A line of storms that developed over western Nebraska and South Dakota moved into a highly unstable airmass with 2500-3000 J/kg MLCAPE leading to widespread wind damage across eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. The Omaha Airport (Eppley Airfield) record a peak wind gust of 96 mph.
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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 OAX wrote it up.
A line of storms that developed over western Nebraska and South Dakota moved into a highly unstable airmass with 2500-3000 J/kg MLCAPE leading to widespread wind damage across eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. The Omaha Airport (Eppley Airfield) record a peak wind gust of 96 mph. According to the Omaha Public Power District, nearly 200,000 customers were without power.
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 Jul 9, 6:22 PM CST, 3 hours 13 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE 722 PM CDT Fri Jul 9 2021 ...Updated Aviation Forecast Discussion... .DISCUSSION... Issued at 335 PM CDT Fri Jul 9 2021 Things starting to maybe become a little more clear on how things will pan out this afternoon/evening, but some key questions still remain: 1. Where will the warm front set up? 2. Will forcing be strong enough to break the fairly stout cap over the area (per the KOAX 19Z sounding)? As of around 2:30 PM, radar/satellite/surface obs show the warm front from roughly Tekamah, NE, eastward to near Carroll, IA, and south/southeastward toward Creston, IA. Difficult to say how much farther northeastward it makes it, as outflow from a significant hail-producing storm that moved through the Des Moines metro area could slow its progress a fair amount. As far as forcing, could see some enhanced convergence with that outflow, but may need to end up waiting for a strengthening low level jet early this evening to get anything to go, which seems to be the idea held by the CAMs, and those still have very little, if anything, that initiates in the forecast area. That said, if something does get going, plenty of instability with just over 3000 J/kg of MUCAPE per the KOAX 19Z sounding, and decent shear would suggest supercells capable of all hazards, especially right near the warm front where low level shear is likely enhanced. So while severe storms aren't particularly likely in the forecast area early this evening, still worth keeping a close eye on, as potential is there. Higher confidence that the greater severe weather risk will be overnight as convection currently going up in SE WY into the NE panhandle is expected to congeal into an MCS and move eastward into the area toward 11 PM. Expect a damaging wind and hail threat with those storms, as plenty of instability will remain in place overnight. One question with regarding those storms will be cold pool maintenance, as RAP guidance suggests 0-3 km shear values generally less than 30 kts ahead of the line, but still should be sufficient for at least some level of organization. Main severe storm threat should exit the area by 5 AM or so, but expect scattered showers and storms to persist through Saturday as a mid/upper level trough currently over Montana digs into the area and eventually cuts off. In addition to precip, this will bring much cooler weather, with highs in the 70s for many both Saturday and Sunday. Latest guidance suggests the low may stick around the area a little bit longer than previously thought, which could lead to continued showers and storms into at least Sunday, so increased precip chances a bit through the Sunday morning hours. May end up needing to go higher and possibly into Monday in future forecasts. Low should eventually push off toward the Great Lakes, bringing a return to the mid and upper 80s by Tuesday. However, another bit of shortwave energy and cold front look to slide through sometime Tuesday night into Thursday bringing our next chance at precip, though still some differences on exact timing. && .AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Saturday evening) Issued at 639 PM CDT Fri Jul 9 2021 VFR conditions will continue until 06-07Z when complex of thunderstorms at this time over the Nebraska Panhandle moves east into the TAF sites. Wind gusts greater than 30-40 kts can be expected with these storms as they move quickly west to east. MVFR and IFR ceilings are likely in these storms. After the lines passes, other thunderstorms and showers will linger with MVFR conditions possible in vicinity of the storms. && .OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...None. IA...None. && DISCUSSION...CA AVIATION...Smith
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE 343 PM CDT Fri Jul 9 2021 IAZ043-055-056-069-079-080-090-091-NEZ011-012-015>018-030>034- 042>045-050>053-065>068-078-088>093-101200- 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- 343 PM CDT Fri Jul 9 2021 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southwest Iowa...west central Iowa...east central Nebraska...northeast Nebraska and southeast Nebraska. .DAY ONE...Tonight and Saturday Though not likely, a few strong to severe thunderstorms could develop across extreme southeast Nebraska and southwest Iowa late this afternoon into this evening. Any storms that do develop in this area will be capable of producing large hail and damaging winds. A few tornadoes would also be possible. A more widespread severe weather episode is possible across portions of the area later this evening. Strong to severe thunderstorms are expected to develop across central Nebraska and spread east through the area from around 10 PM through the early morning hours Saturday. Large hail and damaging winds will be the primary hazards with these storms. Scattered thunderstorms are possible Saturday however severe storms are not expected. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday night through Friday Some lingering non-severe storms are possible into Sunday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed across portions of southeast Nebraska and southwest Iowa this evening.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley Nebraska
950 PM CDT Fri Jul 9 2021
NEZ016-017-030-031-042-100300-
Madison NE-Pierce NE-Platte NE-Boone NE-Antelope NE-
950 PM CDT Fri Jul 9 2021
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WESTERN MADISON...NORTHWESTERN
PLATTE...SOUTHWESTERN PIERCE...ANTELOPE AND BOONE COUNTIES UNTIL 1000
PM CDT...
