If not for several weak landspout tornadoes that touched down near Fairmont in Fillmore County on this Sunday evening, this would have been a relatively low-key weather day for South Central Nebraska, featuring mainly just locally heavy rainfall across various parts of the area. m.
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.
If not for several weak landspout tornadoes that touched down near Fairmont in Fillmore County on this Sunday evening, this would have been a relatively low-key weather day for South Central Nebraska, featuring mainly just locally heavy rainfall across various parts of the area. However, this cluster of four landspouts (all rated EF-0) generated plenty of attention between 7-8 p.m. CDT as they descended intermittently and mostly-harmlessly into farm fields a few miles southeast through southwest of Fairmont. They were highly-visible, with some sightings occurring from 20+ miles away, and were also well-documented on video by a storm chaser. The parent storm remained nearly stationary over parts of northern Fillmore County for almost three hours, promoting an unofficial report of 3.77 of rain in Exeter, along with short-term street flooding and a brief round of quarter size hail. While other storms developed along and near the same frontal boundary during the evening, the only other severe weather report consisted of estimated 60 MPH winds west of Gresham.
For the majority of South Central Nebraska, localized heavy rain was the primary issue during the 24-hour period between the afternoon of the 24th and the afternoon of the 25th, with many locations tallying 1-3, and a few spots higher. A few of the highest official totals from NWS and CoCoRaHS observers featured: 4.50 near Rockville, 4.32 near Genoa and 3.80 near Gresham. However, totals over 3 were certainly the exception within the area as a whole, and there were few known flooding impacts.
Taking a closer look at the meteorological background behind the Fillmore County landspouts, the mesoscale environment appeared at least modestly-supportive of such activity. In the big picture of the mid-upper levels, forcing/lift was increasing as a well-defined shortwave trough approached from the Central High Plains. In the lower-levels, the key feature/focus was a weak, northeast-southwest oriented cold front aligned from central Kansas to eastern Nebraska, which the Fillmore County storm developed directly on. While deep-layer shear was fairly weak (around 20 knots), mixed-layer CAPE averaged 1000-2000 J/kg, promoting vigorous updrafts. More importantly for landspout formation, mesoscale analysis revealed a modest overlap of 0-3 kilometer (low level) CAPE and surface vorticity provided by the weak boundary.
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 24, 5:24 AM CST, 1 hour 36 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hastings NE 624 AM CDT Sun Jun 24 2018 ...Sct Tstms thru Tonight Some of Which Could be Svr then Dryness and Heat Returns thru the End of the Month... .SHORT TERM...(Today and tonight) Issued at 343 AM CDT Sun Jun 24 2018 Aloft: Split flow was over N America with a broad trof over the CONUS between the two branches of the Westerlies. RAP analyses and 00Z RAOBs showed a low over WY with a 70-80 kt jet streak wrapping around its Srn side. The NAM suggests mesoscale jet streak was forming over Neb/IA in response to the KS/OK MCS. The RRQ/LFQ of these jet streaks appear to be coupled over the rgn today. The low will slowly move into the Neb Panhandle by 00Z and then take all the way until Tue AM to inch E along the SD/Neb border. Surface: A weak low was over SD with a subtle/weak cool front extending SW thru the Sandhills to near DEN and a subtle/weak warm front extending SE to MCI. The cool front will move into the CWA today and slowly inch its way to near Hwy 81 by 12Z/Mon. First thing to say is there is tremendous uncertainty in the fcst thru today with respect to timing and location of rain and the associated threat of svr wx. The models did not do well depicting what happened last eve and are not doing well with what has been going on overnight. That gives us little to no confidence in what transpires today. It's really just a waiting game to see how this evolves. Today: P-M/cldy. While it could rain at any time...much of the CWA may end up dry most of the day. Sat imagery shows a small conveyor belt from Wrn CO into Ern WY...a belt of isentropic ascent. This feature should gradually migrate E into Neb/KS today and tonight...increasing the risk of shwrs/tstms. As for the svr risk today and tonight...we'll just have to wait and see. There is so much debris cloudiness from on-going tstms and clds associated with synoptic lift as well that will be moving in. It really depends on how much this cloudiness thins/ dissipates and how much sun occurs. This could put our high temps in jeopardy as well. 03Z SREF MLCAPE is fcst 1500-2500 J/kg from N-S. Strong wind fields will result in more than sufficient 0-6 km shear (40 kt). The other issue with svr wx is discerning convective mode. Given the strength of the forcing...lots of storms are likely to initiate (wherever that occurs) and that should lead to numerous merges and quick upscale growth into lines. This would favor damaging winds. I could be way off on this...but my current impression is that the tstms maturing over Ern CO will slide SE into KS. Not sure if they'll survive during the day given that an MCS occurred over Wrn KS already. Not much will happen over S-cntrl Neb/N-cntrl KS today until late this afternoon and eve when tstms blow up over the E half of the CWA (E of Hwy 281). Unfortunately...everyone W of Hwy 281 better be prepared for disappointment as far as rain goes. I desperately hope I'm wrong on this. It's sad because this is the most potent system we've had move thru here in a couple months. It could end up a huge waste because of bad timing for the W 1/2 of the CWA. There will probably be big changes to fcst POPs later today as we see how things evolve. .LONG TERM...