A surface low moved from the southwest to the northeast across the state initiating a line of severe weather in northeast Nebraska. Reports were received for wind speeds between 60 and 80mph with the strongest measured report being 82mph in Fairbury.
Every event with a place to put it. 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 OAX wrote it up.
A surface low moved from the southwest to the northeast across the state initiating a line of severe weather in northeast Nebraska. Reports were received for wind speeds between 60 and 80mph with the strongest measured report being 82mph in Fairbury. There was an EF1 rated tornado near Pilger with estimated peak wind speeds of 100 mph.
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 Oct 3, 5:20 PM CST, 52 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE 620 PM CDT Tue Oct 3 2023 ...Updated Aviation Forecast Discussion... .DISCUSSION... Issued at 249 PM CDT Tue Oct 3 2023 Key Messages: - There is a Slight Risk (Level 2 out of 5) for severe weather this afternoon and evening, mainly from 4 PM-10 PM. - Cooler temperatures are expected through the end of the week, with the first frost possible Friday night-Saturday morning. Today and Tonight... A deepening mid-level cyclone making it's way from North Dakota into southern Canada brought gusty winds to the forecast area today, as well as the potential for a few strong to severe storms. Southwesterly winds remained gusty ahead of a cold front associated with the system. Wind speeds reached 15 to 25 mph, with gusts up to 30 to 40 mph at times. Widely scattered showers and storms bubbled up across eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa. The combination of evaporative cooling and persistent cloud cover kept temperatures much cooler than expected, only reaching the upper 60s and low 70s at most locations by 2 PM. A more robust line of storms is beginning to develop just to our west, over south-central Nebraska, ahead of the incoming cool front. Weak instability has tried to build into the western edge of the forecast area, but struggled given the pesky showers and cloud cover. Currently, only 500-1000 J/kg is depicted on mesoanalysis, where skies managed to clear out a bit more in far northeast Nebraska. The widespread cloud cover also impeded lapse rates, limiting them to 6-7 C/km in the low levels and 6.5 C/km in the mid levels. Deep layer shear, on the other hand, will continue to surge across the forecast area, potentially reaching up to 40-50 kts over northeast Nebraska this evening. If we can destabilize enough along the western edge of the CWA, we could potentially see another round of strong to severe storms late this afternoon and evening, primarily from 4 PM to 10 PM. Damaging winds will be the primary hazard, if any strong storms do develop. A bit of hail up to the size of quarters may be possible as well. Strong low level shear, and clockwise turning hodographs over far northeast Nebraska hint at the potential for a tornado or two, for a very brief period, if any discrete cells can develop. Lingering showers and storms are expected to exit the forecast area by around midnight tonight. When all is said and done, we expect rainfall amounts to range from around half an inch to an inch. Wednesday and Beyond... Fall will finally arrive behind the departing cold front, for the latter half of the week. Strong northwesterly flow will draw significantly colder air into the region Wednesday through Saturday. High temperatures will shift from reaching the 70s tomorrow to topping our in the mid 50s by Friday. Overnight lows will drop from the 50s Wednesday night to the low to mid 30s by Saturday morning, giving us our first chance at frost for the season. That first shot of cold air will be fairly short-lived though. Temperatures are expected to rebound back into the 70s by early next week. Dry weather will likely prevail through the majority of the period. After today the only chance for precipitation looks to be Friday as a shortwave passes through the region. However, models continue to disagree on whether or not we will actually get any rain out of this disturbance. && .AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Wednesday evening) Issued at 619 PM CDT Tue Oct 3 2023 A line of strong to potentially severe thunderstorms will move through the terminal sites within the next 1-3 hours with reduced visibilities and potentially strong wind gusts from the west. With the passage of the storms to the east, winds will switch to southwest or west at generally less than 12 kt. Northwest winds are forecast to strengthen to 12 kt or greater at KOFK Wednesday morning. && .OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...None. IA...None. && DISCUSSION...KG AVIATION...Mead
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE 309 PM CDT Tue Oct 3 2023 IAZ043-055-056-069-079-080-090-091-NEZ011-012-015>018-030>034- 042>045-050>053-065>068-078-088>093-041015- 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- 309 PM CDT Tue Oct 3 2023 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 Wednesday There is a Slight Risk for severe weather which could result in a few strong to severe thunderstorms across parts of eastern Nebraska from 4 PM through 10PM. The primary hazards will be damaging wind gusts of 60 to 70 mph and/or hail up to quarter size. A brief tornado is also possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday night through Tuesday Areas of frost could develop across eastern Nebraska and western Iowa Saturday and Sunday mornings. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed this afternoon and evening.
The Omaha radar (KOAX), 84 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:12 UTC.
18 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
The emergency manager reported many large limbs down around Columbus. At least one tree was uprooted. A window was blown out of the community center.
Public report of 59 knots (68 mph) from a personal weather station.
A public report of 73 mph from a personal weather station.
The emergency manager relayed a report of a large tree limb that blew down on a camper. One individual was trapped inside. There were no injuries reported.
Received a public report of the top of a tree broken off. The time of the report was estimated by radar.
Emergency Manager relayed a report of a center pivot that had flipped in the storm. The time was estimated by radar.
Emergency Manager reported a roof ripped off of a shed. The time was estimated by radar.
The office received a public report of a tree blown down across Highway 15. The time was estimated by radar.
A NWS storm survey team reported 3 snapped power poles and several trees that were damaged. There were also large areas of downed corn in the area.
A tornado began southeast of the intersection of 834 Road and 574 Avenues. It continues northeast, damaging several trees and outbuildings at a farm. The tornado left a sporadic path in crops, crossed 834 Road, and ended prior to crossing 575 Avenue.
Report from the Emergency Manager of several trees snapped. The time of the event was estimated from radar.
The Emergency Manager reported a tree down across a road.
Received a report from a deputy sheriff estimated winds at 70 mph. The deputy reported the wind moved the car.
The office received photos from the public showing large tree branches down at a farm 6 miles south of Wakefield, Nebraska. The time of the event was estimated by radar.
The office received a report from law enforcement of widespread trees down across roads in Fairbury. Time was estimated by radar.
Received a report from the Jefferson county Emergency Manager of an 82 mph wind gust in Fairbury, Nebraska.
The Tekamah ASOS station recorded a 61 mph wind gust.
The office received a public report of tree limbs broken 2 miles north of Beatrice, Nebraska.
The office received a public report of tree limbs broken 1 mile northwest of Hickman, Nebraska.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nebraska in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Nebraska, 2023Warnings in Nebraska, October 2023
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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1143490, 1143491, 1143492, 1143493, 1143494, 1143495, 1143496, 1143497, 1143498, 1143499, 1143500, 1143501, 1143502, 1143503, 1143504, 1143505, 1143506, 1143507, 1143508.