Hail, Scotts Bluff
- When
- July 17, 1:30 PM MST to 1:33 PM MST
- Where
- Scotts Bluff County, 10 mi E of Scottsbluff
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 41.870, -103.476
Quarter size hail was observed ten miles east of Scottsbluff.
Hail in Nebraska, July 17, 2015
Afternoon thunderstorms produced large hail over portions of the western Nebraska Panhandle.
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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 4
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 CYS wrote it up.
Afternoon thunderstorms produced large hail over portions of the western Nebraska Panhandle.
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 Cheyenne, WY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 17, 1:30 PM MST, 0 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 17, 1:30 PM MST, 0 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY 230 PM MDT FRI JUL 17 2015 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 230 PM MDT FRI JUL 17 2015 SCTD SHOWERS AND TSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER SE WY THIS AFTERNOON IN RATHER BANDED FASHION...LIKELY AIDED BY STRONGER WINDS ALOFT AHEAD OF DIGGING UPPER TROF OVER THE NW PART OF THE COUNTRY. EXPECT THIS ACTIVITY TO SPREAD INTO THE PANHANDLE BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON THEN GRADUALLY DISSIPATE DURING THE EVENING HOURS. MEANWHILE...A SFC COOL FRONT WILL SAG SOUTH ACROSS THE CWA OVERNIGHT AS THE UPPER TROF CONTINUES TO DIG ACROSS THE NW CONUS. A LITTLE COOLER CONDITIONS FOR SATURDAY POST-FRONTAL WITH MORE NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND TSTORMS EXPECTED IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING AIDED BY UPSLOPE SFC FLOW AND APPROACH OF UPPER TROF AXIS. INSTABILITIES NOT TOO BAD BUT A FEW STRONGER CELLS POSSIBLE OVER FAR SE WY. ACTIVITY LIKELY TO CONTINUE MORE THROUGH THE NIGHT OVER THE PLAINS BEFORE SOME DRYING DIMINISHES IT LATE SAT NIGHT INTO SUNDAY. MILD TEMPS CONTINUING SUNDAY WITH ISOLATED CONVECTION POSSIBLE AROUND THE SRN MTNS. .LONG TERM...(MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY) ISSUED AT 230 PM MDT FRI JUL 17 2015 SOME MODEL DIFFERENCES ARE EVIDENT THROUGH THE UPCOMING WEEK WITH THE SOUTH CENTRAL CONUS UPPER RIDGE HOLDING STEADFAST...WITH A ACTIVE ZONAL FLOW ALOFT ACROSS THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE COUNTRY. THE ECMWF BUILDS A SHORT WAVE RIDGE OVER THE FRONT RANGE MONDAY WHEREAS THE GFS IS WEAKER. THERE IS SOME LIGHT QPF FROM ISOLATED AFTERNOON CONVECTION OVER OUR SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS. IT WILL BE SEASONABLY WARM FOR THE PLAINS WITH HIGHS IN THE 80S. ON TUESDAY... THE FLOW ALOFT BACKS TO THE SOUTHWEST...ALLOWING MORE SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE TO SPREAD NORTHEAST THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE CWA ALONG WITH SLIGHTLY COOLER TEMPERATURES. LOOKING AT SCATTERED AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND TSTORMS AS A SHORT WAVE TRACKS NORTHEAST ACROSS SOUTHERN WY AND NORTHERN CO. WEAK RIDGING ALOFT DEVELOPS IN THE WAKE OF THE EXITING SHORT WAVE WEDNESDAY...HOWEVER THERE WILL BE SOME MOISTURE PRESENT FOR WIDELY SCATTERED AFTERNOON TSTORMS. SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT INCREASES LATE IN THE WEEK WELL IN ADVANCE OF A DIGGING UPPER TROUGH OVER THE FAR WEST. SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE WILL BE DIVERTED TO THE NORTH AND WEST OF THE CWA RESULTING IN GENERALLY DRY AND WARM WEATHER. