On the evening of April 22nd, scattered strong thunderstorms developed across southeast Nebraska at the exit of a low-level jet. A tongue of higher theta-e extended into this area from Kansas resulting in a localized area of higher instability.
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The episode as NWS OAX wrote it up.
On the evening of April 22nd, scattered strong thunderstorms developed across southeast Nebraska at the exit of a low-level jet. A tongue of higher theta-e extended into this area from Kansas resulting in a localized area of higher instability. These thunderstorms peaked in strength just before midnight, resulting in a couple of instances of severe hail. The largest recorded hail stone was the size of a ping-pong ball.
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 Apr 22, 5:33 PM CST, 4 hours 48 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE 633 PM CDT Mon Apr 22 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... - Strong southwesterly winds gusting 35 to 55 mph will drop off this evening as winds turn northwesterly. - Showers and storms are expected (40-75% chance) late this evening, primarily south of the Platte River. A few could be strong and produce gusty winds. - Several rounds of showers and thunderstorms are expected Thursday through the weekend, though confidence is somewhat low on exact timing of any given round. Severe weather will be possible at times. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 251 PM CDT Mon Apr 22 2024 We're seeing strong southwesterly winds out ahead of a cold front moving across eastern Nebraska into western Iowa this afternoon. As the cold front moves through, winds shift to the northwest and drop off fairly dramatically in speed. Skies have cleared fairly well, but because of the wind blowing dust has kept hazy skies across our area. We're seeing temperatures in the low-to-mid 70s, which should still increase a few more degrees this afternoon. The frontal boundary stalls across southeastern Nebraska this evening providing a focus for thunderstorm development, with precipitation chances increasing after sunset with the arrival of the upper-level trough and the low-level jet bringing providing a source of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. Expect showers and thunderstorms to stay confined mostly south of the Platte River. CAMs don't show much organization with these showers or thunderstorms which supports our thoughts that severe potential is low, but steep lapse rates could support a damaging wind gust or two. Rain should move out of our area by 7 AM Tuesday morning. Tuesday and Wednesday weather stays relatively quiet as broad ridging builds over the Central Plains, though shortwaves do ride over the top leading to a slight chance of showers Wednesday afternoon and evening. Temperatures stay fairly seasonable, with highs on Tuesday in the 60s to low 70s, and Wednesday in the 60s. Thursday through Sunday will be the time period to watch for potential for severe weather. There are a couple potent low pressure systems that will be moving through the central CONUS that will likely bring severe weather to a good portion of the region that could potentially impact at least some of our area. The first system looks like it could arrive as early as Thursday evening. Latest models have been trending earlier with this first system, now bringing it in as early as Thursday evening when before we were thinking it was more of a Friday system. It could still arrive as late as Friday morning. As we get closer we'll have a better idea on the timing, but it seems like it very will could bring a chance for all modes of severe weather including damaging winds, large hail, and tornadoes. The second system has sped up as well, now looking like it could start Saturday night and continue into Sunday. The timing of this system reminds me a bit of the system from last week where we had storms roll through overnight with the bulk of the severe weather actually occurring under the surface low the following day. It's still a ways away, but something to watch. Machine Learning models from CSU shows potential for severe weather for our area Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with these systems. SPC has highlighted parts of our area with a 15% risk for Friday and Saturday. I would certainly watch the forecast for this time period as it approaches. && .AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY/... Issued at 628 PM CDT Mon Apr 22 2024 Windy conditions from the afternoon areas are expected to diminish within the next hour and a half and turn northwesterly as a front moves through the area. Behind he front, showers and a few storms are expected to develop and affect KLNK primarily, and could clip KOMA, with the most likely time for shower activity being from 05-08z. Another chance for elevated showers returns from 10-12z, but confidence that this reaches the ground before evaporating is not as high. Aside from the showers and storms, expect winds to increase once again out of the northwest this time, with gusts of 25 to 30 kts expected mid-to-late morning through the afternoon hours. && .OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...None. IA...None. && DISCUSSION...McCoy AVIATION...Petersen
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE 907 PM CDT Mon Apr 22 2024 IAZ043-055-056-069-079-080-090-091-NEZ011-012-015>018-030>034- 042>045-050>053-065>068-078-088>093-231615- 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- 907 PM CDT Mon Apr 22 2024 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 Tuesday There is a 50 to 70 percent chance of showers and storms this evening. A few of these storms could be strong and produce gusty winds and small hail. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday night through Monday Expect several rounds of showers and storms Thursday through the weekend. Severe weather will be possible at times through this period, with the highest chances currently looking to be Friday and Friday night. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected through Monday.
The Omaha radar (KOAX), 121 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 04:20 UTC.
2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
The office received a delayed report from the public of hail ranging from 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter.
The office received a delayed report from the public of hail up to 1 inch in diameter.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nebraska in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Nebraska, April 2024
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: 1166038, 1166039.