A frontal boundary slowly pushed north across eastern Colorado during the afternoon hours before shifting east into western Kansas and extreme southwest Nebraska during the evening hours. As the storms moved out of Colorado, they evolved into a line that moved across northwest Kansas and into extreme southwest 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 GLD wrote it up.
A frontal boundary slowly pushed north across eastern Colorado during the afternoon hours before shifting east into western Kansas and extreme southwest Nebraska during the evening hours. As the storms moved out of Colorado, they evolved into a line that moved across northwest Kansas and into extreme southwest Nebraska. Up to penny size hail was reported in Red Willow County with these storms.
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 Goodland, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 27, 9:25 PM CST, 0 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Goodland KS 925 PM MDT Tue Apr 27 2021 .UPDATE... Issued at 921 PM MDT Tue Apr 27 2021 A line of thunderstorms continues to impact portions of northwestern Kansas and southwestern Nebraska this evening. A few showers will remain possible this evening across portions of Cheyenne (KS), Sherman, Thomas, Sheridan and Wallace counties. The severe threat for these five counties has diminished, so the Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been cancelled. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect for our southeastern Nebraska counties, Rawlins, Decatur and Norton counties until 11 PM MDT. && .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Wednesday) Issued at 328 PM MDT Tue Apr 27 2021 At the start of the short term period, a south-southwesterly flow is seen over the CWA as the front part of an upper air trough to the southwest has moved over the CWA. Current satellite water vapor imagery shows a shortwave trough moving northeast through the jetstream just southwest of the CWA making its approach in a few hours. At the surface, a surface low over central CO is moving eastward bringing a southwesterly flow into the CWA with thunderstorms and showers developing west of the CWA. A frontal boundary associated currently moving through the CWA from the north expects to stall in the southern counties of the CWA as it meets this flow from the south during the late afternoon. The CWA expects to see chances for thunderstorms in the late afternoon beginning in eastern CO and spread through to the remainder of the CWA into the evening hours. These storms have the potential to be severe particularly for the areas along and north of I-70. Possible storm threats include large hail, damaging winds, and a few brief tornadoes. Current SBCAPE values seen in eastern CO and northwestern KS look to be at or above 1000 J/kg with Sfc-6km bulk shear around the 70-80 kt range across the entire CWA. Another feature to note is that the front has brought more moisture into the CWA than anticipated which may have helped negate fire weather conditions this afternoon and evening. Winds vary in direction across the CWA due to the multiple driving forces near the CWA, but do look to stay around 15-20 mph due to the tightening pressure gradients. Daytime temperatures for the remainder of Tuesday look to be in the lower 60s in the far northwestern areas to the upper 70s in the southeastern parts of the CWA. On Tuesday night, the flow over the CWA turns more southwesterly as the aforementioned eastward moving upper air trough tilts in a more positive direction. At the surface, precipitation chances continue through Tuesday night for the CWA with thunderstorm chances tapering off after midnight though the severe weather chances look have ended by before midnight. The CO surface low passes through central KS turning most of the winds northerly around 10-15 mph after midnight. Tuesday night lows expect to be between the upper 30s and the upper 40s. On Wednesday, model guidance shows the axis of the upper air trough passing over the CWA. At the surface, chances for light rainshowers continue through the day and taper off from the northwest to the southeast by the evening hours. The morning hours might see some slight chances for reduced visibility in the CWA due to increased moisture in the area as a result of the frontal passage. The northerly winds look to be 15-20 mph during the day with gusts up to 30 mph in the southern parts of the CWA. With the precipitation chances and moisture brought into the CWA, fire weather does not appear to be a concern for Wednesday. High temperatures on Wednesday look to range between the middle 50s and the lower 60s. .LONG TERM...