Strong winds developed ahead of a cold front across eastern Nebraska. Many locations gusted to over 40 mph.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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 OAX wrote it up.
Strong winds developed ahead of a cold front across eastern Nebraska. Many locations gusted to over 40 mph. Omaha, Norfolk, and Lincoln ASOS sites all gusted to over 50 mph.
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 Omaha, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 18, 6:10 AM CST, 1 hour 50 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE
610 AM CST Sun Feb 18 2018
.SHORT TERM...(Today through Tuesday)
Issued at 304 AM CST Sun Feb 18 2018
...Two Rounds of Icing Potential Expected Through Tuesday...
Very challenging forecast with many elements to consider over the
next three days, including strong winds 30 to 55 mph today along
with high to very high fire danger, then freezing drizzle/rain
developing tonight into Monday morning, and finally, a second
round of freezing rain/drizzle developing Monday night into
Tuesday morning.
Strong southerly winds today will help boost temperatures into the
50s to lower 60s. The pressure gradient is quiet strong ahead of
arctic front that moves into the area tonight. Once mixing
develops, very strong winds 3000-5000' will likely mix down
along/south of I80 which will create wind advisory conditions
through mid afternoon. Gusts could easily be above 50 mph 10am-
2pm, and would not be surprised if a few locations hit 60 mph in
southeast NE based on soundings and RAP/HRRR gust guidance. Thus
will issue a wind advisory for those locations today 15z-21z.
Focus then shifts to the first round of icing potential as an
overrunning situation develops, with shallow low level moisture
increasing tonight as the arctic front rolls southward into the
area. Warm air aloft combined with the shallow moisture will
allow drizzle or light freezing rain to develop in most areas
06-12 Monday, and then continue to spread a little further south
and east Monday morning. Icing amounts will generally be less than
1/10 of an inch, but nonetheless, will cause some travel problems
Monday morning. While it is a holiday for Washington's Birthday,
the morning commute Monday could be dicey and thus will issue a
winter weather advisory from Midnight through Noon. Areas near the
SD border may be in a deep enough moisture profile to support all
snow, with less than an inch expected there. And there could be a
narrow transition area with some sleet in northeast NE too. Temps
fall through the day Monday with blustery northerly winds. Precip
should wind down Monday afternoon, although some light snow
chances may continue in northeast NE.
Then, focus shifts to the second round of icing potential, which
may have higher accumulations than the first. Again, areas south
of a line from about Columbus to Onawa, IA will be in too shallow
of a moisture profile to allow for ice, thus areas of freezing
drizzle or freezing rain are expected as the next area of low
pressure moves out of the Rockies along the stalled arctic front.
Areas south of the mentioned demarcation line could see icing from
0.05 to 0.15 through Tuesday morning. Again, north of that line
will probably have deep enough moisture to allow for all snow,
with an inch or two forecast in that area, higher amounts just to
the northwest into north central NE through southeast SD. Again,
in the transition zone, there will likely be some sleet. We will
likely need another winter weather advisory for the Monday night
through Tuesday morning time frame, for the combination of ice in
some areas and snow in others. Contemplated issuing a winter storm
watch for a few counties for ice in southeast NE and southwest IA,
but the heavier amounts of ice appear to be setting up just
southeast of our area.
.LONG TERM...(Tuesday night through Saturday)
Issued at 304 AM CST Sun Feb 18 2018
Cold weather at the beginning of the period with lows dropping
into the single digits above/below zero Tuesday night. Highs only
in the 20s for Wednesday, with slowly moderating temperatures
through the remainder of the period. Dry weather early, but spotty
precip chances of snow and rain return by Friday and Saturday.
&&
.AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Monday morning)
Issued at 604 AM CST Sun Feb 18 2018
VFR conditions expected through most of the period. Very windy
conditions will develop through 18Z with gusts up to 45 kts
possible. Winds diminishing after 21Z as cold front approaches
from the northern plains. After 06z increasing chance of light
freezing drizzle at KOFK, reaching KOMA and KLNK from 09Z to 12Z.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...
