Tornadoes · United States · Nebraska · 2019

EF0 tornado, Perry to Stockville, Nebraska, May 17, 2019

Name: EF0 tornado, Perry to Stockville, Nebraska, May 17, 2019
Start: 2019-05-17T23:10:00.000Z
End: 2019-05-17T23:14:00.000Z
Location: Perry to Stockville, Nebraska

From Perry to Stockville, this EF0 tornado ran 3.0 miles across Red Willow and Frontier counties on May 17, 2019, touching down at 6:10 PM CDT and reaching 100 yards wide. It killed nobody.

The rating scale

Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Enhanced Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.

EF065 to 85 mphthis tornado
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
EF186 to 110 mph
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
EF2111 to 135 mph
Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.
EF3136 to 165 mph
Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.
EF4166 to 200 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
EF5over 200 mph
Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.
Unrated
The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.

The record

Rating: EF0
Date: May 17, 2019
Touchdown: 6:10 PM CDT (23:10 UTC)
Lifted: 6:14 PM CDT (23:14 UTC)
On the ground: 4 minutes
Path length: 3.0 miles (4.8 km)
Path width: 100 yards (91 m)
Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Counties: Red Willow and Frontier counties
Touchdown point: 40.345, -100.627
Lift-off point: 40.379, -100.627
Record number: 1905171710-01

The damage survey

48 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS GLD, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF2. The highest wind the damage implies is 122 mph.

Survey points are preliminary and are the raw material the published rating was built from. Source: NWS Damage Assessment Toolkit.

What the Weather Service recorded

Thunderstorms produce a tornado and 3 inch hail.

A strong upper level trough of low pressure lifted across the central Rockies during the late afternoon of May 17th. As this feature approached a stalled out frontal boundary, which was anchored along the Kansas and Nebraska border, thunderstorms developed and quickly became severe as they lifted north. A lone supercell produced multiple tornadoes while moving northeast through Frontier County. Two farms sustained damage with the Johnson's farm sustaining damage to every building with the tornado rated an EF-3. As storms moved northeast large hail and damaging winds were reported.

Tornado reported north of McCook, NE. No damage was found by storm survey other than a few snapped branches off trees and minor debris from unknown sources/structures. Could not find a defined path but tornado continued into Frontier County, NE.

Tornado touched down in far northern Red Willow county and crossed into southern Frontier county. No damage was reported.

Brief touchdown in an open field. No damage reported.

From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.

The warnings

19 minutes of warning. NWS GLD issued a tornado warning for this county at 22:51 UTC, 19 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 23:19 UTC.

The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 20:00 UTC and running to 03:00 UTC.

Issued (UTC)	Expired	Product	Office
20:00 UTC	03:00 UTC	Tornado Watch	GLD
22:37 UTC	23:00 UTC	Tornado Warning	GLD
22:42 UTC	23:20 UTC	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GLD
22:51 UTC	23:19 UTC	Tornado Warning	GLD

Every warning and watch covering the touchdown point that day, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service products. Lead time is measured from the issue of the warning in force to the touchdown time in the database, both of which were recorded to the minute by different people.

The forecast that day

The Storm Prediction Center had this point in a Enhanced Risk, with a 0.10 chance of a tornado within 25 miles. The outlook in force was issued at 19:56 UTC.

SPC's Day 1 convective outlook as it stood when the tornado began, read at the touchdown point. The same archive is on the radar archive.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the tornado touched down, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Goodland, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the tornado touched down at May 17, 3:30 PM CDT, 2 hours 40 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 17, 3:30 PM CDT, 2 hours 40 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Goodland KS
230 PM MDT Fri May 17 2019

.MESOSCALE DISCUSSION...
Issued at 226 PM MDT Fri May 17 2019

Slightly backed winds to east of dryline leading to stronger
convergence in this area than earlier in the day. Think these
storms will have a high likelihood of becoming severe in the next
hour. Area is on the gradient of instability, with values quickly
climbing up to around 3000 j/kg and effective shear around 50 kts.
Storms should become supercells and stay somewhat isolated,
further enhancing the risk.

