Flooding and Hail in Nebraska, June 20 to 21, 2014

Name: Flooding and Hail in Nebraska, June 20 to 21, 2014
Start: 2014-06-20T09:46
End: 2014-06-21T11:00
Location: Nebraska

June 20 to 21, 2014 · NWS GID · 34 events in 10 counties and zones

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: $3.5 million
Crop damage: $11 million
Events: 34

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 GID wrote it up.

Although ground-truth reports of severe-criteria hail and wind emanated from only seven counties mainly within northern and central portions of South Central Nebraska on this Friday, the coverage of non-severe thunderstorms and locally heavy rain became rather widespread across much of the area during the late evening and lasting into the early morning hours of the 21st. Despite the somewhat limited areal coverage of verified severe storms, this was a more-significant-than-expected and fairly long-lasting event, as 25 severe thunderstorm warnings were issued in the local area over the course of eight hours between 230-1030 pm CDT, including for a storm that pounded parts of Grand Island with hail up to baseball size.

Several hours prior to the primary severe weather event, a lone morning storm dropped nickel size hail as it passed through Valley and Greeley counties. During the early stages of the main afternoon/evening development, generally between 230-500 pm CDT, transient clusters of strong to marginally severe multicell storms affected areas north of Highway 92, producing ping pong ball size hail near Cotesfield. The next few hours featured the storms of the day as a pair of very slow-moving supercells pounded the northern Hall and southern Howard county area. For the city of Grand Island, the first of these storms likely resulted in the most significant severe event of the 2014 convective season, as a swath extending from a few miles northwest of the city to near the downtown area was drilled with hail stones ranging from quarter to baseball size between mainly 6-7 pm CDT. During this same time frame, a separate, smaller severe storm in Sherman County dropped very large hail up to 3 in diameter in the Rockville area. As the initial Grand Island supercell started dissipating, a second supercell flared up just to its west over northwestern Hall County mainly between 730-830 pm CDT, pounding the Cairo area with hail up to golf ball size for several minutes. While this second supercell started to weaken, a considerable flare-up of strong to severe multicell convection commenced between 730-900 pm CDT within several northern and western counties such as Sherman, Dawson, Gosper and Furnas, resulting in a few reports of estimated 60-65 MPH winds. Generally between 9-11 pm CDT, much of this widespread convection rapidly congealed into a southeast-surging quasi-linear complex that took aim on the Tri-Cities area. During this time, measured wind gusts in Hall County included 58 MPH at the Grand Island airport and 76 MPH at a home weather station near Wood River. These damaging gusts then barreled into Adams County where Hastings airport measured a 67 MPH gust, resulting in the second round of tree damage and fairly minor structural damage within the city in less than one week's time. Beyond 11 pm CDT, there were no further reports of severe storms within South Central Nebraska, although widespread redevelopment of convection continued through the night, especially near the Interstate 80 and Highway 6 corridors. By the end of the night, most of the 24-county area had tallied anywhere from 0.50 to 2 of rain. However, much higher pockets of at least 3-4 of rain targeted primarily northern Hall and southern Howard counties, northern Adams County and central/western Clay County. A few of the highest storm totals from a combination of automated gauges, NWS cooperative observers and NeRAIN observers included 4.07 five miles west-southwest of Clay Center, 3.31 at Hastings airport and 3.11 three miles east-southeast of Dannebrog. Not surprisingly, short-term flooding issues materialized. While rain was still falling during the evening, water was reported over several county roads in southwestern Howard County, along with Highway 11 near Dannebrog. After daybreak on the 21st, reports arrived of several county roads in northwestern Adams County covered in water.

