A stalled frontal boundary tied to a surface low pressure in south central Kansas became the focal point for early overnight, wind-producing severe thunderstorms across north Central Kansas. At least dozen reports of wind gusts in excess of 58 mph were recorded by Automated Weather Observations Stations and mesonet sites in the six-county area.
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 GID wrote it up.
A stalled frontal boundary tied to a surface low pressure in south central Kansas became the focal point for early overnight, wind-producing severe thunderstorms across north Central Kansas. At least dozen reports of wind gusts in excess of 58 mph were recorded by Automated Weather Observations Stations and mesonet sites in the six-county area. An 86 mph wind gust was recorded at a mesonet station southeast of Long Island in Phillips county. A peak wind of 90 mph occurred 7 miles northeast of Burr Oak as thunderstorms intensified before moving into Nebraska, after which the thunderstorms morphed into a large damaging wind complex in the Cornhusker State. Fortunately, widespread damage was not reported, though there were likely areas of tree damage and sporadic property damage with the high wind gusts.
With the frontal boundary stalled in the area, deep moisture convergence increased during late afternoon hours as low-level moisture pooled near the front. A broad upper trough was moving through the Northern Plains and Northern Rockies at the time. As the trough approached, a lead shortwave in northwest Kansas tapped into surface-based CAPE of 4,000 J/kg and little to no Convective Inhibition (CIN) to spark the thunderstorms. Despite the low-level moisture, steep near surface lapse rates developed as temperatures reached 95 degrees. This high instability became the juice for the storms later that night. A surge of dry air in the 850-700 MB layer aboard strong southwest winds pumped into north central Kansas and likely supported the strong wind gusts produced by the thunderstorms. Eventually, a 40 mph low-level jet fed into the frontal zone and pushed the storms northeast along the front into Nebraska.
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 Hastings, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 9, 5:59 PM CST, 3 hours 39 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hastings NE 659 PM CDT Sat Aug 9 2025 ...AVIATION UPDATE... .KEY MESSAGES... - Potential for one more night of somewhat stronger storms, across southern Nebraska/northern Kansas, bringing potential for damaging winds after about 10 PM. There could be some beneficial rain as well. - Cooler (though humid) temperatures Sunday with lingering showers and thunderstorms, will lead into one final rain chance Sunday night/early Monday. - Temperatures will be warming later in the week along with a dry trend, likely lasting until next weekend for most areas. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 138 PM CDT Sat Aug 9 2025 The early afternoon surface showed our sagging to stationary front from roughly Nebraska City...to Hebron....and into northwest Kansas. Cooler today across south central Nebraska, cooler but still very hot/humid across north central with heat index values of 98 to 104 common. There is plenty of moisture across all of south central Nebraska and north central Kansas, and only reinforced by moisture east/northeast flow. Farther north, mid-level instability along the likely mid-level front has persisted small showers even into this afternoon, though they do continue to gradually diminish. Overall, we have seen a clearing/return to sunshine trend over a the area along and south of I-80 in recent hours. The focus of the forecast is tonight, and especially across southern Nebraska and north central Kansas. SPC has included at least north central Kansas in a slight risk for severe thunderstorms though that may need to be pushed farther north a couple counties in south central Nebraska. After last nights beast of a storm produced 60-90 mph winds in a narrow swath across south central Nebraska, its hard to imagine we could have something similar. However, with a upper level wave approaching in Colorado, plenty of low level moisture and adequate deep layer shear, all of which converge/interact along/near the front boundary, we should expected at least some High Plains convection working east into north central Kansas and far southern Nebraska after sunset. We already seeing convection develop off the Cheyenne ridge in the southern Panhandle/southeast Wyoming area and that will drive southeast, then east and ride along the front. The primary hazard south be damaging winds gusts, with 70+ mph wind gusts possible for a time, roughly along and south of Highway 6 in Nebraska and across north central Kansas. Winds gusts of 70 mph will be possible. Pockets of a quick 1-2 inch type rain are also and could be briefly problematic for flood prone areas. As one works north, the thunderstorms chances would seemingly be less but that mid-level access could be a focal point for activity, at least on an isolated basis on and off tonight. And finally, the low-level jet does kick in after dark, but mainly just east of Highway 81 and into southeast NE and northeast KS. That area should be the focus for more widespread storm development and flooding potentially, but some isolated storms may develop around mid- evening along and east of Highway 81 south of York. Regarding any of the storms tonight, the potential for stronger winds gusts should be between 9-10 pm and 4 am roughly speaking. While Sunday may not be a "rainout", its appears there will be showers and isolated thunderstorms lingering much of the day (heck, we have that today still ongoing) as the upper wave streams through the area. We will see both the combination of lingering showers in the morning, and probably pesky development all day long, though with the expected clouds that will keep temperatures (and instability) down. Have raised precipitation chances some and lowered highs on Sunday, with some areas probably not reaching 80 degrees. However, it will still feel plenty humid. Sunday night brings yet another risk for showers/storms rolling off the Front Range, again favoring north central Kansas and far southern Nebraska. However, the actual frontal boundary is likely to be farther south into central/east central Kansas, and that is where the stronger, more widespread storm development should be. Looking at Monday and through the work week, operational and ensemble model trends support a gradual warming and drier trend. Monday daytime may still be on the table for a bit more of a precipitation chance than in the forecast, but upper level heights build across the Central Plains, especially Wednesday onward. That implies potentially low to no real precipitation chances, but also the warmest