&&

.SHORT TERM...(Through Tonight)
Issued at 103 PM MDT Fri May 17 2019

Overview: A lee cyclone in eastern Colorado -- associated with
strengthening SW flow aloft on the eastern periphery of an upper
level low progressing from NV into UT -- will track northeast into
central Nebraska this afternoon and evening.

Diffluent flow aloft, DPVA attendant small amplitude waves in SW
flow aloft, and low-level convergence invof the aforementioned lee
cyclone -- focused along a N-S oriented dryline along the CO/KS
border and a WSW-ENE oriented stationary front extending from
Washington/Yuma counties in Colorado to Dundy/Hitchcock counties
in Nebraska -- will aid in the development of scattered convection
across the Tri-State area this afternoon. Simulated reflectivity
forecasts via the HRRR continue to indicate that isolated
convection will develop along the dryline invof Goodland ~20Z and
track northeast to McCook by ~23Z. HRRR simulated reflectivity
forecasts suggest (albeit with less run-to-run continuity)
that isolated convection may develop invof the intersection of
the stationary front and dryline over central Yuma county
~21-22Z. At this time, the greatest potential for severe weather
is expected along a SW-NE corridor from Sharon Springs/Goodland
to Atwood/Oberlin/McCook between 20-02Z, with the most favorable
environmental conditions in northeast portions of the GLD CWA
where H85 dewpoints are ~16C and MLCAPE values will approach 3500
J/kg at peak heating. Steep mid-level lapse rates, strong
instability, and 40-50 knots of effective deep layer shear
suggest that established updrafts will quickly become robust
supercells capable of producing very large hail (2-4") and
damaging wind gusts up to 80 mph. Convection is initially
anticipated to be high-based with relatively little tornado
potential, however, tornado potential will increase with
north/east extent from Goodland -- where rich low-level moisture
is less likely to decrease mix-out in association with the
eastward advancing dry-line -- particularly between 00-02Z as
low-level shear increases in association with strengthening
southerly flow /onset of the nocturnal LLJ/.

.LONG TERM...(Saturday through Friday)
Issued at 1240 PM MDT Fri May 17 2019

The closed low is expected to be situated over Rockies by tomorrow.
As the low moves northeast, a weak ridge moves across the central
Plains Sunday and Sunday night. Another trough associated with an
upper level closed low begins to move back into the central U.S.
Monday. As the low moves north, another low builds in behind over
the west-central U.S. Tuesday. The GFS and ECMWF both have the
closed low over the west-central U.S. stalling and weakening over
that region as high pressure builds west from the southeastern U.S.
through Friday. The GFS has the high pressure begin to weaken over
the southeast U.S. Friday while the ECMWF does not show the high
pressure weakening until next Saturday.

A series of surface lows are expected to move across the Tri-State
region throughout the extended forecast period. These lows will
brings chances for rain and thunderstorms throughout much of the
extended forecast period. Temperatures will warm through Thursday
with a slight cooling Friday ranging from the 50s to low 80s.

&&

.AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Saturday afternoon)
Issued at 1230 PM MDT Fri May 17 2019

Scattered thunderstorms will be possible at both terminals this
afternoon and evening, primarily between 20-23Z at GLD and 21-02Z
at MCK. Any thunderstorms that develop will pose an extreme hazard
to aviation -- i.e. capable of producing 60-70 knot surface wind
gusts and golfball to baseball size hail. Otherwise, VFR
conditions are expected to prevail through the TAF period.

Southerly winds are expected to strengthen to 25-35 knots this
afternoon, with gusts as high as 40-45 knots possible late this
afternoon and early this evening, primarily between 21-02Z. Winds
will shift to the NW at 25-35 knots around 02-03Z at GLD and
03-04Z at MCK, as a lee cyclone tracks northeast from Colorado
into central Nebraska. Winds will rapidly weaken and shift to the
west late this evening (by midnight MDT), remaining westerly at
7-12 knots through sunrise Sat morning.

