Tornadoes · United States · Nebraska · 2023

EF0 tornado, Wayne, Nebraska, May 12, 2023

Name: EF0 tornado, Wayne, Nebraska, May 12, 2023
Start: 2023-05-12T23:14:00.000Z
End: 2023-05-12T23:16:00.000Z
Location: Wayne, Nebraska

This EF0 tornado ran 0.3 miles across Wayne County on May 12, 2023, touching down at 6:14 PM CDT and reaching 20 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 12, 2023
Touchdown: 6:14 PM CDT (23:14 UTC)
Lifted: 6:16 PM CDT (23:16 UTC)
On the ground: 2 minutes
Path length: 0.3 miles (0.5 km)
Path width: 20 yards (18 m)
Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
County: Wayne County
Touchdown point: 42.172, -97.056
Lift-off point: 42.176, -97.053
Record number: 2305121714-02

The damage survey

24 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS OAX, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF1. The highest wind the damage implies is 93 mph.

Old barn with blown with wall blown out
Old shed that had the back corner blown out including part of the roof
Portion of fascia of south facing side of home removed
Branches blown out from tree line well into field

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

A strong low-pressure system which had been slowly moving east off the Rocky Mountains finally progressed into central Nebraska. This left eastern Nebraska in the warm sector as a warm front moved north into the area. The SPC issued an Enhanced Risk for severe weather with a 30% hatched for severe hail. There ended up being 19 confirmed tornadoes (3 EF2, 8 EF1, 4 EF0, 4 EFU). There were numerous hail reports the largest of which was 4.5 inches in Pawnee County. Another 4-inch report was received in Richardson County. Flash flooding was also observed in a few locations.

A tornado began in an open field and tracked across the east side of a farm, tipping a grain wagon, damaging trees, lifting an open shed, and damaging the roof of another shed. The debris was deposited up to 150 yards downstream where the track appeared to end in an open pasture prior to crossing 852nd road. Special thanks to Wayne County emergency management and Stanton County emergency management for assistance with the damage survey and drone-based evaluation.

A brief tornado uprooted and snapped trees at two farmsteads. The tree damage was in a narrow swath near the road while the other buildings and trees just to the west were largely untouched.

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

The warnings

28 minutes of warning. NWS OAX issued a tornado warning for this county at 22:46 UTC, 28 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 23:30 UTC.

The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 18:10 UTC and running to 02:00 UTC.

Issued (UTC)	Expired	Product	Office
18:10 UTC	02:00 UTC	Tornado Watch	OAX
22:46 UTC	23:30 UTC	Tornado Warning	OAX
23:21 UTC	23:50 UTC	Tornado Warning	OAX

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 20:08 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.

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.

Omaha, NE (KOAX), 12:00Z

11.2 hours before the tornado, 111 km from the path. May 12, 2023.

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: 413 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -14 J/kg
Surface CAPE: 963 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 616 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 30 kt
0-1 km bulk shear: 12 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 52 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 44 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.6
0-3 km lapse rate: 5.8 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Omaha, NE (KOAX), 00:00Z

0.8 hours after it, 111 km from the path. May 13, 2023.

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: 1363 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -5 J/kg
Surface CAPE: 2040 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1536 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 40 kt
0-1 km bulk shear: 20 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 156 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 331 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.6
Supercell composite: 8.4
0-3 km lapse rate: 8.4 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The surface observations

Wayne (LCG), 10 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

Time (UTC)	Temp (°F)	Dew point (°F)	Wind	Gust (kt)	Pressure (mb)	Weather
21:35 UTC	76.5	64.4	110° 13 kt		1008.5
21:55 UTC	76	63.5	110° 18 kt	22	1008.5
22:15 UTC	75.6	63.7	100° 13 kt		1008.1
22:35 UTC	74.8	64.2	110° 10 kt		1008.5	VCTS
22:55 UTC	74.8	64.4	70° 8 kt		1008.1	-VCTSRA
23:15 UTC	72.7	65.3	60° 5 kt		1008.1	TSRA
23:35 UTC	63.3	62.2	200° 11 kt	44	1010.2	+TSRA
23:55 UTC	63.3	61.5	180° 11 kt	21	1010.5	+VCTSRA
00:15 UTC	64.2	62	130° 13 kt		1009.5	-VCTSDZ
00:35 UTC	64.4	60.8	140° 7 kt		1009.1
00:55 UTC	63.7	60	300° 3 kt		1009.1
01:15 UTC	65	60	20° 5 kt		1009.5	VCTS

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.

