During a four-hour period centered from 630-1030 pm CDT on this Sunday evening, a complex of severe thunderstorms tracked from northwest-to-southeast through primarily the southwestern two-thirds of South Central Nebraska, resulting in numerous reports of damaging winds ranging from 60 to around 80 MPH. Hail was not a significant issue, with nickel size stones being the largest reported.
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.
During a four-hour period centered from 630-1030 pm CDT on this Sunday evening, a complex of severe thunderstorms tracked from northwest-to-southeast through primarily the southwestern two-thirds of South Central Nebraska, resulting in numerous reports of damaging winds ranging from 60 to around 80 MPH. Hail was not a significant issue, with nickel size stones being the largest reported. Although high winds also affected some counties farther west, the primary swath of damaging winds was roughly 20-40 miles wide, extending from the Valley/Sherman counties area in the northwest, southeastward through the Hall/Adams/Nuckolls counties areas. Along this main corridor, a sampling of the most wind significant reports in chronological order included: estimated 70 MPH winds in the Elyria and Litchfield areas with crop and tree damage, a measured 71 MPH gust near Wood River, a measured peak gust of 83 MPH at Hastings airport along with 10-20 minutes of persistent 60-80 MPH wind behind the initial surge, and up to 30 minutes of estimated 60-70 MPH gusts in Superior. Off to the west of this main zone of wind issues, there were a few reports of gusts around 60 MPH in the Lexington and Arapahoe areas. Rainfall-wise, the progressive nature of convection kept totals in most places no higher than 0.50-1.50 inches, with a few of the wetter exceptions per NeRAIN observes featuring 2.30 nine miles northwest of Ord and 2.13 six miles southeast of Davenport.
In a basic sense, this event consisted of an initially semi-discrete supercell cluster that first developed in north central Nebraska during the mid-afternoon hours and then gradually grew upscale into a larger-scale, forward-propagating linear mesoscale convective system (MCS) as it crossed the local South Central Nebraska area. This intense storm complex first infiltrated the local area into Valley/Sherman/Dawson counties between 630-730 pm CDT, blew through the Grand Island/Hastings areas during the 815-930 pm CDT time frame and finally departed southeastward into northern Kansas between 10-11 pm CDT. Although showers/weak storms lingered over mainly eastern counties a bit longer, the vast majority of South Central Nebraska was void of precipitation by 1 am CDT on the 18th.
By late-summer standards, this synoptic and mesoscale setup was fairly ripe for an organized severe weather event. In the mid-upper levels, a low-amplitude shortwave trough brushed into Nebraska from the northwest, along the southern periphery of a larger scale disturbance centered over southern Saskatchewan/Manitoba. As a result, mid-upper level flow increased enough to promote generally 30-40 knots of 0-6 kilometer deep layer wind shear over South Central Nebraska. In addition, instability was quite potent as the combination of afternoon surface temperatures in the upper-80s/near 90 F and dewpoints in the mid-60s/low-70s promoted mixed-layer CAPE values of 2000-4000 J/kg ahead of the incoming convective complex.
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 Aug 17, 5:25 PM CST, 21 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE 625 PM CDT SUN AUG 17 2014 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY) ISSUED AT 258 PM CDT SUN AUG 17 2014 THE MAIN FOCUS OF THIS FORECAST IS CENTERED AROUND A LOW-AMPLITUDE SHORTWAVE TROUGH MAKING ITS WAY INTO THE NORTHERN/CENTRAL PLAINS. HIGH INSTABILITY HAS DEVELOPED OVER OUR AREA AHEAD OF THIS TROUGH WITH 3-5 J/KG CAPE INDICATED. WITH ERODING CAP AND TRENDS SHOWING STRONGER BULK SHEAR AT 0-6KM IN THE 30 TO 35 KT RANGE THIS EVENING...WE ARE POISED FOR SOME SEVERE WEATHER DEVELOPMENT. AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA HAS ALREADY BECOME STRONG ENOUGH TO WARN ON...WITH A CU FIELD DEVELOPING SOUTH OF THIS INITIAL DEVELOPMENT. I EXPECT A BLOSSOMING OF THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE APPROACHING TROUGH THIS EVENING AND INTO THE OVERNIGHT. WITH DECREASING INSTABILITY PAST MID-EVENING...IT MAY BE MORE DIFFICULT TO PRODUCE SEVERE WEATHER...BUT NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION. MODEST LOW- LEVEL JET NEAR 25 KTS WILL DEVELOP THIS EVENING THAT COULD HELP SUSTAIN THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. THERE IS SOME AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE HRRR AND WRF SOLUTIONS OF A POTENTIAL MCS TO SWING THROUGH ROUGHLY THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE CWA. WITH EXPECTED SEVERE PARAMETERS...WE COULD BE FAIRLY BUSY...AT LEAST FOR THE EVENING. MOST OF THE CONVECTION SHOULD CLEAR THE CWA DURING THE OVERNIGHT AS THE TROUGH CONTINUES EAST. MONDAY SHOULD BE MAINLY DRY...BUT THE NAM IS INDICATING ANOTHER PERTURBATION THAT COULD AFFECT THE SOUTHERN CWA IN KANSAS. .LONG TERM...(MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 258 PM CDT SUN AUG 17 2014 THE LONG TERM BEGINS VERY SUMMER-LIKE AND ENDS WITH SOME POTENTIAL FOR A MORE WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION DEVELOPMENT BY NEXT WEEKEND. HOWEVER...THE DETAILS ARE VERY SKETCHY BEYOND ABOUT WEDNESDAY REGARDING TIMING/LOCATION OF PRECIPITATION TOWARD THE END OF THE WEEK. THE MOST INTERESTING PART OF THE UPPER LEVEL WEATHER PATTERN WILL BE CHANGES COMING NEXT WEEKEND. MODEL GUIDANCE IN GENERAL IS FAIRLY CONSISTENT THE CENTRAL PLAINS WILL SEE THE FLOW TRANSITION TO AN UPPER TROUGH BY SOMETIME NEXT WEEKEND. THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BRING COOLER WEATHER AND A DECENT SHOT FOR PRECIPITATION AT THAT TIME. IN THE MEAN TIME...MUCH OF THE WEEK IS QUITE SUMMER-LIKE IN TERMS OF TEMPERATURES. LOOK FOR TEMPERATURES TO BE SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL THROUGH PROBABLY THURSDAY...IF NOT FRIDAY. NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS WILL SEE TEMPERATURES WELL INTO THE 90S ALL WEEK. FORTUNATELY THERE WILL BE A SHORT BREAK FROM HIGHER HUMIDITY LEVELS MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY. MOISTURE WILL START TO INCREASE AGAIN LATER IN THE WEEK AS THE UPPER TROUGH APPROACHES AND SOUTHERLY WINDS INCREASE. PRECIPITATION-WISE...MOST SOLD ON LATE TUESDAY NIGHT AND EARLY WEDNESDAY WITH OVERNIGHT CONVECTION IN FACE OF STRONG WARM ADVECTION AND 40KT LOW LEVEL JET. COVERAGE DEFINITELY FAVORS NORTHERN AREAS...AND MAYBE EVEN NORTH OF OUR FORECAST ALL TOGETHER. TIGHTENED UP THE PRECIPITATION CHANCES IN THE AREA WITH THIS IN MIND. HOWEVER...AM NOT EXPECTING MORE THAN A TENTH OR TWO OF RAIN AT MOST. DID NOT STRAY AT ALL FROM DAYS 4-7 GUIDANCE GIVEN TO US IN THE GRIDS...PRIMARILY BECAUSE CONFIDENCE IS NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES. THE GENERAL TREND IS FOR INCREASING STORM CHANCES BEGINNING THURSDAY NIGHT AND INTO THE WEEKEND. TEMPERATURES COULD START TO DROP A BIT NEXT WEEKEND SHOULD PRECIPITATION MATERIALIZE. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z MONDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 625 PM CDT SUN AUG 17 2014 TONIGHT: VFR EXCEPT A 2-4 HR WINDOW OF IFR TSTMS. TIMING REMAINS UNCERTAIN...BUT THE 02Z-06Z TIME FRAME IS A START. WATCH FOR AMENDMENTS IF TSTMS THREATEN. SE UNDER 10 KTS EXCEPT NEAR TSTMS WHERE WIND WILL BE ERRATIC AND VARIABLE. THERE IS SOME MARGINAL POTENTIAL FOR LLWS AFTER 06Z. CONFIDENCE: MEDIUM MON: VFR AND ESSENTIALLY SKC. A WEAK FRONT WILL PASS THE TERMINALS 12Z-13Z WITH A WIND SHIFT TO NNW TO EVENTUALLY NNE BY AFTERNOON. SPEEDS UNDER 10 KTS. CONFIDENCE: HIGH && .GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...NONE. KS...NONE. && SHORT TERM...HEINLEIN LONG TERM...MORITZ AVIATION...HALBLAUB
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE 305 PM CDT SUN AUG 17 2014 KSZ005>007-017>019-NEZ039>041-046>049-060>064-072>077-082>087- 182015- 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- 305 PM CDT SUN AUG 17 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA AND PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT. SOME OF THESE STORMS COULD TURN SEVERE OVER SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF GOLFBALLS...AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS TO NEAR 60 MPH WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREATS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. THERE ARE INTERMITTENT CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS THROUGHOUT THE UPCOMING WEEK FOR MOST OF THE OUTLOOK AREA. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER...PLEASE RELAY ALL REPORTS OF HAIL AND WIND DAMAGE TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HASTINGS. && MORE INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED AT THE FOLLOWING WEB PAGE: HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/HASTINGS (ALL LOWERCASE) HALBLAUB
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
612 PM CDT SUN AUG 17 2014
NEZ039-040-046-047-180015-
GREELEY NE-VALLEY NE-SHERMAN NE-HOWARD NE-
612 PM CDT SUN AUG 17 2014
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WESTERN HOWARD...WESTERN
GREELEY...VALLEY AND SHERMAN COUNTIES UNTIL 715 PM CDT...
