEANWHILE...A LOW-LEVEL JET WILL DEVELOP WITH ITS AXIS MORE THAN LIKELY WEST OF THE CWA...NOT HEADING EAST INTO THE CWA UNTIL MAINLY THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. THE LIMITING FACTOR FOR ANY SEVERE WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON INTO NIGHT TIME WILL BE INSTABILITY. THERE IS AND WILL BE PLENTY OF DEEP LAYER SHEAR...BETWEEN 40 AND 50 KTS. IT SEEMS THAT WE ARE STRUGGLING TO REACH MUCH MORE THAN 1000 J/KG OF CAPE IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN AREAS...BUT OUR FAR WEST MIGHT GET INTO THE REALM OF 1500 TO 2000 J/KG. SOME CONVECTION HAS FIRED OVER THE LBF CWA AND HAS PROMPTED SOME WARNINGS...BUT STORMS FIZZLE AS THEY GET CLOSE TO OUR CWA. AS THE LOW-LEVEL JET DEVELOPS TONIGHT...THIS COULD HELP CONVECTION KEEP GOING AND WILL GIVE US A GOOD SHOT OF RAIN TONIGHT AS IT MOVES EAST INTO OUR AREA. MID-LEVEL INSTABILITY WILL BE LIMITED...SO WE ARE LOOKING AT A MARGINAL SEVERE EVENT...IF ANY SEVERE WEATHER OCCURS. ENSEMBLES POINT TOWARD MEASURABLE RAIN TONIGHT AND I HAVE INCREASED CHANCES OF RAIN ALONG WITH AMOUNTS OF RAIN COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS FORECAST. THE LOW-LEVEL JET AXIS LOOKS A LITTLE SLUGGISH TO GET OUT OF HERE IN THE MORNING AND I HAVE HELD ON TO CONSIDERABLE CHANCES OF RAIN FOR THE MORNING...ESPECIALLY EAST/SOUTHEAST. THE AFTERNOON LOOKS DRY...ESPECIALLY FROM SUBSIDENCE JUST BEHIND THE EXPECTED EXITING CONVECTION. MADE ONLY MINOR CHANGES TO TEMPERATURES...DEWPOINTS...WIND...AND SKY COVER. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 341 PM CDT WED JUL 9 2014 THE PATTERN IN THE LONG TERM REMAINS FAIRLY CONSISTENT WITH TRENDS RECENTLY AS THE LARGE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE BEGINS TO RETROGRADE BACK WEST...ACROSS THE DESERT SOUTHWEST WHILE A TROUGH IS SITUATED ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES ONTARIO REGION. THIS SETUP LEADS TO NORTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT FOR THE CENTRAL PLAINS AND THUS NUMEROUS PERTURBATIONS SLIDING ACROSS THE REGION FUELING MULTIPLE CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. THATS EXACTLY WHAT WE CAN EXPECT IN THE LONG TERM WITH THUNDERSTORM CHANCES POPPING UP EVERY OTHER DAY TO EVERY COUPLE OF DAYS. STARTING OFF FRIDAY...ONE OF THOSE DISTUBANCES IN COMBINATION WITH A WEAK SURFACE LOW WILL DRAG A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE OUTLOOK AREA. ALTHOUGH IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN JUST HOW FAR SOUTH THIS FRONT WILL SAG...SOME MODELS INDICATE MUCH OF SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA COULD BE NORTH OF THIS FRONT BY MID AFTERNOON...POSSIBLY SIGNALING SLIGHTLY COOLER TEMPERATURES IN THE 80S ACROSS NEBRASKA VERSUS UPPER 90S TO NEAR 100 ACROSS KANSAS. SATURDAY SHOULD BE SLIGHTLY COOLER WITH MORE CLOUD COVER AND INCREASED CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION. TRENDS CONTINUE INTO THE WORKWEEK WITH ON AND OFF CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION AND CLIMBING INTO THE 80S TO LOW 90S MOST DAYS. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z THURSDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 633 PM CDT WED JUL 9 2014 PREVAILING VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH THE NEXT 24 HOURS. CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY POSSIBLE THROUGH ABOUT 06Z...BUT WILL NEED TO CONTINUE MONITORING RADAR TRENDS AND UPDATE THE TAFS AS NECESSARY. WIND WILL REMAIN FROM THE SOUTHEAST...BUT MAY BECOME VARIABLE IN THE PRESENCE OF THUNDERSTORM OUTFLOW. VISIBILITY RESTRICTION IS NOT CURRENTLY EXPECTED DURING THE TAF PERIOD. && .GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...NONE. KS...NONE. && SHORT TERM...HEINLEIN LONG TERM...SALTZMAN AVIATION...BRYANT
