A powerful storm system tracked across western and north central Nebraska on March 13th and 14th. High winds occurred across southwest, central and north central Nebraska.
Every event with a place to put it; 12 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 LBF wrote it up.
A powerful storm system tracked across western and north central Nebraska on March 13th and 14th. High winds occurred across southwest, central and north central Nebraska. Northwest winds of 35 to 45 mph with gusts to 77 mph were observed. The highest winds began during the evening hours on March 13th and continued through the morning hours on March 14th.
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 North Platte, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 13, 5:39 PM CST, 21 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service North Platte NE 639 PM CDT Wed Mar 13 2019 .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Thursday night) Issued at 403 PM CDT Wed Mar 13 2019 The center of a very impressive mid latitude cyclone is located across western KS this afternoon. The surface low associated with this is near 970 mb. A mid level dry slot has advanced north into southern/eastern portions of Nebraska, allowing for a break in the rainfall. Farther west, across western and portions of north central Nebraska, an intense band of heavy snow is occurring within the deformation zone on the northwest side of the system. Along with the snow, very strong winds have developed and will continue through tonight and into Thursday. The snow band across northwest Nebraska will slowly weaken tonight, but blizzard conditions will continue all night and into at least Thursday morning due to the very strong winds. The other aspect of this system is the widespread flooding that is occurring across central and eastern portions of the state. As the system occludes this afternoon, scattered thunderstorms will develop across portions of north central KS and southern and southwest Nebraska. These will wrap back to the northwest and form a new narrow deformation band this evening. This will change over to snow, with 2 to loaclly 5 inches possible within this band to the east of Highway 83. Winter Storm Warning is in effect for this area due to the combination of snow and blowing snow. Strong damaging winds will be the other factor in this storm system. Gusts of 60 to 65 mph will remain possible through the day Thursday. .LONG TERM...(Friday through Wednesday) Issued at 403 PM CDT Wed Mar 13 2019 High pressure builds in Friday leading sunny skies and highs ranging from the mid 30s across the Sandhills to mid 40s south of I-80, which will be roughly 15 to 20 degrees below seasonal norms. With high pressure in place for the weekend, temperatures will moderate a bit but are expected to remain at or slightly below seasonable norms with h85 temperatures running a bit cool. Winds will be light making for pleasant conditions with highs climbing into the upper 30s to lower 50s from north to south. Our next chance for precipitation arrives late Monday into early Tuesday with the approach of a frontal boundary associated with a clipper system. The ECMWF has backed off a bit and pushed most precipitation south of the area while the GFS is quicker with its solution and clips areas south of I-80 early Tuesday morning. Both models indicate temperature profiles favorable for a rain/snow mix but QPF looks to be light, limiting any potential snow amounts. There does not appear to be much of a cold surge with this system, so little change is expected in daytime highs between Tuesday and Wednesday with highs generally near 40 in the northern Sandhills to near 50 across southwest Nebraska. && .AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Thursday evening) Issued at 638 PM CDT Wed Mar 13 2019 For the KLBF terminal: Expect periods of IFR conditions this evening into the early overnight hours as snow and blowing snow impacts the terminal. Visbys may drop periodically under a half a mile through mid evening. Very strong northerly winds are expected over the next 24 hours with frequent wind gusts between 40 and 50 KTS. For the KVTN terminal: Expect LIFR conditions this evening as blizzard conditions impact northern Nebraska. Conditions will begin to slowly improve overnight, however, visibilities will range from 1-2 miles with very strong northerly winds gusting as high as 50 KTS. && .LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... High Wind Warning from 9 AM CDT /8 AM MDT/ to 7 PM CDT /6 PM MDT/ Thursday for NEZ025-026-036>038-057>059-069>071. Flood Watch until 7 PM CDT /6 PM MDT/ this evening for NEZ006>010-024>029-035>038-056>059-069>071. Winter Storm Warning until 9 AM CDT /8 AM MDT/ Thursday for NEZ025-026-036>038-057>059-069>071. Winter Storm Warning until 7 PM CDT Thursday for NEZ006>010- 027>029. Blizzard Warning until 7 PM CDT /6 PM MDT/ Thursday for NEZ004- 005-022>024-035-056-094. && SHORT TERM...Taylor LONG TERM...Jurgensen AVIATION...Buttler
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service North Platte NE 401 PM CDT Wed Mar 13 2019 NEZ004>010-022>029-035>038-056>059-069>071-094-142115- Sheridan-Eastern Cherry-Keya Paha-Boyd-Brown-Rock-Holt-Garden- Grant-Hooker-Thomas-Blaine-Loup-Garfield-Wheeler-Arthur-McPherson- Logan-Custer-Deuel-Keith-Perkins-Lincoln-Chase-Hayes-Frontier- Western Cherry- 401 PM CDT Wed Mar 13 2019 /301 PM MDT Wed Mar 13 2019/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of western and north central Nebraska. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. A Flood Watch remains in effect through early Wednesday evening. Snow melt combined with new snow and rain will create to potential for more low lying flooding this afternoon. Please refer to the Flood Watch message for more information. Blizzard conditions will continue across the eastern Panhandle into the northwestern Sandhills. Elsewhere, rain will transition to snow this evening across southwest Nebraska through north central Nebraska. Snow combined with developing strong winds in these areas will lead to considerable drifting and blowing snow concerns. Additional new snow amounts through Thursday morning will be heaviest across eastern Panhandle into northwest Sandhills where an additional 6 to 12 inches will be possible. Lighter snow amounts are likely to the south and east but blowing snow is still expected to lead to considerable visibility restrictions. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. Strong winds will continue through the morning and afternoon Thursday. Gusts are expected to exceed 60 mph during the daytime Thursday leading to additional blowing and drifting snow. Winds will diminish Thursday evening. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed through tonight. && Get your weather, hydrological, and climate information at http://www.weather.gov/northplatte
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
420 PM CDT WED MAR 13 2019
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0418 PM BLIZZARD 4 N VALENTINE 42.93N 100.55W
03/13/2019 CHERRY NE PUBLIC
VISIBILITY 150 YARDS. 2.5 INCHES OF SNOWFALL SO FAR.