At 950 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from near Orchard to 9 miles southwest of Elgin.
Movement was southeast at 50 mph.
Nickel size hail and winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with
these storms.
Locations impacted include...
Albion, Neligh, Newman Grove, St. Edward, Elgin, Clearwater, Cedar
Rapids, Petersburg, Oakdale, Meadow Grove, Tilden, Primrose, Loretto
and The Highway 14 And 56 Junction.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 300 AM CDT for
northeastern Nebraska.
LAT...LON 4214 9770 4153 9772 4152 9781 4153 9788
4152 9788 4151 9804 4150 9804 4148 9828
4233 9830
TIME...MOT...LOC 0250Z 301DEG 43KT 4229 9825 4193 9825
DeWaldThe Omaha radar (KOAX), 145 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:37 UTC.
35 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Emergency manager reported a large tree down on a house trapping the family inside.
Law enforcement reported sporadic damage to trees north of Schyuler.
Emergency manager reported tree damage east of Pierce.
Personal weather station measured a peak wind gust of 58 mph.
Law enforcement reported a flattened corn.
Law enforcement reported power outage in Battle Creek.
Public reported flattened corn and grain bin.
Public reported a flattened grain bin and flattened corn.
Norfolk Airport ASOS measured a peak wind gust of 63 mph.
Public reported downed tree branches.
Public reported large tree branch down blocking the road.
Law enforcement reported numerous trees down in Stanton.
Fire and Rescue reported an estimated wind gust of 70 mph and 1 inch hail.
Public reported a measured wind gust of 77 mph.
Tekamah ASOS measured a peak wind gust of 59 mph.
Public reported a 10 inch tree branch down in Wahoo.
Emergency manager reported damage to grain bin and roof.
Public reported roof torn off of grain bin.
Fire and Rescue reported a wind gust that overturned a camper. No injuries were reported.
Public reported tree damage in Douglas County.
Personal weather station measured a peak wind gust of 59 mph.
Lincoln Airport ASOS measured a peak wind gust of 64 mph.
Fremont Airport AWOS measured a peak wind gust of 74 mph.
Eppley Airfield ASOS measured a peak wind gust of 96 mph.
Trained spotter reported 3 inch tree branches blown off of a healthy tree.
Public reported a measured wind gust of 59 mph.
Epply Airfield ASOS measured a wind gust of 75 mph.
Personal weather station measured a peak wind gust of 65 mph.
Public report from mPing of damage to 1 inch tree branches or shingles blown off.
Personal weather station measured a peak wind gust of 76 mph.
Personal weather station measured a peak wind gust of 65 mph.
Public report from mPing of damage to 3 inch tree branches.
Personal weather station measured a peak wind gust of 60 mph.
Emergency manager reported numerous trees down and power outages across the county. There were reports of property damage from trees to garages and vehicles.
Falls City Airport ASOS measured a peak wind gust of 77 mph.
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, July 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: 965303, 965304, 965305, 965306, 966914, 965307, 966915, 966898, 965308, 965309, 965310, 965311, 966892, 966893, 966894, 966895, 966896, 966897, 966909, 966899, 966900, 966901, 967052, 966902, 966903, 966904, 969695, 966905, 966906, 966907, 966916, 969700, 966908, 966910, 966911.