(Wednesday night through Tuesday) Issued at 200 PM MDT Tue Apr 27 2021 At the start of the period, an upper trough extends from the central Plains to the Desert Southwest, with a closed low centered over New Mexico. Rain showers exit the region to the southeast Wednesday night as the the trough gradually progresses eastward. Northwest flow develops aloft behind, with a large upper ridge pushing onto the west coast. The ridge takes hold of the western CONUS on Thursday and Friday, then noses into the High Plains on Saturday, leading to dry and warming weather during this timeframe. Elevated fire weather conditions appear possible on Friday and Saturday and will need to be monitored. Northwest flow aloft becomes zonal on Sunday when the ridge is broken down by another trough developing over the Pacific Northwest/Northern Rockies. This disturbance advances southeast on Sunday and Monday, generating chances for showers and thunderstorms from Sunday afternoon through at least Monday, but potentially into Tuesday as well. The long term period features a warming trend, followed by a cooling trend. Initially highs rise from the 60s/low 70s on Thursday to the 80s/low 90s on Saturday, then fall to the 60s in time for Tuesday. Low temperatures range in the 30s and 40s Wednesday and Thursday nights, then in the 40s and 50s for the remainder of the period. && .AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Wednesday evening) Issued at 525 PM MDT Tue Apr 27 2021 KGLD expects to see VFR conditions to begin the forecast period with easterly winds at 24G35 kts. By 01Z, thunderstorms develop in the vicinity of KGLD. From 01-03Z, blowing dust could be seen temporarily at KGLD with thunderstorms passing over the terminal bringing a lower cloud deck with it and temporary MVFR conditions. At 03Z, winds look to decrease to 18 kts and turn northerly while showers persist in the vicinity. IFR conditions begin at 06Z when broken cloud ceilings lower to 700 ft and winds increase 16G24 kts. Near-LIFR conditions are expected at 11Z as ceilings drop to 500 ft with winds decreasing to around 15 kts. MVFR conditions return 22Z as ceilings raise to 1100 ft. KMCK starts with VFR conditions with northeasterly winds at 17G25 kts. At 0230Z, thunderstorms enter the vicinity that could will pass over the terminal and lower cloud ceilings to 2500 ft between 02Z and 05Z causing MVFR conditions temporarily during this time. MVFR conditions are then expected after 06Z as broken cloud ceilings lower to 1 kft with rainshowers around the terminal with winds decreasing to 14 kts. IFR conditions are expected from 12Z through the end of the forecast period as cloud ceilings lower to 800 ft and rainshowers lighten a bit with winds turning northerly and increasing to 15G23 kts before slowing to 14 kts at 18Z. && .GLD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KS...NONE. CO...NONE. NE...NONE. && UPDATE...AW SHORT TERM...MRC LONG TERM...JBH AVIATION...MRC
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Goodland KS 919 PM MDT Tue Apr 27 2021 COZ090>092-KSZ001>004-013>016-027>029-041-042-NEZ079>081-290330- Yuma-Kit Carson-Cheyenne-Rawlins-Decatur-Norton-Sherman-Thomas- Sheridan-Graham-Wallace-Logan-Gove-Greeley-Wichita-Dundy-Hitchcock- Red Willow- 919 PM MDT Tue Apr 27 2021 /1019 PM CDT Tue Apr 27 2021/ This hazardous weather outlook is for extreme southwest Nebraska... northwest Kansas and east central Colorado. .DAY ONE...TODAY... A Slight Risk for severe weather continues this evening for the entire Tri State Region. Severe storms will be capable of producing large hail and damaging winds especially along and north of Interstate 70. Storms may also produce heavy rainfall. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH TUESDAY... No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will be required. Any reports of hail, wind damage and heavy rain are appreciated.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Goodland KS
750 PM MDT Tue Apr 27 2021
COZ090-NEZ079-280230-
Yuma County CO-Dundy NE-
750 PM MDT Tue Apr 27 2021
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN YUMA AND WESTERN
DUNDY COUNTIES UNTIL 830 PM MDT...
At 750 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 15
miles northeast of Wray, moving northeast at 25 mph.
Half inch hail and winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with
this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Alvin and Wauneta.
This includes Highway 385 between mile markers 249 and 269.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 1100 PM MDT for
southwestern Nebraska.