In the big picture of the mid-upper levels, this was not really a synoptically-evident severe weather setup, thanks largely to the lack of a notable mid-upper level disturbance and also seasonably-weak deep layer wind shear. As a result, the severity/longevity of this event was largely underestimated in official forecasts, even within 12 hours of its onset. In the mid levels, fairly weak quasi-zonal flow containing very subtle disturbances was in place over Nebraska, well to the south of a compact-but-strong closed low churning over Saskatchewan and Manitoba. At the surface, only a few subtle boundaries were present within the region, but no well-defined fronts. However, as afternoon temperatures rose well into the upper 80s-low 90s F in the presence of dewpoints in the mid-upper 60s, significant instability developed in the form of mixed-layer CAPE soaring to between 3000-4000 J/kg. Despite 0-6 kilometer deep layer shear averaging no more than 20-30 knots, this highly unstable environment supported robust convection, including the few slow-moving supercells. After dark, the briefly-severe squall line and subsequent multi-hour period of regenerative non-severe storms was aided by the exit region of a 30-40 knot low level jet centered over western KS.

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 Hastings, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 20, 8:42 AM CST, 1 hour 4 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 20, 8:42 AM CST, 1 hour 4 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
942 AM CDT FRI JUN 20 2014

.UPDATE...
ISSUED AT 940 AM CDT FRI JUN 20 2014

STILL TRYING TO GET A BETTER HANDLE ON CONVECTIVE/SEVERE WEATHER
CHANCES TODAY INTO TONIGHT...BUT WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT DESPITE
THE LACK OF A FORMAL STORM PREDICTION CENTER DAY 1 SLIGHT RISK
AREA...THEIR OUTLOOK IS CARRYING 5 PERCENT SEVERE PROBABILITIES
FOR THE ENTIRE CWA FOR THIS AFTERNOON-TONIGHT...AND THUS THE RISK
OF AT LEAST A FEW SEVERE STORMS IS MOST DEFINITELY NOT ZERO. AS
SUSPECTED AS A SLIM POSSIBILITY IN YESTERDAY AFTERNOONS
DISCUSSION...VERY ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY DID IN FACT
DEVELOP THIS MORNING IN/NEAR THE DAWSON COUNTY AREA...AND ARE NOW
SEEING ANOTHER ROUND OF NON-SEVERE CONVECTION FLARING UP JUST
BARELY OUTSIDE THE CWA IN CUSTER COUNTY...WHICH COULD TRACK
EASTWARD INTO PORTIONS OF OUR CWA MAINLY NEAR/NORTH OF NEB HIGHWAY
92 OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS. THIS SOMEWHAT ELEVATED MORNING
CONVECTION IS ESSENTIALLY TIED TO THE LEADING EDGE OF MOISTURE
RETURN/THETA-E ADVECTION IN THE 850-700 MILLIBAR LAYER AS
INSTABILITY HAS RAPIDLY RETURNED NORTHWARD SINCE LAST NIGHT.

ABOUT ALL THAT CAN BE SAID WITH MUCH CONFIDENCE AT THIS POINT FOR
TODAY-TONIGHT IS:

- THE MAJORITY OF THE CWA SHOULD REMAIN STORM-FREE THROUGH AT
LEAST MID-LATE AFTERNOON...WITH THE BEST CHANCES BEFORE THEN
MAINLY CONFINED TO ROUGHLY THE NORTHWEST 1/3 OF THE AREA...OR
ROUGHLY NORTH OF A LEXINGTON-FULLERTON LINE. ALTHOUGH THE RISK OF
SEVERE STORMS SHOULD REMAIN FAIRLY SMALL THROUGH EARLY-MID
AFTERNOON...AN ISOLATED MARGINALLY SEVERE STORM WITH LARGE HAIL
JUST CANNOT BE COMPLETELY RULED OUT IN THIS ENVIRONMENT.