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE 558 PM CDT WED JUL 9 2014 KSZ005>007-017>019-NEZ039>041-046>049-060>064-072>077-082>087- 101200- 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- 558 PM CDT WED JUL 9 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA AND PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS COULD BE SEVERE. THE MAIN THREATS WILL BE HAIL AND WIND. HAIL NEAR GOLF BALL SIZE AND WIND GUSTS NEAR 60 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THE SEVERE STORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH NEXT TUESDAY...CHANCES FOR SPOTTY THUNDERSTORMS EXIST FOR PORTIONS OF THE OUTLOOK AREA THROUGHOUT THIS PERIOD. AT THIS TIME...PREDICTABILITY IS TOO LOW TO IDENTIFY ANY KIND OF ORGANIZED SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WITH REGARD TO THE TIMING...LOCATION...AND INTENSITY OF POTENTIAL THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT. && MORE INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED AT THE FOLLOWING WEB PAGE: HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/HASTINGS (ALL LOWERCASE) HEINLEIN/SALTZMAN/HALBLAUB
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
826 PM CDT WED JUL 09 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0818 PM TSTM WND GST 1 SW GUIDE ROCK 40.06N 98.34W
07/09/2014 E60 MPH WEBSTER NE TRAINED SPOTTER
TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTS WIND GUSTS ESTIMATED UP TO 60
MPH.
&&
REEDSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
840 PM CDT WED JUL 9 2014
NEZ046-061-100230-
SHERMAN NE-BUFFALO NE-
840 PM CDT WED JUL 9 2014
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTH CENTRAL BUFFALO AND SHERMAN
COUNTIES UNTIL 930 PM CDT...
AT 839 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
LITCHFIELD...OR 27 MILES SOUTH OF ORD...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND WINDS TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
RAVENNA...LOUP CITY...PLEASANTON...LITCHFIELD...ROCKVILLE AND HAZARD.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 AM CDT
THURSDAY MORNING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA.
LAT...LON 4114 9875 4109 9875 4094 9917 4109 9921
4126 9920 4136 9901
TIME...MOT...LOC 0139Z 328DEG 26KT 4122 9909
EDDYPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
852 PM CDT WED JUL 09 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0850 PM HAIL LITCHFIELD 41.16N 99.15W
07/09/2014 E1.00 INCH SHERMAN NE 911 CALL CENTER
MOSTLY DIME SIZE HAIL BUT UP TO QUARTER IN PROGRESS.
&&
HALBLAUBSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE 859 PM CDT WED JUL 9 2014 NEZ060-100245- DAWSON NE- 859 PM CDT WED JUL 9 2014 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WESTERN DAWSON COUNTY UNTIL 945 PM CDT... AT 859 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR ETNA...OR 23 MILES SOUTH OF ARNOLD...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH. NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. THIS STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... COZAD AND WILLOW ISLAND AROUND 925 PM CDT. THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 80 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 217 AND 228. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 AM CDT THURSDAY MORNING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA. LAT...LON 4105 9982 4090 9966 4075 10003 4105 10017 TIME...MOT...LOC 0159Z 333DEG 27KT 4110 10006 EDDY
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
906 PM CDT WED JUL 09 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0848 PM HAIL BURR OAK 39.87N 98.30W
07/09/2014 M0.50 INCH JEWELL KS CO-OP OBSERVER
1/2 INCH HAIL REPORTED IN BURR OAK FOR 5 MINUTES.
&&
REEDSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
924 PM CDT WED JUL 9 2014
KSZ007-100300-
JEWELL KS-
924 PM CDT WED JUL 9 2014
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN JEWELL COUNTY UNTIL
1000 PM CDT...
AT 923 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
MONTROSE...OR 18 MILES NORTH OF BELOIT...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
JEWELL...FORMOSO...RANDALL AND MONTROSE.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 AM CDT
THURSDAY MORNING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA.
LAT...LON 3957 9802 3970 9821 3985 9807 3979 9793
3957 9794
TIME...MOT...LOC 0223Z 306DEG 19KT 3974 9806
BRYANTThe Grand Island radar (KUEX), 84 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:27 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Wind gusts estimated near 60 MPH resulted in tree limbs being downed, breaking a window at one home.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, July 2014
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: 537835.