A stalled out frontal boundary draped from southern Nebraska into northeastern Colorado served as the focal point for thunderstorms. Thunderstorms initiated over northeastern Colorado and became severe as they tracked east into southwestern Nebraska.
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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 stalled out frontal boundary draped from southern Nebraska into northeastern Colorado served as the focal point for thunderstorms. Thunderstorms initiated over northeastern Colorado and became severe as they tracked east into southwestern Nebraska. Large hail and a tornado were reported with these severe storms. Urban and small stream flooding impacted local communities as storm drains were overwhelmed.
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 May 27, 1:22 PM MST, 2 hours 54 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service North Platte NE 322 PM CDT Mon May 27 2019 .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Tuesday night) Issued at 322 PM CDT Mon May 27 2019 Isolated thunderstorm development expected late this afternoon will increase in coverage this evening. Surface low pressure centered near Denver with a warm front extending across southern Nebraska will be a focus for development. Deep southwest flow aloft will be in place with strong 0-6km shear from 60-70 kts across swrn area early this evening. Most unstable CAPES to range around 1500 J/KG. Nearly all of western Nebraska is in a slight risk for severe thunderstorms with an enhanced risk south of Highway 2. Large hail and damaging winds will be possible with an isolated tornado also possible. Heaviest rainfall amounts to be west of Valentine through Oshkosh where an inch or locally higher is expected. Less storm coverage to the east, where a quarter to half inch possible. Upscale growth is expected with storms developing, with POPs becoming categorical northwest to likely north of Interstate 80. On Tuesday, the upper low will begin to move slowly from north central into northeast Colorado. The risk for severe weather should shift east with strong storms still possible east of Stapleton through O'Neill. Rainfall amounts will be heaviest across north central Nebraska up to a half inch. As the upper low moves from southwest toward northeast Nebraska Tuesday night, areas northwest of the upper low center can expect the heaviest rainfall, which again includes north central Nebraska. .LONG TERM...(Wednesday through Monday) Issued at 322 PM CDT Mon May 27 2019 Wednesday into Thursday, the upper low will move into Iowa and eventually the southern Great Lakes. The GFS is much slower moving the low out of the area, with shower chances lingering into Thursday. Highs to remain cool on Wednesday from near 60 to the low 60s. Warming to near 70 on Thursday. Highs mainly from 75 to 80 Friday through Monday. Shower chances return Saturday through Monday over most of the area, although models diverge on timing as an upper ridge builds into the Central U.S. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Tuesday afternoon) Issued at 1223 PM CDT Mon May 27 2019 MVFR to IFR ceilings are expected to continue across northern Nebraska through Tuesday afternoon. Meanwhile, generally IFR conditions are expected across southwest Nebraska until around 06z Tuesday when MVFR to IFR ceilings will take over the entire area. Isolated to numerous showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop this afternoon and continue into the overnight hours across western and north central Nebraska. Severe storms will be possible. && .HYDROLOGY... Issued at 322 PM CDT Mon May 27 2019 River levels continue to fall on the Elkhorn river at Atkinson and Ewing. Atkinson gauge has fallen to the minor flood stage of 7.50 ft. A flood warning remains in effect for west central Holt county through early this evening. Elsewhere, a Flood Warning remains in effect in northern Brown County though officials reported water levels have decreased there. Otherwise, rainfall totals were increased slightly with amounts near 2 inches across the northwest Sandhills. Storms with significant rainfall totals remain possible tonight through Tuesday night with the Flood Watch in effect until 12Z Wednesday. Overall, total rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are forecast across the watch area. && .LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flood Watch through Wednesday morning for NEZ004>010-022>029-035- 036-094. && SHORT TERM...Roberg LONG TERM...Roberg AVIATION...Thorne HYDROLOGY...Roberg