&&

.GLD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
KS...NONE.
CO...NONE.
NE...NONE.
&&

MESOSCALE...JRM
SHORT TERM...VINCENT
LONG TERM...NEWMAN
AVIATION...VINCENT

Hazardous weather outlook, May 17, 3:13 PM CDT, 2 hours 57 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Goodland KS
213 PM MDT Fri May 17 2019

COZ090>092-KSZ001>004-013>016-027>029-041-042-NEZ079>081-182015-
Yuma County-Kit Carson County-Cheyenne County-Cheyenne-Rawlins-
Decatur-Norton-Sherman-Thomas-Sheridan-Graham-Wallace-Logan-Gove-
Greeley-Wichita-Dundy-Hitchcock-Red Willow-
213 PM MDT Fri May 17 2019 /313 PM CDT Fri May 17 2019/

This hazardous weather outlook is for extreme southwest Nebraska...
northwest Kansas and east central Colorado.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

Tornado Watch 172 is in effect until 9 pm this evening for the
majority of the Tri-State area.

Scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop along the dry line
in vicinity of Highway 27 around 2 to 3 pm MDT. Storms will track
northeast into southwest Nebraska late this afternoon and evening.
Golfball to baseball size hail and damaging wind gusts up to 75 mph
will be the main severe weather hazards. An isolated tornado will be
possible after 6 pm MDT, primarily east of Highway 25 and north of
Highway 24.

Additionally, south to southwest winds will increase to 30 to 35 mph
with gusts up to 50 mph this afternoon and early this evening.
Blowing dust and reduced visibilities will be possible.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...

Scattered thunderstorms may develop during the afternoon and evening
hours this weekend and early next week. Isolated severe
thunderstorms
will be possible.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is requested through 9 pm MDT for Tornado Watch
172.

Vincent

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 17, 5:51 PM CDT, 19 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
451 PM MDT FRI MAY 17 2019

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0440 PM     TORNADO          8 S CULBERTSON          40.12N 100.82W
05/17/2019                   HITCHCOCK          NE   EMERGENCY MNGR

            EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTED A POSSIBLE
            TORNADO 8 MILES S OF CULBERTSON ON HWY 17
            BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 10 AND 11.

&&

JRP

Local storm report, May 17, 5:52 PM CDT, 18 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
452 PM MDT FRI MAY 17 2019

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0432 PM     HAIL             9 NNW LUDELL            39.97N 101.04W
05/17/2019  E1.75 INCH       RAWLINS            KS   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

MB

Local storm report, May 17, 5:55 PM CDT, 15 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
455 PM MDT FRI MAY 17 2019

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0338 PM     TORNADO          7 SE MCDONALD           39.72N 101.28W
05/17/2019                   RAWLINS            KS   TRAINED SPOTTER

            CORRECTS PREVIOUS FUNNEL CLOUD REPORT FROM 7
            SE MCDONALD. TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED A
            FUNNEL CLOUD ASSOCIATED WITH A SEVERE-WARNED
            STORM 7 MILES SSW OF BEARDSLEY KS. MULTIPLE
            SPOTTERS REPORTED A SPIN UP/ROTATION, BUT
            THERE ARE CONFLICTING REPORTS ABOUT WHETHER
            THIS WAS A BRIEF TORNADO OR NOT.

&&

JRP

Local storm report, May 17, 6:00 PM CDT, 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
500 PM MDT FRI MAY 17 2019

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0440 PM     HAIL             12 SSE TRENTON          40.01N 100.95W
05/17/2019  M0.88 INCH       HITCHCOCK          NE   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            FIRE DEPT REPORTED HAIL UP TO NICKEL SIZE
            HAIL 1.5 MILES NORTH OF THE KS/NE STATE LINE
            ON RD 368.

&&

JRP

Local storm report, May 17, 6:04 PM CDT, 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
504 PM MDT FRI MAY 17 2019

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0502 PM     TORNADO          6 NW MCCOOK             40.27N 100.69W
05/17/2019                   RED WILLOW         NE   TRAINED SPOTTER

            TORNADO ON THE GROUND NORTHWEST OF MCCOOK.