- FROM MID-LATE AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING/TONIGHT...THUNDERSTORM
CHANCES SHOULD GRADUALLY EXPAND TO INCLUDE MORE OF THE
CWA...ESPECIALLY NEBRASKA ZONES...AND ALTHOUGH CONFIDENCE IN STORM
COVERAGE IS NOT HIGH ENOUGH YET TO BOOST POPS IN ANY GIVEN AREA
ABOVE THE 30 RANGE...COULD CERTAINLY SEE A DECENT CLUSTER OF
STRONG TO POTENTIALLY SEVERE MAINLY MULTICELL STORMS AFFECT PARTS
OF THE AREA ESPECIALLY DURING PARTS OF THE 3PM-MIDNIGHT TIME
FRAME AS MORE SURFACE-BASED CONVECTION DEVELOPS ALONG FAIRLY
SUBTLE BOUNDARIES...WHICH MOST LIKELY FOR OUR CONCERNS WILL BE A
GENERALLY NORTH-SOUTH TROUGH AXIS SETTING UP WITHIN/NEAR THE
WESTERN CWA TO THE NORTH OF A WEAK LOW PRESSURE AXIS GENERALLY
CENTERED OVER THE NEB/KS BORDER AREA. ALTHOUGH INSTABILITY WILL BE
MORE THAN SUFFICIENT FOR SEVERE WITH MIXED-LAYER CAPE PROGGED TO
ROUGHLY AROUND 2000 J/KG MODEL RANGE DEPENDING ON THE MODEL...DEEP
LAYER SHEAR SHOULD BE SOMEWHAT OF A LIMITING FACTOR FOR A MORE
ROBUST SEVERE THREAT...ONLY AVERAGING IN THE 20-30KT RANGE.

UPDATE ISSUED AT 541 AM CDT FRI JUN 20 2014

ACCOUNTED FOR THE SUNRISE SURPRISE THUNDERSHOWERS THAT AFFECTED
CENTRAL AND WESTERN AREAS OF THE CWA...PROBABLY DUE TO A LOW-
AMPLITUDE PERTURBATION WITHIN ZONAL FLOW. THESE THUNDERSHOWERS
SHOULD NOT MAKE IT PAST MID-MORNING AS THERE WILL BE LITTLE
SUPPORT BY THEN.

&&

.SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT)
ISSUED AT 415 AM CDT FRI JUN 20 2014

UPPER LEVEL FLOW IS NEARLY ZONAL AND WEAK FOR THE SHORT TERM. TODAY
SHOULD BE DRY FOR MOST OF THE DAY...BUT MODELS INDICATE THAT A LOW-
AMPLITUDE RIPPLE OF ENERGY WILL ARRIVE BY LATE AFTERNOON INTO THE
EVENING. BULK SHEAR MAGNITUDE WILL BE LOW...NOT TOPPING 25 KTS IN
THE 6KM AND BELOW LAYER. HOWEVER...THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR QUITE A
BIT OF INSTABILITY WITH PLENTY OF SUNSHINE. CAPE WILL MORE THAN
LIKELY BE GREATER THAN 3000 J/KG. IF STORMS FIRE UP IN THE
AFTERNOON...THEN STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS COULD EASILY
DEVELOP. SINCE STORMS WOULD BE HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON INSTABILITY...THE
LATER ANY STORMS DEVELOP...THE LESS CHANCE OF SEVERE WEATHER. THIS
DEPENDS ON WHEN ANY CAP MAY BREAK...AND IF THERE IS A DECENT FOCUS
FOR ACTIVITY TO DEVELOP. FOR NOW...MODELS ARE NOT IN THE BEST
AGREEMENT IN WHEN THERE COULD BE DEVELOPMENT. THIS APPEARS TO BE A
SITUATION WHERE COVERAGE OF ANY STORMS MAY BE LIMITED...SO THE
MENTION OF A FEW STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS SEEMS SUFFICIENT. A
DEVELOPING LOW-LEVEL JET COULD KEEP STORMS GOING FOR AWHILE BEFORE
THE ANY STORMS HEAD EAST.

ONLY MINOR CHANGES TO TEMPERATURES WERE MADE. IT APPEARS THAT MOST
OF ANY PRECIPITATION WILL BE OVER BEFORE THE OVERNIGHT HOURS AS THE
DISTURBANCE MOVES OFF TO THE EAST.

.LONG TERM...(SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY)
ISSUED AT 415 AM CDT FRI JUN 20 2014

PRIMARY FORECAST CONCERN THROUGH THE LONG TERM PERIOD LIES WITH
THUNDERSTORM CHANCES.

THE START OF THE LONG TERM PERIOD HAS MODELS IN PRETTY GOOD
AGREEMENT WITH THE OVERALL UPPER LEVEL PATTERN...WITH LOW
AMPLITUDE/ZONAL FLOW IN PLACE OVER THE PLAINS AS BROAD HIGH PRESSURE
EXTENDS ACROSS THE SRN CONUS AND LOW PRESSURE SPINS OVER CENTRAL
CANADA. THE UPCOMING WEEKEND LOOKS TO CONTINUE THE ACTIVE
PATTERN...WITH THUNDERSTORM CHANCES BOTH DAYS.