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service North Platte NE 340 PM CDT Mon May 27 2019 NEZ004>010-022>029-035>038-056>059-069>071-094-282045- 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- 340 PM CDT Mon May 27 2019 /240 PM MDT Mon May 27 2019/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of western and north central Nebraska. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. Isolated to numerous severe thunderstorms will be possible this evening and into the overnight. The area of greatest concern remains across the Nebraska Panhandle through central Nebraska. Severe storms will be capable of producing large hail, damaging wind gusts, a few isolated tornadoes, and torrential rainfall. Flood warnings and advisories remain in effect across portions of north central Nebraska. Please refer to the latest flood products for the latest details. A Flood Watch is in effect for portions of northern Nebraska and portions of the Sandhills. Any additional rainfall from thunderstorms may worsen ongoing flooding or cause new flooding on already saturated soils. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. Thunderstorms will be possible for both Tuesday and Wednesday, however, severe weather is not anticipated but we can't rule out an isolated strong storm. A Flood Watch will continue into early Wednesday morning for portions of northern Nebraska and much of the Sandhills. Rainfall amounts between a quarter inch to one inch is in the forecast for Tuesday through early Wednesday morning. The heaviest rainfall is expected to occur across northwestern Nebraska Tuesday and Tuesday night. The additional rainfall will increase the flooding potential due to already saturated soils, increased runoff, and high water tables. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report hail, wind, and flooding to the National Weather Service over the next few days. && Get your weather, hydrological, and climate information at http://www.weather.gov/northplatte Thorne
The North Platte radar (KLNX), 175 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:15 UTC.
34 hail, 7 thunderstorm wind, 5 flash flood, 4 tornado, 1 heavy rain, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.
Nickel sized hail fell along with thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 60 MPH.
Window damage reported at this location from wind driven hail.
Numerous vehicle windows were reported broken out by golf ball sized hail from the junction of I76/I80 to south of Big Springs. Heavy damage to semi tractor windows reported at a truck stop at exit 107 on Interstate 80.
Tennis to golf ball sized hail reported at this location.
Quarter sized hail covering the ground.
Hail accumulated to a depth of two inches.
Multiple reports of 2 inch diameter hail reported in Ogallala with numerous reports of damaged windows and car windows.
Rope tornado briefly touched down in an open field with no damage reported.
Had one window broken by hail at this location.
Hail covering the road at this location.
Hail covering the ground at this location.
Visibility one quarter of a mile.
Measured by a portable mesonet 4 miles west of Imperial.
The tornado touched down 7 miles northwest of Imperial and moved northeast 10 miles before dissipating northeast of Imperial. The tornado was intermittently on the ground, where it overturned or destroyed several center pivot irrigation systems in its path. The tornado was rated an EF1.
Wind speed measured with a portable weather station.
Power pole snapped. Winds estimated at 70 MPH.
Tornado briefly touched down, overturning a center pivot irrigation system.
Hail covering the ground.
Hail covering the street at this location.
Baseball to golf ball sized hail reported at this location.
Brief touchdown with a center pivot irrigation system overturned.
Rain fell in approximate 25 minutes with street flooding ongoing.
East H county road washed out northeast of Roscoe.
Funnel cloud reported 5 miles west of Hayes Center.
Extensive street flooding reported in Sutherland.
Extensive street flooding is being reported in Hershey. Radar estimated 3 to 4 inches of rain has fallen in Hershey over the past hour.
Emergency management reports street flooding in North Platte. Numerous stalled cars were noted as well.
County road East H reported washed out near Roscoe. Time and location estimated.
Gust measured at the Broken Bow Airport.
Wind gust of 62 MPH measured at the Broken Bow Airport.
Hail damaged the roof of a greenhouse.
Frontier county sheriff reports 60 MPH wind gusts and golf ball sized hail at this location.
County sheriff estimated winds at 60 MPH at this location.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nebraska in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Nebraska, 2019Warnings in Nebraska, May 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: 822595, 822593, 822597, 822606, 822598, 822599, 822600, 822607, 822601, 822941, 822602, 822605, 822615, 822942, 822623, 822610, 822616, 822611, 822943, 822944, 822618, 822947, 822624, 822630, 822632, 822629, 822625, 822633, 822945, 822634, 822626, 822635, 822637, 826810, 822641, 822638, 822648, 822639, 822640, 822642, and more.