The radar

The Omaha radar (KOAX), 111 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 23:11 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
21:53 UTC	TORNADO	5 Nnw Leigh	Stanton, NE	AN EF-1 TORNADO TRACKED DUE NORTH FOR APPROXIMATELY 9 MILES IN STANTON COUNTY. THE PRIMARY DAMAGE WAS SNAPPED TREE TRUNKS, WHICH AT TIMES INDICATED THE WIDTH OF THE TORNADO AS IT BISECTED AN EAST-TO-WEST TREE LINE. THERE
21:59 UTC	TSTM WND DMG	1 Wnw Meadow Grove	Madison, NE	REPORT FROM MPING: 3-INCH TREE LIMBS BROKEN; POWER POLES BROKEN.
22:01 UTC	TORNADO	5 Wsw Hadar	Madison, NE	A SHORT-LIVED EF-1 TORNADO TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY 3.1 MILES TO THE NORTH NORTHWEST, PRIMARILY CAUSING DAMAGE TO TREES. THE MOST FOCUSED DAMAGE WAS IN A GROVE OF MATURE COTTONWOOD TREES WHERE MULTIPLE TRUNKS WERE SNAPPED.
22:02 UTC	TSTM WND DMG	1 E Meadow Grove	Madison, NE	REPORT FROM MPING: TREES UPROOTED OR SNAPPED; ROOF BLOWN OFF.
22:03 UTC	TSTM WND DMG	9 Ssw Stanton	Stanton, NE	EAST SIDE OF A BARN MISSING. POSSIBLE TORNADO. DELAYED REPORT. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
22:10 UTC	TORNADO	1 Ene Leigh	Colfax, NE
22:17 UTC	TORNADO	4 Nne Leigh	Stanton, NE	AN EF-1 TORNADO TRACKED NORTHEAST FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES IN STANTON COUNTY. THE MOST INTENSE DAMAGE OCCURRED AT A FARM NEAR THE START OF THE TRACK WHERE A HOG BARN WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND DEBRIS WAS DEPOSITED UP
22:34 UTC	TORNADO	3 N Stanton	Stanton, NE	AN EF-1 TORNADO TRACKED NORTH NORTHWEST FOR APPROXIMATELY 2.8 MILES ACROSS PART OF STANTON COUNTY. MOST OF THE TRACK OCCURRED IN DIFFICULT TO ACCESS AREAS BUT THE ASSESSMENT REVEALED THAT THIS WAS MOST LIKELY CAUSED BY A
22:39 UTC	TORNADO	7 Ese Stanton	Stanton, NE	UPDATED WITH NEW INFORMATION AND INCREASED RATING. AN INTERMITTENT TORNADO DAMAGE TRACK WAS NOTED ALONG THE WEST FLANK OF A FOCUSED AND ELONGATED AREA OF DOWNBURST WINDS. INITIAL DAMAGE WAS TO A CENTER PIVOT AND THREE WO
22:44 UTC	TORNADO	6 Ssw Pilger	Stanton, NE	AN INTERMITTENT TORNADO DAMAGE TRACK WAS NOTED ALONG THE WEST FLANK OF A FOCUSED AND ELONGATED AREA OF DOWNBURST WINDS. THE DAMAGE WAS LARGELY TO TREES ALTHOUGH THERE WERE A COUPLE OF FARM OUTBUILDINGS DAMAGED ALONG THE
22:46 UTC	TSTM WND DMG	5 N Stanton	Stanton, NE	REPORT FROM MPING: TREES UPROOTED OR SNAPPED; ROOF BLOWN OFF.
