Thunderstorm Wind, Shelby
- When
- May 24, 5:19 AM CST
- Where
- Shelby County, 0.52 mi W of Harlan
- Measured
- 62 kt (71 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 41.650, -95.340
Trained spotter estimated wind speeds at 71 MPH.
Damaging Wind in Iowa, May 24, 2020
A thunderstorm watch was issued at 11:58 PM that covered most of northeast Nebraska. A cold front moving across Nebraska initiated storms in central Nebraska that moved through eastern Nebraska and western Iowa producing widespread damage with the highest reported winds at 75 mph.
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
- 1
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 OAX wrote it up.
A thunderstorm watch was issued at 11:58 PM that covered most of northeast Nebraska. A cold front moving across Nebraska initiated storms in central Nebraska that moved through eastern Nebraska and western Iowa producing widespread damage with the highest reported winds at 75 mph.
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 Omaha, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 24, 2:51 AM CST, 2 hours 28 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 24, 2:51 AM CST, 2 hours 28 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE
351 AM CDT Sun May 24 2020
.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 345 AM CDT Sun May 24 2020
Main forecast concerns are thunderstorms, chance of severe storms
and potential for rain amounts high enough to cause flooding. Will
issue a Flash Flood Watch for 4 pm today until Noon Monday for
southern parts of the area.
MCS continues to move east with development on southern end. Added
some counties to Severe Watch until 6 am. Storms should die out
toward mid morning as low level jet continues to veer and will
weaken later. That leaves a probable lull in strong convection
for late morning and early afternoon. Storms could again fire up
in the area mid to late afternoon. Any outflow boundaries may
enhance storms. 0-1 km MLCAPE values from the RAP13 model increase
to near 3000 J/kg this afternoon and evening across southeast NE
and southwest IA, with 0-6 km bulk shear ranging from 20 to 40
knots. Shear should be the lowest near the MO border and highest
in areas west of a line from Wayne to David City. The atmosphere
will remain quite moist today and tonight with PW values up to
near 1.5 inches. Heavy rain will be possible with many locations
getting 1 to 3 inches. Locally higher amounts will be possible.
Main severe threat is currently expected to be before 8 am today
and then again probably 4 pm to midnight tonight. Mid level height
falls should affect the area tonight, with shortwave energy
moving in from the southwest.
Pattern will remain active into Monday, possibly Tuesday. Chances
start to drop for Wednesday, then it looks drier from Thursday
into Sunday as the large scale pattern changes. Closed low sets up
over TX and OK, with main westerlies across the northern tier of
the US. A ridge at 500 mb should develop over the Four Corners
Region then try to build northeast toward our area by Sunday.
AFD shortened due to ongoing severe weather early this morning.
&&
.AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Sunday night)
Issued at 1140 PM CDT Sat May 23 2020
An MCS evolving over central NE will progress through portions of
eastern NE overnight into Sunday morning. KOFK is most likely to
be impacted by this system with variably gusty winds and potential
for MVFR to IFR ceilings and visibilities. KOMA and KLNK may
receive more of a glancing blow toward daybreak Sunday. Ahead of
the MCS, a strong low-level jet will result in LLWS at KOMA and
KLNK overnight. Another round of thunderstorms is expected late
Sunday afternoon and evening at KOMA and KLNK.
&&
.OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NE...Flash Flood Watch from this afternoon through Monday morning for
NEZ042-050-065>068-078-088>093.
IA...Flash Flood Watch from this afternoon through Monday morning for
IAZ079-080-090-091.
&&
DISCUSSION...Miller
AVIATION...MeadHazardous weather outlook, May 24, 3:25 AM CST, 1 hour 54 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE 425 AM CDT Sun May 24 2020 IAZ043-055-056-069-079-080-090-091-NEZ011-012-015>018-030>034- 042>045-050>053-065>068-078-088>093-242330- 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- 425 AM CDT Sun May 24 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southwest Iowa...west central Iowa...east central Nebraska...northeast Nebraska and southeast Nebraska. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Strong to severe thunderstorms are moving through parts of the area early this morning. Some of these are producing winds over 60 mph and hail. The storms should weaken and generally end mid to late morning across the area. New storm development is expected mid to late this afternoon and into the evening. Storms could be severe, with large hail, damaging winds and heavy rain. The area with the highest chance of severe weather is generally southeast of a line from David City to Onawa. The main window of time for severe weather later today is from 4 pm to midnight. A flash flood watch is also in effect for parts of eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa from 4 pm today until noon Monday. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday Storms could continue to produce pockets of heavy rain overnight and into Monday morning. Thunderstorms could occur over parts of the area at times from Monday afternoon into Wednesday, especially in southeast Nebraska and southwest Iowa. At this time, the chance of organized severe storms from Monday into Wednesday seems fairly low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation could be needed this afternoon and evening.