LAT...LON 4044 10205 4035 10205 4035 10165 4006 10189
4017 10234 4044 10235
TIME...MOT...LOC 0150Z 219DEG 20KT 4023 10202
LockhartPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
754 PM MDT TUE APR 27 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0735 PM HAIL 10 N BIRD CITY 39.90N 101.53W
04/27/2021 M1.00 INCH CHEYENNE KS PUBLIC
FACEBOOK REPORT OF QUARTER SIZE HAIL.
&&
TTPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
759 PM MDT TUE APR 27 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0735 PM HAIL 6 N SAINT FRANCIS 39.86N 101.78W
04/27/2021 M1.00 INCH CHEYENNE KS PUBLIC
REPORTED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. MOST OF THE
GROUND WAS COVERED WITH HAIL.
&&
KMKSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Goodland KS
759 PM MDT Tue Apr 27 2021
KSZ001>003-NEZ079>081-280215-
Rawlins KS-Decatur KS-Cheyenne KS-Red Willow NE-Hitchcock NE-
Dundy NE-
759 PM MDT Tue Apr 27 2021
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN CHEYENNE...RAWLINS
AND NORTHWESTERN DECATUR COUNTIES IN NORTHWESTERN KANSAS...WESTERN
RED WILLOW...HITCHCOCK AND DUNDY COUNTIES IN SOUTHWESTERN NEBRASKA
UNTIL 815 PM MDT/915 PM CDT/...
At 758 PM MDT/858 PM CDT/, Doppler radar was tracking strong
thunderstorms along a line extending from 13 miles south of Enders
Reservoir State Recreation Area to 6 miles southwest of Stratton to 5
miles northwest of Atwood to 16 miles southeast of McDonald. Movement
was northeast at 35 mph.
Penny size hail and winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with
these storms.
Locations impacted include...
McCook, Atwood, Benkelman, Trenton, Culbertson, Palisade and
Stratton.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 1100 PM
MDT/midnight CDT/ for northwestern Kansas...and southwestern
Nebraska.
LAT...LON 4028 10060 3983 10060 3957 10123 3986 10151
4002 10193 4035 10165 4035 10067
TIME...MOT...LOC 0158Z 227DEG 32KT 4024 10162 4008 10130 3986 10112
3963 10114
LockhartPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
814 PM MDT TUE APR 27 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0809 PM HAIL 4 SW BLAKEMAN 39.78N 101.17W
04/27/2021 E0.88 INCH RAWLINS KS PUBLIC
CALLER REPORTED PEA TO NICKEL SIZED HAIL.
&&
KMKSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Goodland KS
826 PM MDT Tue Apr 27 2021
KSZ002-003-NEZ079>081-280315-
Rawlins KS-Decatur KS-Red Willow NE-Hitchcock NE-Dundy NE-
826 PM MDT Tue Apr 27 2021
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR RAWLINS...DECATUR...WESTERN RED
WILLOW...HITCHCOCK AND EASTERN DUNDY COUNTIES UNTIL 915 PM MDT/1015
PM CDT/...
At 826 PM MDT/926 PM CDT/, Doppler radar was tracking strong
thunderstorms along a line extending from 5 miles southeast of Enders
Reservoir State Recreation Area to 5 miles east of Stratton to 4
miles northeast of Ludell to 11 miles north of Gem. Movement was east
at 30 mph.
Half inch hail and winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with
these storms.
Locations impacted include...
McCook, Oberlin, Atwood, Trenton, Culbertson, Palisade and Stratton.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 1100 PM
MDT/midnight CDT/ for northwestern Kansas...and southwestern
Nebraska.
LAT...LON 4030 10055 4003 10034 3958 10038 3957 10128
3971 10128 3989 10133 3996 10141 4000 10141
4000 10146 4024 10173 4035 10165 4035 10063
TIME...MOT...LOC 0226Z 252DEG 27KT 4037 10147 4017 10113 3990 10092
3959 10095
LockhartThe Goodland radar (KGLD), 121 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:26 UTC.
1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A line of thunderstorms moved into Red Willow County producing large amounts of dime and penny sized hail over a duration of seven minutes.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nebraska in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in Nebraska, April 2021
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: 952597.