(Monday through Saturday) Issued at 343 AM CDT Sun Jun 24 2018 Aloft: The low will cont inching along the SD/Neb border Mon and will lift into MN/WI Tue. After wks of split flow it appears the Westerlies will finally consolidate once again in its wake. The global models cont to fcst a broad Wrn trof/Ern ridge to develop by Thu and cont into early July. This will put the Cntrl Plns in SW flow. Surface: The cool front will exit the CWA Mon AM leaving a small area of weak high pres over the rgn Tue. High pres will then park itself over the W Atlc. The CWA will become divided by return flow around this high with occasional frontal intrusions from the N. A weak cool front will move in Wed and then lift back N as a warm front Thu before the next front arrives Fri. This front should stall from SW-NE across or very close to the CWA. Precip: If you don't get much rain with this current system...it's going to be a while. The fronts that move in late week will largely be unproductive at least thru Fri due to very warm H7 temps of 15- 17C. Some mid-lvl cooling could occur by Sat with the approach of a shortwave trof. In the meantime...Mon the dry slot will wrap into the CWA. There could be a few small/isolated shwrs/tstms that develop with daytime heating in the afternoon/eve over S-cntrl Neb. Can't rule out an isolated svr tstm with MLCAPE up to 1500 J/kg along Hwy 81 and 30 kt of 0-6 km shear. Then dry until a slight chance for some very isolated tstms Fri night into Sat. Temps: Comfortable and near normal Tue...then the heat blasts back in Tue-Sat with widespread 90s...with even a couple low 100s over N-cntrl KS. && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z KGRI/KEAR TAFS through 12Z Monday) Issued at 624 AM CDT Sun Jun 24 2018 Significant Wx: Potential for IFR tstms. Today: Predominantly VFR for most of the day. There is a some -RA moving in from the W. Confidence is high it will survive to impact EAR along with a WSHFT...but GRI is less certain. Sct IFR shwrs/tstms could develop at any time...but most likely will wait til after 21Z. Winds from the E-SE 10 kt or less...but they could be vrbl due to the effects of tstms or tstm remnants. Confidence: Low Tonight: VFR will decay to periods of IFR in +TSRA with the highest probability at GRI. It's too early to indicate IFR in the TAFs due to uncertainty on when and where tstms develop. CIGs could decay to MVFR after 09Z. NE winds become NW under 10 kt... except near tstms. Confidence: Low && .GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...None. KS...None. && SHORT TERM...Kelley LONG TERM...Kelley AVIATION...Kelley
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Hastings NE 357 AM CDT Sun Jun 24 2018 KSZ005>007-017>019-NEZ039>041-046>049-060>064-072>077-082>087- 251200- 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- 357 AM CDT Sun Jun 24 2018 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for south central Nebraska and portions of north central Kansas. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Scattered thunderstorms are likely...with the greatest chance late this afternoon into tonight east of Highway 183. Some storms could be severe with hail up to the size of golf balls and damaging winds up to 70 mph. Localized flash flooding will also be possible where thunderstorms persist. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. A few isolated thunderstorms could occur Monday afternoon and evening over south central Nebraska. One or two of these storms might produce hail around 1 inch in diameter and wind gusts near 50 mph. There is a slight chance for a few isolated thunderstorms Friday night and Saturday as well. The weather will turn hot Wednesday through Saturday...and the Heat Index will peak to near 100 degrees each day over parts of the area. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed this afternoon and evening. && More information may be obtained at the following web page: https://www.weather.gov/hastings Kelley
The Grand Island radar (KUEX), 98 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 12:58 UTC.
6 heavy rain, 4 tornado, 1 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A two-day rain total of 4.50 inches was reported two miles northwest of Rockville, with nearly all of this falling in a 24-hour period between the afternoon of the 24th and afternoon of the 25th.
A 24-hour rain total of 4.03 inches occurred three miles northwest of Fullerton. This report is from an automated gauge along the Cedar River.
A 24-hour rainfall total of 4.32 inches occurred two miles west of Genoa.
A 24-hour rain total of 3.02 occurred at the Ord Airport. Most of the rain fell between 5 am and 8 am CDT.
A 24-hour rainfall total of 3.80 inches occurred 4 miles west of Gresham, with a total of 3.04 inches of this occurring after 7 am CDT on June 25th.
A rainfall total of 3.77 inches occurred in Exeter. Street flooding was reported.
A weak tornado with a maximum wind speed of 60 mph occurred. The tornado was a landspout in nature, and was one of four to occur within a few miles of Fairmont.
A weak tornado with a maximum wind speed of 65 mph occurred. The tornado was a landspout in nature, and was one of four to occur within a few miles of Fairmont.
A weak tornado with a maximum wind speed of 60 mph occurred. The tornado was a landspout in nature, and was one of four to occur within a few miles of Fairmont.
A weak tornado occurred with a maximum wind speed of 65 mph. The tornado was a landspout in nature, and was one of four to occur within a few miles of Fairmont.
An estimated wind gust of 60 mph occurred along with pea size hail.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nebraska in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Nebraska, 2018Warnings in Nebraska, June 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: 769833, 769834, 769836, 769837, 769839, 769832, 769850, 769847, 769851, 769829, 769843, 769853.