conditions will come at weeks end. However, even though it will warm up temperatures won't climb excessively. Surface winds will increase some by Thursday and be more steady in nature. Back to precipitation...it is summer and hard to say what may spawn a storm and when/why, but as previously mentioned, there doesn't appear to be much to work with for rain chances as the forecast reflects that. There are some signs of better precipitation chances around Aug. 17th/18th but that is long ways out. && .AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SUNDAY/... Issued at 648 PM CDT Sat Aug 9 2025 For KGRI/KEAR Airports: Storms are continuing to develop across the high plains this evening and are expected to continue to organize as they push east through the evening hours. This should result in at least a period of TSRAs and strong/gusty winds at both terminals, but given the uncertainty in timing and further evolution, maintained prob30 groups at both sites for much of the overnight hours to account for the unfolding scenario. Outside of thunderstorms, winds should be fairly light (<10 KTS) and variable, becoming more northerly behind the initial line of storms after daybreak Sunday. Continued mid-level cloud cover and the potential for some addition SHRA/-TSRAs anticipated through the day Sunday, with CIGS/VSBYS in storms expected to reach MVFR levels, with VFR CIGS closer to 12 KFT outside storms. && .GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...None. KS...None. && DISCUSSION...Moritz AVIATION...Rossi
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Hastings NE 905 PM CDT Sat Aug 9 2025 NEZ039>041-046>048-060-110215- Valley-Greeley-Nance-Sherman-Howard-Merrick-Dawson- 905 PM CDT Sat Aug 9 2025 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of south central Nebraska. .DAY ONE...Tonight. Scattered thunderstorms will impact much of the forecast area tonight, some of which will be severe. The strongest storms are expected generally along and south of Interstate 80 late tonight through early Sunday morning. Hail to the size of quarters as well as wind gusts of 60 to 75 MPH will be possible with any severe storms, along with a quick 1 to 2 inches of rainfall. The main time frame for any strong or severe thunderstorms will be between 10 PM and 4 AM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. Isolated to scattered thunderstorms remain in the forecast Sunday, Sunday night and Monday, though severe weather is not expected. && More information may be obtained at the following web page: https://www.weather.gov/hastings KSZ005>007-017>019-NEZ049-061>064-072>077-082>087-110215- Phillips-Smith-Jewell-Rooks-Osborne-Mitchell-Polk-Buffalo-Hall- Hamilton-York-Gosper-Phelps-Kearney-Adams-Clay-Fillmore-Furnas- Harlan-Franklin-Webster-Nuckolls-Thayer- 905 PM CDT Sat Aug 9 2025 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for south central Nebraska and portions of north central Kansas. .DAY ONE...Tonight. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect until 4AM. Please refer to the watch statement for more information. Scattered thunderstorms will impact much of the forecast area tonight, some of which will be severe. The strongest storms are expected generally along and south of Interstate 80 late tonight through early Sunday morning. Hail to the size of quarters as well as wind gusts of 60 to 75 MPH will be possible with any severe storms, along with a quick 1 to 2 inches of rainfall. The main time frame for any strong or severe thunderstorms will be between 10 PM and 4 AM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. Isolated to scattered thunderstorms remain in the forecast Sunday, Sunday night and Monday, though severe weather is not expected. && More information may be obtained at the following web page: https://www.weather.gov/hastings Stump
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Hastings NE
859 PM CDT Sat Aug 9 2025
NEZ072-073-082-083-100300-
Phelps NE-Harlan NE-Furnas NE-Gosper NE-
859 PM CDT Sat Aug 9 2025
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT SOUTHWESTERN PHELPS...SOUTHERN
GOSPER...FURNAS AND WESTERN HARLAN COUNTIES THROUGH 1000 PM CDT...
At 859 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from near Cambridge to near Indianola to 10 miles
southwest of McCook. Movement was east at 45 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Strong thunderstorms will be near...
Cambridge around 905 PM CDT.
Holbrook around 910 PM CDT.
Other locations in the path of these storms include Arapahoe,
Wilsonville, Edison, Hendley, Beaver City, Oxford, Hollinger and
Atlanta.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 400 AM CDT for
south central Nebraska.
&&
LAT...LON 4035 10020 4035 10010 4044 10009 4044 9998
4047 9998 4048 9933 4004 9954 4000 9963
4000 10019
TIME...MOT...LOC 0159Z 269DEG 37KT 4033 10024 4015 10044 4007 10070
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
RossiThe Grand Island radar (KUEX), 101 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:35 UTC.
14 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A wind gust of 58 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located four miles south-southeast of Long Island.
A wind gust of 86 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located four miles east-southeast of Long Island.
A wind gust of 71 MPH was measured by the Phillipsburg Airport AWOS.
A wind gust of 58 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located eight miles north of Bellaire.
A wind gust of 60 MPH was measured by the Smith Center Airport AWOS.
The NWS Cooperative Observer located in Lebanon estimated wind gusts of 50 to 60 MPH, resulting in several downed tree limbs across town.
The NWS Cooperative Observer located four miles south of Burr Oak reported several downed tree limbs, a few as large as 6-8 inches in diameter.
A wind gust of 67 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located six miles west-southwest of Beloit.
A wind gust of 90 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located 7 miles northeast of Burr Oak.
A wind gust of 68 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located three miles west-northwest of Jewell.
A wind gust of 59 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located near Jewell.
A wind gust of 60 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located near Randall.
A wind gust of 64 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located six miles south of Palco.
A wind gust of 59 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located one mile south-southwest of Stockton.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, August 2025
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: 1298679, 1298680, 1298681, 1298682, 1298683, 1299034, 1299033, 1298684, 1298685, 1298686, 1298687, 1298688, 1298675, 1298677.