During the morning hours of June 13, 2026, severe thunderstorms tracked through eastern Nebraska and into southwest Iowa, producing hail and damaging wind gusts. The storms were driven by moisture return from a low-level jet impinging on a slowly sagging cold front.
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.
During the morning hours of June 13, 2026, severe thunderstorms tracked through eastern Nebraska and into southwest Iowa, producing hail and damaging wind gusts. The storms were driven by moisture return from a low-level jet impinging on a slowly sagging cold front. Elevated showers and thunderstorms developed over eastern Nebraska prior to sunrise before moving eastward into an environment characterized by sufficient instability and shear to support severe weather. Notable reports included quarter-sized hail (up to 1.00 inch in diameter) in and around the Omaha metro area including Fremont (Dodge County), Douglas, and Sarpy counties in Nebraska, as well as Mills and Pottawattamie counties in Iowa. Measured wind gusts ranged from 58 to 60 mph, with an estimated wind gust of 70 mph recorded near Valley, 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 Omaha, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 13, 4:49 AM CST, 2 hours 16 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE 549 AM CDT Sat Jun 13 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Shower and thunderstorm chances return Saturday morning with additional thunderstorms expected during the afternoon and evening. A few strong to severe thunderstorms will be possible, especially during the afternoon and evening. - Cooler weather is expected Sunday into early next week, with temperatures trending back up Tuesday into Wednesday. - Our next chance for rain appears to be on Wednesday with increasing uncertainty beyond this timeframe. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 1056 PM CDT Fri Jun 12 2026 After a quiet Friday, thunderstorms return to the forecast early Saturday morning. These thunderstorms will be in response to moisture return on a low-level jet impinging on a slowly sagging cold front. Elevated showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop over portions of eastern Nebraska prior to sunrise. These thunderstorms will be in an environment that is forecast to have sufficient instability and shear for the development of large hail in the strongest cells. A damaging microburst can't be entirely ruled out also. These thunderstorms gradually shift east of the area through the remainder of the morning hours. There is a bit of uncertainty on how the remainder of Saturday will transpire. Some of this evening's guidance tends to keep at least some weak convection along the cold front into the early afternoon, accelerating it's advance southward. Other guidance, has a lull in activity until later in the afternoon and evening, slowing the front's advance. In either event, a digging trough over the northern Rockies tonight will sink towards our area by afternoon. This will act to support the development of additional thunderstorms along the cold front. At this time, most of this convection is forecast to remain south of Interstate 80. With plentiful instability and wind shear, a risk of severe weather is anticipated. Large hail and damaging winds will be the main threats, but an isolated tornado remains possible if a discrete cell can remain ahead of the front. In addition, flash flooding is possible with westerly upper-level flow supporting potential training of thunderstorms along the east-west oriented front. It should be noted, that if early day convection lingers, this could inhibit later convection, so we will have to closely monitor forecast trends. By evening, the cold front and any associated thunderstorms will push south and out of the region. A gusty north wind will fill in behind the front, ushering cooler temperatures. High pressure and cooler weather settles in on Sunday into early next week. Tuesday into Wednesday sees temperatures begin to climb once again as the pattern amplifies ahead of our next potential weather system on Wednesday. Wednesday afternoon and evening appears to be our next chance of rain for the area. After Wednesday's system, forecast model guidance begins to diverge and significant uncertainty remains on the exact evolution of the forecast pattern in the extended forecast. && .AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z SUNDAY/... Issued at 539 AM CDT Sat Jun 13 2026 KOFK: Thunderstorms are beginning to move into western Madison County and will be in the vicinity of the terminal at the start of the TAF period. Right now, the best chance for storms this morning will be through 15Z. There is a possibility of a second round of showers and isolated thunderstorms moving through the region between 19Z-22Z. Confidence in this secondary round of precipitation occurring is lower. With spotty shower/thunderstorm chances impacting the terminal in the possible second wave, the mention of this additional chance was omitted from prevailing conditions for the time being. Winds will become northerly today, increasing to around 12-18kts by 15Z. Winds become northwesterly overnight. KOMA: VFR conditions are currently ongoing, but thunderstorms are beginning to move in from the west. Right now, the best chance of morning convection will be between 14Z and 16Z or 17Z. A few storms will have the potential of producing some gusty winds and large hail. After the first wave moves through, the terminal can expect a break through mid-day, with a second round of storms developing in the afternoon. Models currently have storms developing over the Omaha Metro or slightly to the west around 22Z, with potential impacts through 01Z. Hail and wind appear to be the main concerns with any afternoon/evening storm development. Winds become northerly today behind a passing cold front, increasing to around 12-18kts. KLNK: Thunderstorms have developed this morning and are currently moving into the KEAR area. These storms will continue to track east, bringing them into the vicinity of KLNK later this morning. Right now, storms are expected to bring impacts to the terminal mainly between 13Z and 16Z, with hail and gusty winds being the main concerns. Once the first round of storms moves through, there will be a break through mid-afternoon before the second round of storms. Models are showing storm development over or just west of the terminal, with potential impacts between 21Z and 00Z. Hail and gusty winds are the main concerns for any afternoon/evening storms affecting KLNK. && .OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...None. IA...None. && DISCUSSION...Chehak AVIATION...ANW
The Omaha radar (KOAX), 16 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 13:07 UTC.
7 hail, 6 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Picture of large tree snapped in half from Inglewood reported via Facebook. Time estimated with radar. Wind gusts estimated at 60 mph.
Public report of hail measured up to 1.00 inch in diameter. Report received via mPING.
NWS employee report of wind driven hail measured up to 1.00 inch in diameter.
Official NWS Observation of a measured 58 mph wind gust.
Amateur radio report of thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 70 mph.
Public report of an awning damaged at a gas station at 156th and Maple via Facebook. Wind gusts estimated at 60 mph.
Public report of hail measured up to 1.00 inch in diameter. Report received via mPING.
NWS Employee estimated wind gusts of 55-60 mph with dime-size hail.
Public report of hail estimated up to 1.00 inch in diameter.
Broadcast media report of hail measured up to 1.00 inch in diameter.
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 60 mph.
Public report of hail measured up to 1.00 inch in diameter along with strong winds and small tree limbs down.
Public report of hail measured up to 1.00 inch in diameter.
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: 1352177, 1352172, 1352173, 1352176, 1352175, 1352178, 1352174, 1352184, 1352179, 1352180, 1352183, 1352181, 1352182.