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1111 AM MDT FRI JUL 17 2015 A WEAK FRONT ALONG A CASPER-ALLIANCE LINE WILL SLOWLY DRIFT SOUTH ACROSS SOUTHEAST WY AND WESTERN NE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED TSTORMS WILL DEVELOP EARLY THIS AFTERNOON AND LINGER INTO THE LATE EVENING OVER WESTERN NE. BRIEF PERIODS OF MVFR VSBY WILL OCCUR WITH TSTORMS...ALONG WITH GUSTY/ERRATIC WINDS...SMALL HAIL AND LIGHTNING. AHEAD OF THE FRONT...SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL GUST BETWEEN 25 AND 35 KT ALONG AND WEST OF THE LARAMIE RANGE THIS AFTERNOON. && .FIRE WEATHER... ISSUED AT 230 PM MDT FRI JUL 17 2015 CONCERNS EXPECTED TO REMAIN LOW INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK WITH CONDITIONS REMAINING NON-CRITICAL. A COOL FRONT WILL PASS ACROSS LATER TONIGHT AND SATURDAY BRINGING SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS ALONG WITH A LITTLE COOLER TEMPERATURES. MORE ISOLATED CONVECTION EXPECTED EARLY NEXT WEEK WITH WARMING AND DRYING CONDITIONS. && .CYS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WY...NONE. NE...NONE. && SHORT TERM...RE LONG TERM...MAJ AVIATION...MAJ FIRE WEATHER...RE
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 17, 9:40 AM MST, 3 hours 50 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY 1040 AM MDT FRI JUL 17 2015 NEZ019>021-054-055-WYZ103>106-109>119-181030- SCOTTS BLUFF-BANNER-MORRILL-KIMBALL-CHEYENNE-NORTH LARAMIE RANGE- FERRIS/SEMINOE/SHIRLEY MOUNTAINS-SHIRLEY BASIN- CENTRAL LARAMIE RANGE AND SOUTHWEST PLATTE COUNTY- CENTRAL CARBON COUNTY-NORTH SNOWY RANGE FOOTHILLS- SOUTHWEST CARBON COUNTY-SIERRA MADRE RANGE- UPPER NORTH PLATTE RIVER BASIN-SNOWY RANGE-LARAMIE VALLEY- SOUTH LARAMIE RANGE-SOUTH LARAMIE RANGE FOOTHILLS- CENTRAL LARAMIE COUNTY-EAST LARAMIE COUNTY- 1040 AM MDT FRI JUL 17 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN NEBRASKA...EAST CENTRAL WYOMING...SOUTH CENTRAL WYOMING AND SOUTHEAST WYOMING. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD DEVELOP OVER THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON THEN GRADUALLY COME TO AN END THIS EVENING. A FEW STRONG STORMS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GUSTY WINDS THE MAIN THREAT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY. ISOLATED AFTERNOON SHOWERS AND STORMS CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH MUCH OF NEXT WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED. NEZ002-003-095-096-WYZ101-102-107-108-181030- DAWES-BOX BUTTE-NORTH SIOUX-SOUTH SIOUX- CONVERSE COUNTY LOWER ELEVATIONS-NIOBRARA COUNTY- EAST PLATTE COUNTY-GOSHEN COUNTY- 1040 AM MDT FRI JUL 17 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN NEBRASKA AND EAST CENTRAL WYOMING. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED OVER PARTS OF EASTERN WYOMING AND THE NORTHERN NEBRASKA PANHANDLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A FEW STORMS COULD BECOME STRONG TO SEVERE...ESPECIALLY NORTH OF A DOUGLAS TO ALLIANCE LINE. THE MAIN HAZARDS WILL BE GUSTY WINDS AND HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY. ISOLATED AFTERNOON SHOWERS AND STORMS CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH MUCH OF NEXT WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED.
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Jul 17, 12:54 PM MST, 36 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY 154 PM MDT FRI JUL 17 2015 WYZ101-172030- CONVERSE COUNTY LOWER ELEVATIONS WY- 154 PM MDT FRI JUL 17 2015 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EAST CENTRAL CONVERSE COUNTY UNTIL 230 PM MDT... AT 154 PM MDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 11 MILES NORTHEAST OF DOUGLAS...MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. DIME SIZE HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. THIS STORM WILL REMAIN OVER MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF EAST CENTRAL CONVERSE COUNTY. LAT...LON 4280 10533 4294 10539 4311 10493 4283 10491 TIME...MOT...LOC 1954Z 255DEG 27KT 4289 10526 RE
Special weather statement, Jul 17, 1:10 PM MST, 20 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY
210 PM MDT FRI JUL 17 2015
NEZ096-WYZ108-172100-
SOUTH SIOUX NE-GOSHEN COUNTY WY-
210 PM MDT FRI JUL 17 2015
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHWESTERN SIOUX AND EAST
CENTRAL GOSHEN COUNTIES UNTIL 300 PM MDT...