DECIDED TO DRY OUT THE MORNING HOURS ON SATURDAY...WITH THE
DISTURBANCE FROM THE NIGHT BEFORE EXPECTED TO BE MOVING OFF TO THE
EAST. THE NEXT DISTURBANCE WILL EVENTUALLY BE EMERGING OUT OF THE
ROCKIES...WITH SOME UNCERTAINTY WITH THE TIMING OF PRECIP CHANCES.
DID KEEP SOME SLIGHT CHANCE POPS IN THE FORECAST...BUT CONFIDENCE IN
THERE BEING ANYTHING BEFORE 00Z IS NOT HIGH. MANY OF THE MODELS SHOW
ACTIVITY DEVELOPING ALONG THE HIGH PLAINS DURING THE AFTERNOON
HOURS...SLIDING EAST THROUGH THE REGION THAT
EVENING/OVERNIGHT...AIDED BY CONVERGENCE ALONG THE NOSE OF AN
INCREASED LLJ. BUT A FEW MODELS TRY TO DEVELOP SOME ISOLATED
ACTIVITY DURING THE AFTERNOON ALONG A WEAK WARM FRONT EXTENDING E/NE
NEAR THE STATE LINE FROM SFC OVER WRN KS...SO WASNT CONFIDENT IN
REMOVING POPS COMPLETELY FROM THE AFTERNOON. THE BETTER CHANCES/POPS
REMAIN IN THE 00-12Z OVERNIGHT PERIOD. WILL HOW UPCOMING MODEL RUNS
TREND.

EXPECT THAT THERE WILL BE ANOTHER BREAK IN THE ACTIVITY SUNDAY
MORNING AS THIS LATEST DISTURBANCE PUSHES EAST OUT OF THE
REGION...BUT ONCE AGAIN PRECIP CHANCES WILL BE ON THE INCREASE
DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. MODELS SHOWING A STRONGER UPPER LEVEL
SHORTWAVE TROUGH SWINGING OUT OF THE NRN/CENTRAL ROCKIES...WITH AN
ACCOMPANYING STRONGER SFC COLD FRONT...WITH MODELS TIMING SHOWING
THE POTENTIAL OF THE BOUNDARY MOVING INTO WRN PORTIONS OF THE CWA BY
MID/LATE AFTERNOON. LIKELY POPS REMAIN IN THE FORECAST DURING THE
EVENING/OVERNIGHT PERIOD WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE DISTURBANCE AND SFC
FRONT.

WHILE MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT SHOWING MODEST/GOOD VALUES OF
INSTABILITY DEVELOPING ACROSS THE AREA THIS WEEKEND...THEY ALSO SHOW
THAT OVERALL DEEP LAYER SHEAR NOT BEING THE HIGHEST...GENERALLY IN
THE 20-35KT RANGE. STILL LOOKING AT THE POTENTIAL FOR AT LEAST SOME
STRONG/SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH BOTH DISTURBANCES...WITH HAIL/WINDS
THE PRIMARY CONCERNS.

LOOKING AHEAD TO THE UPCOMING WORK WEEK...NOT A LOT OF CHANGES TO
THE FORECAST...WITH PLENTY OF UNCERTAINTIES. THERE WILL CONTINUE TO
BE THE POTENTIAL FOR ADDITIONAL UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES CROSSING
THE REGION...THOUGH THERE ARE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MODELS WITH THE
TIMING/LOCATION...SO AS HAS BEEN THE CASE FOR A WHILE...THAT DAY 4-7
PERIOD IS A LOW CONFIDENCE ONE...AND POPS WERE KEPT LOW.