&&

EV

Local storm report, May 17, 6:06 PM CDT, 4 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
506 PM MDT FRI MAY 17 2019

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0500 PM     TORNADO          6 NW MCCOOK             40.27N 100.70W
05/17/2019                   RED WILLOW         NE   NWS EMPLOYEE

            OFF DUTY NWS EMPLOYEE CONFIRMS TORNADO ON
            THE GROUND NORTHWEST OF MCCOOK.

&&

EV

The air that afternoon

The radiosonde launches on either side of the tornado, from the nearest station that was launching then, drawn and analyzed the way Storm Lab does: the same diagram, the same parcel and shear definitions SPC's mesoanalysis uses.

N. Platte/Lee Bi, NE (KLBF), 12:00Z

11.2 hours before the tornado, 85 km from the path. May 17, 2019.

Skew-T log-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.

Hodograph

The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.

Mixed-layer CAPE: 31 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -721 J/kg
Surface CAPE: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1114 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 44 kt
0-1 km bulk shear: 25 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 328 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 332 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0
0-3 km lapse rate: 2.9 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

N. Platte/Lee Bi, NE (KLBF), 00:00Z

0.8 hours after it, 85 km from the path. May 18, 2019.

Skew-T log-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.

Hodograph

Mixed-layer CAPE: 1428 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -18 J/kg
Surface CAPE: 1823 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1396 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 52 kt
0-1 km bulk shear: 27 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 190 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 288 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.7
Supercell composite: 7.1
0-3 km lapse rate: 7.3 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The radar

The Goodland radar (KGLD), 144 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 23:07 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment, over the track

Reflectivity and velocity, decoded from the Level II archive in the browser. Volumes take a few seconds to open the first time.

What was reported nearby

Local storm reports within 60 km of the path, in the three hours either side.

