Thunderstorms developed during the early morning hours across the central Sandhills. This activity, aided by a low level jet, quickly became severe as it developed and tracked east.
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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 LBF wrote it up.
Thunderstorms developed during the early morning hours across the central Sandhills. This activity, aided by a low level jet, quickly became severe as it developed and tracked east. Hail up to the size of baseballs was reported near Calamus Reservoir. Storms persisted until around sunrise before dissipating.
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 North Platte, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 13, 2:01 AM CST, 1 hour 21 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service North Platte NE 301 AM CDT Sat Jun 13 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Cooler and mainly dry conditions are expected this weekend with a small threat for isolated thunderstorms this morning in the eastern Sandhills and portions of central Nebraska. - Temperatures will rise back up into the 80s to lower 90s Monday through Friday with mainly dry conditions forecast. There is a slight chance for precipitation over northeastern areas Wednesday afternoon/night. && .SHORT TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... Issued at 301 AM CDT Sat Jun 13 2026 While tonight will remain mostly dry across the region, there is some low-end chances for some isolated thunderstorms across north central Nebraska by sunrise. A trough will combine with some marginal instability across portions of central and eastern Nebraska resulting in an environment favorable for some convection. In addition, this area will be enhanced by a low level jet promoting some initiation. While not expecting widespread severe storms, any isolated showers or thunderstorms that develop will be capable of producing some hail and stronger winds initially. Isolated storms will gradually congeal into more of a cluster as it moves southeastward with damaging winds being the main threats after sunrise. Dry conditions will then persist through Saturday night as zonal flow sets up over the central US and high pressure gradually returns to the region by Sunday. Cold air advection behind the departing trough the previous night will bring a return to 850 mb temperatures in the 9 to 15 C range into north central Nebraska. This will keep highs on the cooler side of guidance (5 to 10 degrees below normal) with forecasted temperatures ranging from the mid 60s in the Pine Ridge to the upper 70s south of I-80. Continued CAA into the region into Saturday night will keep overnight lows nearly 5 to 10 degrees cooler than normal for this time of year. Currently expecting temperatures to drop into the low to mid 40s Saturday night for most locations. With high pressure settling in by Sunday, dry conditions will persist. Colder air will also continue to filter in with highs generally in the mid 60s to low 70s across the region. Sunday night lows will also remain chilly in the low to mid 40s, potentially dropping into the upper 30s across the Pine Ridge. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... Issued at 301 AM CDT Sat Jun 13 2026 A fairly stagnant upper level pattern will persist Monday through Friday with closed low pressure meandering across Ontario and southern portions of Hudson Bay. For next week, mainly dry conditions will persist across the region. There is a meager threat for precipitation Wednesday afternoon/ night, mainly over northeastern portions of the forecast area. This is in association with a decent shortwave which will track southeast on the southwestern periphery of the upper level low. This feature ends up forcing a cold front through the forecast area Wednesday night. As for pops Wednesday afternoon/night, the NBM forecast has kept these at slight chance and this is reasonable. The latest NBM ensembles have only a 20 to 30% chance of 24 hr precipitation > 0.01" ending at 7 AM Thursday morning. The latest EC and GFS ensembles advertise around a 20 to 40% chance of 24 hr precipitation exceeding 0.01 inches as well. Low amplitude ridging, will begin to build east of the Rockies toward the end of the forecast period. This will eventually force the upper level low east next weekend. With low amplitude westerly and west southwesterly flow commencing next weekend, we should see an uptick in precipitation chances. As for temperatures next week, Tuesday and Wednesday should see the warmest readings across the area. Warmer air will push into southwestern Nebraska both days with readings reaching the lower 90s. Cooler temperatures will settle into the area Thursday behind an exiting cold front. After highs in the 80s Thursday, readings will reach back into the middle 80s and lower 90s for Friday. && .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SUNDAY/... Issued at 1207 AM CDT Sat Jun 13 2026 For the KLBF terminal: Isolated to scattered thunderstorms may develop overnight just off to the east of the terminal. Will handle this mention with a VCTS group from 08 to 11Z. After this time, expect mainly clear skies with northerly winds gusting up to 30 KTS from mid morning Saturday through Saturday afternoon. Low level wind shear is possible overnight through 11z Saturday morning. Gusty southerly winds around 1000 FT AGL are expected with speeds around 35 KTS. For the KVTN terminal: Expect mainly clear skies overnight tonight through Saturday morning with a few to scattered clouds 20000 to 25000 FT AGL. Some broken clouds around 10000 FT AGL are possible Saturday afternoon with clearing skies Saturday evening. Winds will be northerly at the terminal with wind gusts up to 30 KTS late Saturday morning through early Saturday evening. && .LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SHORT TERM...Kulik LONG TERM...Buttler AVIATION...Buttler
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service North Platte NE 250 AM CDT Sat Jun 13 2026 NEZ004>010-022>029-035>038-056>059-069>071-094-140800- Sheridan-Eastern Cherry-Keya Paha-Boyd-Brown-Rock-Holt-Garden-Grant- Hooker-Thomas-Blaine-Loup-Garfield-Wheeler-Arthur-McPherson-Logan- Custer-Deuel-Keith-Perkins-Lincoln-Chase-Hayes-Frontier- Western Cherry- 250 AM CDT Sat Jun 13 2026 /150 AM MDT Sat Jun 13 2026/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of western and north central Nebraska. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Scattered thunderstorms are possible this morning across portions of the area. The main area of concern is east of a line from Hayes Center, to North Platte, to Bartlett. There is a small threat for large hail with the stronger storms. After this morning, the threat for additional severe weather is low. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service North Platte NE
358 AM CDT Sat Jun 13 2026
NEZ026>028-038-130945-
Loup NE-Custer NE-Garfield NE-Blaine NE-
358 AM CDT Sat Jun 13 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHERN LOUP...SOUTHWESTERN
GARFIELD...NORTHEASTERN CUSTER AND SOUTHEASTERN BLAINE COUNTIES
THROUGH 445 AM CDT...
At 358 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 9
miles north of Victoria Springs State Recreation Area, or 16 miles
west of Taylor, moving east at 25 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and nickel 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.
Locations impacted include...
Burwell, Taylor, Calamus Reservoir State Recreation Area, Milburn,
Milburn Diversion Dam State Wildlife Management Area, Virginia Smith
Dam, Hannamon Bayou Campground, Kent Diversion Dam State Wildlife
Management Area, Homestead Knolls Campground, Almeria, Nunda Shoal
Campground, Divide Hill, Valley View Flat Campground, Gates, and
Walworth.
This includes Highway 183 between mile markers 117 and 133.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio
stations and available television stations for additional information
and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.
&&
LAT...LON 4174 9921 4168 9922 4164 9976 4181 9981
4196 9917 4174 9909
TIME...MOT...LOC 0858Z 257DEG 23KT 4174 9969
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
CLBThe North Platte radar (KLNX), 114 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 09:19 UTC.
3 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Delayed, relayed report. Vehicle and building damage from hail. Based on damage, estimated to be golf ball size. Time estimated from radar.
Report received from MPNG.
Report from social media.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nebraska in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Nebraska, June 2026
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: 1349000, 1349001, 1349002.