AT 609 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A LINE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 31 MILES NORTHWEST OF
ELYRIA TO 26 MILES WEST OF FORT HARTSUFF STATE PARK TO 38 MILES WEST
OF ARCADIA...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
THIS ADVISORY IS ADVANCED NOTICE OF THE STORMS TO THE WEST...WHICH
ARE EXPECTED TO TRACK INTO PARTS OF THE ADVISORY AREA EARLY THIS
EVENING. WIND GUSTS OF 50 TO 60 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE
STORMS. BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER SHOULD THE STORMS BECOME SEVERE
IN YOUR AREA.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... ORD...LOUP CITY...GREELEY...
SCOTIA...ARCADIA...NORTH LOUP...LITCHFIELD...ELBA...
ASHTON...BOELUS...FARWELL...ROCKVILLE... HAZARD...ELYRIA...FORT
HARTSUFF STATE PARK AND SHERMAN RESERVOIR DAM.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
IF ON OR NEAR SHERMAN RESERVOIR...GET OUT OF THE WATER AND MOVE
INDOORS OR INSIDE A VEHICLE. REMEMBER...LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE OUT TO
15 MILES FROM THE PARENT THUNDERSTORM. IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU
ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. MOVE TO SAFE SHELTER
NOW. DO NOT BE CAUGHT ON THE WATER IN A THUNDERSTORM.
&&
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT
SUNDAY AFTERNOON FOR SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA.
LAT...LON 4174 9851 4106 9851 4106 9918 4108 9921
4174 9921
TIME...MOT...LOC 2309Z 313DEG 34KT 4198 9945 4169 9952 4157 9985
MORITZThe North Platte radar (KLNX), 130 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:48 UTC.
23 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Wind gusts were estimated to be near 70 MPH. Crop damage was reported in the area.
Wind gusts were estimated to be near 60 MPH. Crop and tree damage was reported in the area.
Wind gusts were estimated to be near 70 MPH, with tree branches up to 6 to 8 inches in diameter being downed.
Wind gusts were estimated to be near 70 MPH. Crop and tree damage was reported in the area.
Wind gusts were estimated to be near 60 MPH. Tree damage was reported in the area.
Wind gusts were estimated to be near 60 MPH by an NeRAIN observer.
Spotter measured the wind gust with a hand held anemometer.
Wind gusts were estimated to be near 60 MPH.
Wind gusts were estimated to be near 60 MPH. Tree branches were blown down across Highway 281.
Wind gusts were estimated to be near 60 MPH, resulting in blowing dust and near zero visibility.
Wind gusts were estimated to be between 60 and 80 MPH.
Wind gust was measured at the Hastings NWS Office.
Wind gusts were estimated to be near 65 MPH.
Wind gusts were estimated to be near 65 MPH.
Wind gusts over a 30 minute period were estimated to be between 60 and 70 MPH.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nebraska in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Nebraska, August 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: 542328, 539562, 539541, 539563, 539564, 542329, 539542, 539543, 539544, 539545, 539546, 539547, 539548, 539549, 539550, 539551, 539552, 539553, 539559, 539554, 539555, 539556, 539557, 539558, 539560, 539561.