Time (UTC)	Report	Where	County	Remark
22:34 UTC	HAIL 0.25	1 Sw Trenton	Hitchcock, NE	FIRE CHIEF IN TRENTON, NE REPORTED HAIL UP TO 3/8IN IN DIAMTER 1 MILE SW OF TRENTON AT 534 CDT.
22:36 UTC	FUNNEL CLOUD	3 Ssw Culbertson	Hitchcock, NE	3 FUNNEL CLOUDS REPORTED BY TRAINED SPOTTER 3 MILES SSW.
22:38 UTC	FUNNEL CLOUD	7 Ese Trenton	Hitchcock, NE	PERSISTENT FUNNEL CLOUD NEAR TRENTON.
22:40 UTC	HAIL 0.88	12 Sse Trenton	Hitchcock, NE	FIRE DEPT REPORTED HAIL UP TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL 1.5 MILES NORTH OF THE KS/NE STATE LINE ON RD 368.
22:40 UTC	TORNADO	8 S Culbertson	Hitchcock, NE	EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTED A POSSIBLE TORNADO 8 MILES S OF CULBERTSON ON HWY 17 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 10 AND 11.
22:44 UTC	TORNADO	6 S Culbertson	Hitchcock, NE	MCCOOK PD REPORTED A TORNADO ABOUT 7 MILES WSW OF MCCOOK.
22:55 UTC	TORNADO	6 Ene Culbertson	Red Willow, NE	STORM CHASER REPORTED PIVOTS KNOCKED OVER, TREE DAMAGE, POWER LINES DOWN, AND MINOR DAMAGE TO FARM.
22:59 UTC	HAIL 1	8 Nne Trenton	Hitchcock, NE	PEA TO QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED FROM STORM CHASERS.
23:00 UTC	HAIL 1.5	7 Nnw Mccook	Red Willow, NE	TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED HAIL UP TO 1 TO 1.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER ALONG US HWY 83 NORTH OF MCCOOK, NE. TIME ESTIMATED VIA RADAR.
23:00 UTC	TORNADO	10 N Mccook	Red Willow, NE	PUBLIC REPORTED VIA FACEBOOK WITH A PICTURE A TORNADO ABOUT 10 MILES N OF MCCOOK, NE.
23:00 UTC	TORNADO	6 Nw Mccook	Red Willow, NE	OFF DUTY NWS EMPLOYEE CONFIRMS TORNADO ON THE GROUND NORTHWEST OF MCCOOK.
23:00 UTC	TORNADO	6 Wnw Mccook	Red Willow, NE	NWS EMPLOYEE REPORTED VIA TWITTER A TORNADO APPROXIMATELY 6 MILES EAST OF CULBERTSON, NE. IT WAS A WEAK ROPE TORNADO THAT DID NOT LAST LONG. REPORT INCLUDED SEVERAL PICTURES CONFIRMING THE TORNADO.
23:00 UTC	TORNADO	8 N Indianola	Red Willow, NE	PUBLIC REPORTED VIA FACEBOOK WITH A PICTURE A TORNADO APPROXIMATELY 8 MILES NORTH OF INDIANOLA, NE LOOKING WEST.
23:01 UTC	TORNADO	2 S Culbertson	Hitchcock, NE	MULTIPLE REPORTS FROM STORM CHASERS VIA TWITTER WITH PICTURE OF A TORNADO ROUGHLY 2 MILES SOUTH OF CULBERTSON, NE LOOKING WEST FROM HWY 17.
23:01 UTC	TORNADO	7 Ene Culbertson	Red Willow, NE	CORRECTS PREVIOUS REPORT STATING MULTIPLE REPORTS FROM STORM CHASERS VIA TWITTER WITH PICTURE OF A TORNADO ROUGHLY 2 MILES SOUTH OF CULBERTSON, NE LOOKING WEST FROM HWY 17. LOCATION OF TORNADO HAS BEEN ADJUSTED TO REFLEC
23:02 UTC	TORNADO	6 Nw Mccook	Red Willow, NE	TORNADO ON THE GROUND NORTHWEST OF MCCOOK.
23:30 UTC	HAIL 1	13 Nw Hayes Center	Hayes, NE
23:32 UTC	TORNADO	6 Sw Stockville	Frontier, NE	DELAYED REPORT. BRIEF TOUCHDOWN NO DAMAGE. PHOTO AND VIDEO CAPTURE TIME AND POSITION VERIFIED WITH RADAR LOCATION.
23:43 UTC	HAIL 2.75	Nnw Stockville	Frontier, NE	REPORT VIA MPING. TIME BASED ON RADAR.
23:55 UTC	TORNADO	3 Ne Stockville	Frontier, NE	DELAYED REPORT FROM MAY 17TH, REPORT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA WITH PICTURE. THEY WERE LOCATED AT 7 MILES EAST OF STOCKVILLE ON HWY 18 LOOKING WNW JUST NORTH OF STOCKVILLE, ESTIMATED 3 MILES NORTHEAST OF STOCKVILLE.
23:56 UTC	TORNADO	Nw Stockville	Frontier, NE	DELAYED REPORT A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN A HALF MILE NORTHWEST OF STOCKVILLE AT 2356Z AND MOVED NORTHEAST ACROSS HARVESTED FARM GROUND BEFORE DISSIPATING AT 2358Z. NO DAMAGE OCCURRED WITH THE TORNADO RATED AS AN EF-0 WITH W
23:58 UTC	TORNADO	5 Ne Stockville	Frontier, NE	BRIEF ROPE TORNADO ONE THE GROUND FOR A SHORT TIME
00:09 UTC	TORNADO	10 Ne Stockville	Frontier, NE	TORNADO ON THE GROUND VIA LIVE STREAM
00:14 UTC	HAIL 2.5	1 Ne Moorefield	Lincoln, NE	DELAYED REPORT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA PICTURE
00:18 UTC	TORNADO	2 Ne Farnam	Dawson, NE	SPOTTER NETWORK REPORT OF LIKELY TORNADO DAMAGE.
00:26 UTC	TORNADO	2 Ne Farnam	Dawson, NE	BRIEF TORNADO TOUCHDOWN. JUST NORTHEAST OF FARNAM. EXACT LOCATION UNCERTAIN.
00:35 UTC	TORNADO	1 E Farnam	Dawson, NE	TORNADO DAMAGE REPORTED TREES AND POWERLINES DOWN.
00:37 UTC	TORNADO	1 Ne Farnam	Dawson, NE	TORNADO DAMAGE REPORTED TRESS AND POWER LINES DOWN IN THE ROAD, LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS ROAD BLOCKED EAST AND WEST BOUND.
00:40 UTC	HAIL 2.5	1 E Farnam	Dawson, NE	CORRECTS PREVIOUS HAIL REPORT FROM 1 E FARNAM. HAIL OCCURRED W OF FARNAM. SEE LSR FROM NWS NORTH PLATTE.
00:40 UTC	HAIL 2.5	1 E Farnam	Dawson, NE	DELAYED REPORT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. HAIL WAS SLIGHTLY MELTED AT THE TIME OF THE REPORT.
00:40 UTC	HAIL 2.5	8 Ene Moorefield	Lincoln, NE	LOCATION OF THE REPORT WAS LATITUDE 40.700 AND LONGITUDE -100.261 OR ABOUT 8 MILES EAST NORTHEAST OF MOOREFIELD.
00:40 UTC	HAIL 2.5	8 Ene Moorefield	Lincoln, NE	STORM CHASER REPORTS TENNIS BALL SIZE HAIL AT LATITUDE 40.700 AND LONGITUDE -100.261 OR APPROXIMATELY 8 MILES EAST NORTHEAST OF MOOREFIELD.
00:40 UTC	HAIL 2.5	8 Ene Moorefield	Lincoln, NE
00:41 UTC	HAIL 2.75	Nnw Stockville	Frontier, NE	REPORT VIA MPING
01:13 UTC	HAIL 2	Farnam	Dawson, NE	PICTURE VIA SOCIAL MEDIA.