&&
CBUTTLERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
424 PM CDT WED MAR 13 2019
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0422 PM SNOW 10 NE OSHKOSH 41.51N 102.21W
03/13/2019 M1.5 INCH GARDEN NE CO-OP OBSERVER
&&
LBPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
516 PM CDT WED MAR 13 2019
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0515 PM SNOW 6 N GORDON 42.89N 102.20W
03/13/2019 M4.0 INCH SHERIDAN NE CO-OP OBSERVER
0.40 INCHES OF RAIN BEFORE TRANSITION TO SNOW
&&
LBPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
526 PM CDT WED MAR 13 2019
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0523 PM FLOOD ANSELMO 41.62N 99.86W
03/13/2019 CUSTER NE EMERGENCY MNGR
EM REPORTS ANSLEMO AND SARGENT HAVE FLOODING IN TOWN.
&&
LBSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service North Platte NE
612 PM CDT WED MAR 13 2019
NEZ010-029-140000-
Wheeler NE-Holt NE-
612 PM CDT WED MAR 13 2019
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN HOLT AND
NORTHEASTERN WHEELER COUNTIES UNTIL 700 PM CDT...
At 611 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 9
miles east of Bartlett, or 36 miles northeast of Ord, moving north at
35 mph.
Nickel size hail and winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with
this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Ewing and Knievels Corner.
This includes Highway 20 between mile markers 317 and 328.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead
to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
&&
LAT...LON 4186 9850 4240 9852 4239 9830 4212 9830
4204 9829 4185 9830
TIME...MOT...LOC 2311Z 183DEG 29KT 4194 9838
ButtlerPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
642 PM CDT WED MAR 13 2019
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0640 PM SNOW 10 NE OSHKOSH 41.51N 102.21W
03/13/2019 E3.5 INCH GARDEN NE CO-OP OBSERVER
VISIBILITY MAINLY UNDER 50 FEET WITH INFREQUENT BREAKS
0640 PM SNOW 1 S VALENTINE 42.86N 100.55W
03/13/2019 M3.0 INCH CHERRY NE CO-OP OBSERVER
&&
LBThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
12 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The nearby McCook ASOS recorded a peak wind gust of 74 mph at 136 am CST on March 14th. Winds in excess of 58 mph occurred at times during the evening hours on March 13th into the early morning hours on March 14th across Frontier County.
The Ogallala AWOS recorded a peak wind gust of 62 mph at 735 pm CST on March 13th. Winds in excess of 58 mph occurred at times during the evening hours on March 13th into the early morning hours on March 14th across Keith County.
The Ogallala AWOS recorded a peak wind gust of 62 mph at 735 pm CST on March 13th. Winds in excess of 58 mph occurred at times during the evening hours on March 13th into the early morning hours on March 14th across Perkins County.
The North Platte ASOS recorded a peak wind gust of 71 mph at 1024 pm CST on March 13th. Wind of this magnitude occurred during the late evening hours on March 13th and continued during the early morning hours on March 14th across Lincoln County.
The nearby North Platte ASOS recorded a peak wind gust of 71 mph at 1024 pm CST on March 13th. Wind of this magnitude occurred during the late evening hours on March 13th and continued during the early morning hours on March 14th across McPherson County.
The nearby North Platte ASOS recorded a peak wind gust of 71 mph at 1024 pm CST on March 13th. Wind of this magnitude occurred during the late evening hours on March 13th and continued during the early morning hours on March 14th across Logan County.
A mesonet site located 6 miles east of Halsey recorded a peak wind gust of 63 mph at 11 pm CST on March 13th. The nearby Thedford AWOS also recorded a peak wind gust of 63 mph at 335 am CST on March 14th. Wind of this magnitude occurred during the late evening hours on March 13th and continued during the early morning hours on March 14th across Blaine County.
The Thedford AWOS recorded a peak wind gust of 63 mph at 335 am CST. Wind of this magnitude occurred during the early morning hours on March 14th across Thomas County.
The nearby Imperial ASOS recorded a peak wind gust of 68 mph at 1243 am CST on March 13th. Winds in excess of 58 mph occurred at times during the late evening hours on March 13th into the early morning hours on March 14th across Hayes County.
The Imperial ASOS recorded a peak wind gust of 68 mph at 1243 am CST on March 13th. Winds in excess of 58 mph occurred at times during the late evening hours on March 13th into the early morning hours on March 14th across Chase County.
The nearby Ord ASOS recorded a peak wind gust of 68 mph at 350 am CST on March 14th. Winds in excess of 58 mph occurred at times during the early morning hours on March 14th across Garfield County.
The Broken Bow ASOS recorded a peak wind gust of 77 mph at 1040 am CST on March 14th. Winds in excess of 60 mph occurred at times during the early morning and morning hours on March 14th across Custer County.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nebraska in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Nebraska, March 2019
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: 808202, 808198, 808199, 808194, 808195, 808196, 808193, 808192, 808201, 808200, 808203, 808197.