Issued at 304 AM CST Sun Feb 18 2018
Despite the recent snowfall and snowmelt, due to the combination
of warm temperatures today, low relative humidity, and very gusty
winds of 30 to 55 mph, very high grassland fire danger will exist
across portions of southeast NE and southwest IA. This is
generally along/south of a line from David City, NE to Red Oak,
IA. Minimum humidity percent values drop into the lower 30s during
peak heating. The combined weather values are not low enough for
Red Flag warning criteria at this time. However, any outdoor
burning should avoided or banned.
&&
.OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NE...Winter Weather Advisory from midnight tonight to noon CST Monday
for NEZ012-015-017-018-030>034-042>045-050-051.
Wind Advisory until 3 PM CST this afternoon for NEZ045-050>053-
065>068-078-088>093.
Winter Weather Advisory from 3 AM to noon CST Monday for NEZ052-
053-065-066-078.
Winter Weather Advisory from 6 AM to noon CST Monday for NEZ067-
068.
IA...Winter Weather Advisory from midnight tonight to noon CST Monday
for IAZ043-055.
Wind Advisory until 3 PM CST this afternoon for IAZ055-056-069-
079-080-090-091.
Winter Weather Advisory from 3 AM to noon CST Monday for IAZ056.
Winter Weather Advisory from 6 AM to noon CST Monday for IAZ069-
079.
&&
SHORT TERM...DeWald
LONG TERM...DeWald
AVIATION...Fobert
FIRE WEATHER...DeWaldHazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE 520 AM CST Sun Feb 18 2018 IAZ043-055-056-069-079-080-090-091-NEZ011-012-015>018-030>034- 042>045-050>053-065>068-078-088>093-190130- Monona-Harrison-Shelby-Pottawattamie-Mills-Montgomery-Fremont- Page-Knox-Cedar-Thurston-Antelope-Pierce-Wayne-Boone-Madison- Stanton-Cuming-Burt-Platte-Colfax-Dodge-Washington-Butler- Saunders-Douglas-Sarpy-Seward-Lancaster-Cass-Otoe-Saline- Jefferson-Gage-Johnson-Nemaha-Pawnee-Richardson- 520 AM CST Sun Feb 18 2018 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southwest Iowa...west central Iowa...east central Nebraska...northeast Nebraska and southeast Nebraska. Southerly winds increase to 20 to 35 mph today, with some areas seeing gusts up to 55 mph in southeast Nebraska and southwest Iowa. Thus, a wind advisory will be in effect for parts of the area for late this morning through mid afternoon. High to very high fire danger could also exist across parts of southeast Nebraska and southwest Iowa as well. Outdoor burning is discouraged. An arctic front moves into area tonight. Freezing drizzle or light freezing rain may develop late tonight, which could result in some light icing for the area. Thus, a winter weather advisory has been issued for northeast Nebraska beginning at midnight, and for areas along Interstate 80 at 3 am. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday Freezing drizzle or light freezing rain will continue Monday morning, with less than one tenth of an inch of ice accumulation. This could make the morning commute very slippery. Across northeast Nebraska, mostly snow is expected with up to an inch of accumulation there. A winter weather advisory will remain in effect until Noon. A second round of wintry weather develops Monday night into early Tuesday. Up to a couple inches of additional snow will be possible in northeast Nebraska. Meanwhile, across the remainder of eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa, additional freezing drizzle or light freezing rain develops. Additional icing accumulation around a tenth or two of an inch could occur along and south of Interstate 80, and again, more travel problems could develop. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed today or tonight. DeWald
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 strong wind, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A 53 mph gust was recorded at the Norfolk ASOS site.
A 51 mph gust was measured at Omaha Eppley Airport ASOS site.
A 53 mph wind gust was measured by the Lincoln Airport ASOS.
A 58 mph wind gust was measured at the Omaha Eppley Airport ASOS.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nebraska in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Nebraska, February 2018
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: 742705, 742706, 742707, 742708.