AS FAR AS TEMPERATURES GO...AT THIS POINT SATURDAY IS FORECAST TO BE
THE WARMEST DAY OF THE PERIOD...AHEAD OF SUNDAYS COLD FRONTAL
PASSAGE...REACHING INTO THE UPPER 80S TO MID 90S. SUNDAY TEMPS HAVE
A LITTLE MORE UNCERTAINTY WITH THE APPROACHING FRONT...BUT ARE
CURRENTLY FORECAST IN THE MID/UPPER 80S...WITH TEMPS AS WE GET INTO
MON THROUGH THUR GENERALLY NEAR 80 IN THE NORTH TO MID 80S SOUTH.

&&

.AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z KGRI/KEAR TAF THROUGH 12Z SATURDAY)
ISSUED AT 541 AM CDT FRI JUN 20 2014

VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR THE MOST PART...HOWEVER SOME
THUNDERSTORMS COULD DEVELOP BY LATE AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING
AS A SHORTWAVE TROUGH MOVES IN...THEN ANY STORMS SHOULD MOVE OFF
TO THE EAST OF THE TERMINAL OVERNIGHT.

&&

.GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NE...NONE.
KS...NONE.
&&

UPDATE...PFANNKUCH
SHORT TERM...HEINLEIN
LONG TERM...ADO
AVIATION...HEINLEIN

Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 20, 9:36 AM CST, 10 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
1036 AM CDT FRI JUN 20 2014

KSZ005>007-017>019-NEZ039>041-046>049-060>064-072>077-082>087-
211200-
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-
1036 AM CDT FRI JUN 20 2014

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

THROUGH EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR A FEW
THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY NORTH OF A LINE FROM LITCHFIELD TO ST. PAUL
NEBRASKA. AN ISOLATED SEVERE STORM WITH LARGE HAIL UP TO AROUND
PING PONG BALL SIZE AND WINDS UP TO AROUND 60 MPH IS POSSIBLE.

BY LATER THIS AFTERNOON...MAINLY AFTER 3 PM...CHANCES FOR
THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE SOMEWHAT AND GRADUALLY SPREAD FARTHER
SOUTHEAST...EVENTUALLY INCLUDING THE ENTIRE OUTLOOK AREA THIS
EVENING AND TONIGHT. ALTHOUGH WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT
ANTICIPATED...THE ENVIRONMENT WILL BE SUPPORTIVE OF A FEW STRONG
TO PERHAPS SEVERE STORMS...WITH THE MAIN THREATS BEING HAIL UP TO
AROUND THE SIZE OF PING PONG BALLS AND WIND GUSTS UP TO AROUND 60
MPH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY...MAINLY DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON THROUGH
OVERNIGHT HOURS...CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL EXIST ACROSS THE
ENTIRE OUTLOOK AREA. THERE WILL BE THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME OF THESE
THUNDERSTORMS TO BE ON THE STRONG TO SEVERE SIDE...WITH LARGE
HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS THE PRIMARY HAZARDS.

PERIODIC THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE OUTLOOK AREA
MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED WITHIN VARIOUS PORTIONS OF THE
OUTLOOK AREA AT VARIOUS TIMES THROUGH TONIGHT.

&&

MORE INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED AT THE FOLLOWING WEB PAGE:
   HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/HASTINGS  (ALL LOWERCASE)

PFANNKUCH

The radar

The North Platte radar (KLNX), 130 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 15:47 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

14 hail, 11 thunderstorm wind, 7 heavy rain, 2 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Valley

When: June 20, 9:46 AM CST
Where: Valley County, 5.53 mi N of Arcadia
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 41.510, -99.130

Hail, Greeley

When: June 20, 10:47 AM CST
Where: Greeley County, 1.48 mi SSE of Spalding
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 41.660, -98.360

Dime to nickel size hail was reported.

Hail, Greeley

When: June 20, 2:05 PM CST
Where: Greeley County, 11.62 mi WNW of Greeley
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 41.640, -98.720

Hail, Howard

When: June 20, 3:03 PM CST
Where: Howard County, 1.73 mi NE of Cotesfield
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Property damage: $25,000
Crop damage: $1.0 million
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 41.380, -98.610

Heavy Rain, Howard

When: June 20, 4:00 PM CST to June 21, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Howard County, 3.42 mi ESE of Dannebrog
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 41.100, -98.490

A 24 hour total of 3.11 inches of rain occurred 3 miles east southeast of Dannebrog. This report was from an NERAIN observer. The rain occurred from late afternoon into the overnight hours.