In the hours before
Special weather statement, May 24, 3:16 AM CST, 2 hours 3 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley Nebraska
416 AM CDT Sun May 24 2020
NEZ050-051-065-066-078-240945-
Saunders NE-Seward NE-Butler NE-Lancaster NE-Saline NE-
416 AM CDT Sun May 24 2020
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN LANCASTER...
SEWARD...NORTHERN SALINE...SOUTHEASTERN BUTLER AND SOUTHWESTERN
SAUNDERS COUNTIES UNTIL 445 AM CDT...
At 415 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from Brainard to near Dorchester. Movement was
southeast at 25 mph.
Half inch hail and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with
these storms.
Locations impacted include...
Northwestern Lincoln, Seward, Crete, Wahoo, David City, Milford,
Friend, Dorchester, Valparaiso, Beaver Crossing, Brainard, Weston,
Prague, Staplehurst, Garland, Pleasant Dale, Dwight, Bee, Ulysses and
Ceresco.
This includes Interstate 80 in Nebraska between mile markers 369 and
395.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 600 AM CDT for
southeastern and east central Nebraska.
LAT...LON 4054 9737 4060 9737 4133 9716 4130 9652
4049 9697
TIME...MOT...LOC 0915Z 321DEG 23KT 4118 9703 4067 9717
AlbrightLocal storm report, May 24, 3:17 AM CST, 2 hours 2 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
417 AM CDT SUN MAY 24 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0400 AM TSTM WND GST 2 WNW WEST POINT 41.85N 96.74W
05/24/2020 M57 MPH CUMING NE PUBLIC
PUBLIC WEATHER STATION.
&&Special weather statement, May 24, 3:35 AM CST, 1 hour 44 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley Nebraska
435 AM CDT Sun May 24 2020
NEZ050>053-065>067-078-089-241000-
Saunders NE-Cass NE-Sarpy NE-Seward NE-Gage NE-Butler NE-
Lancaster NE-Douglas NE-Saline NE-
435 AM CDT Sun May 24 2020
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN SARPY...LANCASTER...
EASTERN SEWARD...SOUTHWESTERN DOUGLAS...NORTHEASTERN SALINE...
SOUTHEASTERN BUTLER...SAUNDERS...NORTHWESTERN GAGE AND WESTERN CASS
COUNTIES UNTIL 500 AM CDT...
At 434 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from 4 miles northwest of Wahoo to Crete. Movement
was east at 25 mph.
Half inch hail and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with
these storms.
Locations impacted include...
Lincoln, Seward, Crete, Wahoo, Gretna, Waverly, Ashland, Milford,
Wilber, Hickman, Yutan, Bennet, Firth, Dorchester, Valparaiso, Mead,
Greenwood, Cortland, Brainard and Weston.
This includes Interstate 80 in Nebraska between mile markers 379 and
430.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 600 AM CDT for
southeastern and east central Nebraska.
LAT...LON 4052 9721 4133 9695 4127 9617 4078 9643
4078 9646 4072 9646 4044 9661
TIME...MOT...LOC 0934Z 282DEG 22KT 4125 9669 4064 9696
AlbrightLocal storm report, May 24, 4:07 AM CST, 1 hour 12 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
507 AM CDT SUN MAY 24 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0454 AM TSTM WND GST 1 WNW VALLEY 41.32N 96.37W
05/24/2020 M71 MPH DOUGLAS NE OFFICIAL NWS OBS
&&Local storm report, May 24, 4:10 AM CST, 1 hour 9 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
510 AM CDT SUN MAY 24 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0451 AM TSTM WND GST 5 NW LINCOLN 40.87N 96.74W
05/24/2020 M68 MPH LANCASTER NE PUBLIC
&&Local storm report, May 24, 4:11 AM CST, 1 hour 8 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
511 AM CDT SUN MAY 24 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0446 AM TSTM WND GST LINCOLN 40.82N 96.69W
05/24/2020 M51 MPH LANCASTER NE OFFICIAL NWS OBS
&&The radar
The Omaha radar (KOAX), 93 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 11:21 UTC.
Event by event
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- Thunderstorm Wind
- Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Rip Current in Louisiana, May 24, 2020
- Flash Flood in Illinois, May 24, 2020
- Tornado and Flash Flooding in Texas, May 24 to 25, 2020
- Flash Flooding and Debris Flows in Virginia, May 24 to 25, 2020
- Tornado and Flash Flooding in Nebraska, May 24 to 25, 2020
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Mississippi, May 24 to 27, 2020
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Georgia, May 24, 2020
- Damaging Winds in Nebraska, May 24, 2020
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Wind in Kentucky, May 24, 2020
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, May 24, 2020
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Kansas, May 24 to 25, 2020
- Damaging Winds in North Carolina, May 24, 2020
More
Every storm in Iowa in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, May 2020
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: 891087.