AT 210 PM MDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
TORRINGTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS OF 50 TO 55 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
TORRINGTON.
LAT...LON 4197 10415 4206 10421 4243 10383 4202 10348
4203 10397
TIME...MOT...LOC 2010Z 234DEG 27KT 4205 10412
RUBINSpecial weather statement, Jul 17, 1:16 PM MST, 14 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY 216 PM MDT FRI JUL 17 2015 NEZ003-019-021-096-172115- MORRILL NE-SOUTH SIOUX NE-SCOTTS BLUFF NE-BOX BUTTE NE- 216 PM MDT FRI JUL 17 2015 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN SIOUX...SOUTHWESTERN BOX BUTTE...NORTHWESTERN MORRILL AND NORTHEASTERN SCOTTS BLUFF COUNTIES UNTIL 315 PM MDT... AT 215 PM MDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER SCOTTSBLUFF AIRPORT...OR NEAR SCOTTSBLUFF...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. DIME SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS OF 50 TO 55 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... MINATARE...SCOTTSBLUFF AIRPORT...LAKE MINATARE...LAKE MINATARE CAMPGROUND AND KILPATRICK LAKE. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE. THIS STORM 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. && LAT...LON 4180 10357 4185 10364 4220 10339 4189 10310 TIME...MOT...LOC 2015Z 231DEG 19KT 4184 10357 RUBIN
Special weather statement, Jul 17, 1:24 PM MST, 6 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY 224 PM MDT FRI JUL 17 2015 WYZ101-102-172130- CONVERSE COUNTY LOWER ELEVATIONS WY-NIOBRARA COUNTY WY- 224 PM MDT FRI JUL 17 2015 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHWESTERN NIOBRARA AND EAST CENTRAL CONVERSE COUNTIES UNTIL 330 PM MDT... AT 224 PM MDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 9 MILES EAST OF DOUGLAS...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. DIME SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS OF 50 TO 55 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. THIS STORM WILL REMAIN OVER MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF SOUTHWESTERN NIOBRARA AND EAST CENTRAL CONVERSE COUNTIES. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE. && LAT...LON 4272 10525 4278 10529 4312 10504 4282 10481 TIME...MOT...LOC 2024Z 231DEG 17KT 4279 10521 RUBIN
The radar
The Cheyenne radar (KCYS), 137 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:31 UTC.
Event by event
4 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Hail, Sioux
- When
- July 17, 2:30 PM MST to 2:33 PM MST
- Where
- Sioux County, 4 mi NW of Harrison
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 42.731, -103.936
Quarter size hail was observed four miles northwest of Harrison.
Hail, Box Butte
- When
- July 17, 2:55 PM MST to 2:58 PM MST
- Where
- Box Butte County, 10 mi SE of Alliance
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 41.998, -102.732
Quarter size hail was observed ten miles southeast of Alliance.
Hail, Sioux
- When
- July 17, 3:15 PM MST to 3:17 PM MST
- Where
- Sioux County, 4.77 mi WNW of Harrison
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 42.710, -103.970
Quarter size hail was observed four miles west-northwest of Harrison.
What these are
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Utah, July 17 to 18, 2015
- Tornadoes and Hail in Minnesota, July 17 to 18, 2015
- Lightning Strike in Colorado, July 17, 2015
- Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Indiana, July 17, 2015
- Flash Flooding and Debris Flows in California, July 17 to 19, 2015
- Tornadoes and Hail in South Dakota, July 17, 2015
- Flash Flooding and Flood in Arizona, July 17 to 20, 2015
- Excessive Heat in Missouri, July 17 to 19, 2015
- Wildfire in California, July 17, 2015
- Tornado and Flash Flooding in California, July 17 to 21, 2015
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Kansas, July 17, 2015
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Georgia, July 17 to 21, 2015
More
Every storm in Nebraska in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Nebraska, July 2015
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: 582489, 582491, 582492, 582495.