Hail, Howard

When: June 20, 4:35 PM CST
Where: Howard County, 2.76 mi S of Dannebrog
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.080, -98.550

Hail, Howard

When: June 20, 4:40 PM CST
Where: Howard County, Dannebrog
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 41.120, -98.550

Hail, Hall

When: June 20, 5:02 PM CST
Where: Hall County, 3.65 mi E of Cairo
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 41.000, -98.530

Nickel to quarter size hail fell.

Hail, Hall

When: June 20, 5:09 PM CST to 5:14 PM CST
Where: Hall County, 6 mi NW of Grand Is to 4 mi NW of Grand Is
Measured: 2 in hail
Property damage: $50,000
Crop damage: $1.0 million
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 40.981, -98.431

Hail ranging in size from ping pong balls to hen eggs was reported northwest of Grand Island.

Hail, Sherman

When: June 20, 5:27 PM CST to 5:38 PM CST
Where: Sherman County, 2 mi NW of Rockville
Measured: 3 in hail
Property damage: $100,000
Crop damage: $5.0 million
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.141, -98.877

Hail ranging in size from quarters to tea cups was reported 2 miles northwest of Rockville.

Hail, Hall

When: June 20, 5:40 PM CST to 6:10 PM CST
Where: Hall County, Grand Is
Measured: 2.75 in hail
Property damage: $3.0 million
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.920, -98.350

Primarily northern and central portions of the city of Grand Island were pounded by hail ranging in size from quarters to baseballs for approximately 30 minutes.

Hail, Hall

When: June 20, 5:42 PM CST
Where: Hall County, 7 mi N of Grand Is
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Property damage: $25,000
Crop damage: $2.0 million
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.021, -98.350

Half dollar size hail was reported approximately 7 miles north of Grand Island.

Hail, Hall

When: June 20, 6:51 PM CST to 7:06 PM CST
Where: Hall County, 1.25 mi WNW of Cairo
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $100,000
Crop damage: $2.0 million
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 41.010, -98.620

Hail up to Golf Ball size was falling off and on for 15 minutes.

Thunderstorm Wind, Furnas

When: June 20, 7:24 PM CST
Where: Furnas County, Cambridge
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.280, -100.170

A thunderstorm wind gust was estimated to be 60 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind, Sherman

When: June 20, 7:43 PM CST
Where: Sherman County, 3.79 mi NNE of Litchfield
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.220, -99.120

A thunderstorm wind gust was estimated at 60 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind, Gosper

When: June 20, 7:50 PM CST
Where: Gosper County, 8 mi S of Elwood
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 40.484, -99.850

Strong winds estimated to around 65 MPH damaged a large tree.

Hail, Howard

When: June 20, 8:09 PM CST
Where: Howard County, 6 mi W of Dannebrog
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: 911 Call Center
Coordinates: 41.120, -98.665

Thunderstorm Wind, Howard

When: June 20, 8:45 PM CST
Where: Howard County, 1.38 mi S of Boelus
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 41.060, -98.720

A thunderstorm wind gust was estimated at 60 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hall

When: June 20, 8:46 PM CST
Where: Hall County, 0.69 mi S of Wood River
Measured: 66 kt (76 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $35,000
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 40.810, -98.600

A thunderstorm wind gust was measured at 76 mph.

Heavy Rain, Adams

When: June 20, 9:00 PM CST to June 21, 5:00 AM CST
Where: Adams County, 2.09 mi NE of Juniata
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 40.600, -98.490

A 24 hour rain total of 3.60 inches fell one mile east northeast of Juniata. The rain occurred during the late evening into the overnight hours.

Heavy Rain, Adams

When: June 20, 9:00 PM CST to June 21, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Adams County, 4.09 mi NE of (Hsi)hastings Arpt
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 40.648, -98.384

A 24 hour rainfall total of 3.20 inches occurred at the NWS Hastings office north of town. The rain occurred from late evening into the overnight hours.