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.

This ground now

The live radar over the track Every 2019 tornado in Nebraska Every tornado in Nebraska since 1950 Warnings in force in Nebraska now The forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of May 17, 2019

21 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
May 17	4:43 PM CDT	EF0	Pecos, TX	2.4	100
May 17	5:40 PM CDT	Unrated	Hitchcock, NE	0.3	75
May 17	5:55 PM CDT	EF2	Red Willow, NE	6.0	350
May 17	6:32 PM CDT	EF0	Frontier, NE	0.1	20
May 17	6:45 PM CDT	EF0	Frontier, NE	0.1	50
May 17	6:55 PM CDT	EF0	Frontier, NE	0.5	315	$1,000
May 17	6:58 PM CDT	EF2	Frontier, NE	0.6	178	$12,000
May 17	7:05 PM CDT	EF3	Frontier, NE	2.1	400	$100,000
May 17	7:12 PM CDT	EF0	Frontier, NE	0.3	40
May 17	7:15 PM CDT	EF1	Frontier, NE	4.7	400	$250,000
May 17	7:32 PM CDT	Unrated	Beaver, OK to KS	6.7	50
May 17	7:54 PM CDT	EF1	Dawson, NE	9.8	600	$900,000
May 17	8:15 PM CDT	EF0	Dawson, NE	1.6	150
May 17	8:30 PM CDT	EF1	Custer, NE	0.1	92	$15,000
May 17	8:36 PM CDT	EF0	Meade, KS	1.5	50
May 17	8:37 PM CDT	EF3	Meade, KS	29.6	600	$500,000
May 17	8:46 PM CDT	EF0	Clark, KS	0.4	25
May 17	9:30 PM CDT	EF2	Ford, KS	14.9	875
May 17	10:19 PM CDT	EF2	Edwards, KS	10.9	565
May 17	11:28 PM CDT	Unrated	Pawnee, KS	0.8	50
May 17	11:30 PM CDT	Unrated	Barton, KS	0.2	50

What this means

Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.

Sources

NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.