Heavy Rain, Adams

When: June 20, 9:00 PM CST to June 21, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Adams County, (Hsi)hastings Arpt
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 40.600, -98.430

A 24 hour total rainfall of 3.31 inches fell at Hastings Municipal Airport. The rain occurred from late evening into the overnight hours.

Thunderstorm Wind, Adams

When: June 20, 9:01 PM CST
Where: Adams County, Prosser
Measured: 62 kt (71 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.670, -98.570

A thunderstorm wind gust was measured at 71 mph. This gust occurred from outflow well south of the associated thunderstorm.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hall

When: June 20, 9:06 PM CST
Where: Hall County, 5.24 mi W of Rosedale
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.720, -98.580

A thunderstorm wind gust was estimated at 60 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hall

When: June 20, 9:11 PM CST
Where: Hall County, (Gri)grand Is Rgnl A
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 40.970, -98.320

A thunderstorm wind gust was measured at 58 mph.

Hail, Buffalo

When: June 20, 9:28 PM CST
Where: Buffalo County, 4.15 mi S of Shelton
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Storm Chaser
Coordinates: 40.720, -98.730

Thunderstorm Wind, Adams

When: June 20, 9:39 PM CST
Where: Adams County, 4 mi N of Hastings
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 40.638, -98.380

This wind gust occurred at the National Weather Service north of Hastings within outflow, well south of the associated thunderstorms, and was at least 70 mph. This gust speed was later confirmed by an anemometer at the National Weather Office.

Thunderstorm Wind, Adams

When: June 20, 9:43 PM CST
Where: Adams County, (Hsi)hastings Arpt
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $35,000
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 40.600, -98.430

A northwest wind gust of 67 mph was measured by the Hastings Airport ASOS. This occurred at the leading edge of the actual thunderstorm. A street light was knocked down in Hastings near the intersection of 7th and Hewett streets.

Thunderstorm Wind, Adams

When: June 20, 9:52 PM CST
Where: Adams County, 2.09 mi SE of Hastings
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 40.560, -98.350

A thunderstorm wind gust was measured at 58 mph.

Heavy Rain, Clay

When: June 20, 10:00 PM CST to June 21, 5:31 AM CST
Where: Clay County, 0.69 mi S of Clay Center
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 40.520, -98.050

A 24-hour rainfall total of 3.25 inches fell in Clay Center. The rain occurred from late evening into the overnight hours.

Heavy Rain, Clay

When: June 20, 10:00 PM CST to June 21, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Clay County, 2.21 mi WSW of Clay Center
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 40.520, -98.090

A 24 hour rain total of 3.70 inches occurred 2 miles west of Clay Center. This was an NERAIN report. The rain occurred from late evening into the overnight hours.

Heavy Rain, Clay

When: June 20, 10:00 PM CST to June 21, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Clay County, 4.22 mi WSW of Clay Center
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 40.500, -98.120

A 24 hour rainfall total of 4.07 inches fell 4 miles west southwest of Clay Center. This was an NERAIN report. The rain occurred from late evening into the overnight hours.

Flood, Howard

When: June 20, 10:00 PM CST to June 21, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Howard County, 3.92 mi S of Dannebrog to 2.15 mi S of Dannebrog
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 41.063, -98.548

Water was over Highway 11 south of Dannebrog. Law enforcement barricaded Highway 11 one mile south of mile marker 31 due to flooding. Several county roads were under water in southwestern Howard County. At least four inches of rain fell in the community of Boelus.

Flood, Adams

When: June 21, 4:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where: Adams County, 4.04 mi WNW of Hayland to 2.2 mi ENE of Prosser
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 40.693, -98.651

Several county roads were covered with water, including an area 6 to 7 miles north of Juniata, in the Thirty-two Mile Creek Basin.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
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.
Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Nebraska in 2014 Every state in 2014 This day in weather history Warnings in Nebraska, June 2014

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: 529883, 529884, 529886, 521483, 532009, 529541, 529887, 529888, 529889, 529891, 529894, 529898, 529900, 530457, 530458, 533348, 529901, 530460, 530462, 530482, 530484, 532008, 530464, 530467, 530469, 521486, 530475, 530478, 530479, 521494, 532007, 532010, 532598, 532609.