22:55 UTC	TSTM WND DMG	Pilger	Stanton, NE	UNOCCUPIED CAMPERS BLOWN OVER. MANY FARM STRUCTURES DAMAGED AND LARGE TREES SNAPPED AND BROKEN. POWERLINES AND LARGE TREES BLOCKING THE ROAD EAST OF STANTON.
22:58 UTC	TSTM WND GST 62	Pilger	Stanton, NE	PERSONAL WEATHER STATION RECORDED A PEAK WIND GUST OF 62 MPH.
23:07 UTC	TSTM WND DMG	Pilger	Stanton, NE	POWER LINES DOWN, LOTS OF TREE DAMAGE.
23:11 UTC	TSTM WND DMG	4 N Stanton	Stanton, NE	DAMAGE TO 3 CAR GARAGE, ROOF IN TREES. DIESEL TANK TIPPED OVER.
23:14 UTC	TORNADO	5 Ssw Wayne	Wayne, NE	A TORNADO BEGAN IN AN OPEN FIELD AND TRACKED ACROSS THE EAST SIDE OF A FARM, TIPPING A GRAIN WAGON, DAMAGING TREES, LIFTING AN OPEN SHED, AND DAMAGING THE ROOF OF ANOTHER SHED. THE DEBRIS WAS DEPOSITED UP TO 150 YARDS DO
23:20 UTC	TORNADO	3 Ese Carroll	Wayne, NE
23:24 UTC	TORNADO	5 Nnw Wayne	Wayne, NE	FOCUSED AREAS OF TREE DAMAGE OCCURRED ALONG THIS TRACK AND WERE LIKELY CAUSED BY A SHORT LIVED TORNADO. DAMAGE INCLUDED SNAPPED TRUNKS AND UPROOTED TREES ALONG A NARROW PATH.
23:28 UTC	TORNADO	3 W Oakland	Burt, NE	SUBSTANTIAL FARMSTEAD DAMAGE.
23:30 UTC	TORNADO	3 Wnw Oakland	Burt, NE	SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO A FARMSTEAD.
23:35 UTC	TSTM WND DMG	West Point	Cuming, NE	POWER LINES BLOWN DOWN.
23:36 UTC	TORNADO	4 Sw Lyons	Burt, NE	* 2 INJ * LARGE WEDGE TORNADO REPORTED IN WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE COUNTY. DELAYED REPORT OF 2 KNOWN INJURIES BETWEEN LYONS AND OAKLAND. WIDESPREAD DAMAGE WITH NUMEROUS HOUSES HIT. ONE HOME APPEARS TO HAVE SHIFTED OFF
23:36 UTC	TORNADO	4 Sw Lyons	Burt, NE	TORNADIC DEBRIS SIGNATURE STILL INDICATING A LARGE TORNADO.
01:10 UTC	FLASH FLOOD	3 N Oakland	Burt, NE	DELAYED REPORT: WATER OVER HIGHWAY 77, WITH DEBRIS BETWEEN OAKLAND AND LYONS. DEPTH UNKNOWN.

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

This ground now

The live radar over the track Every 2023 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 12, 2023

32 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
May 12	12:34 PM CDT	EF1	Custer, NE	4.0	100
May 12	12:39 PM CDT	Unrated	Logan, NE	0.1	10
May 12	12:42 PM CDT	Unrated	Custer, NE	0.1	1
May 12	12:47 PM CDT	Unrated	Custer, NE	0.1	10
May 12	2:25 PM CDT	EF1	Greeley, NE	13.6	200		$300,000
May 12	3:11 PM CDT	EF1	Wheeler, NE	3.4	50
May 12	3:25 PM CDT	Unrated	Wheeler, NE	0.1	50
May 12	3:55 PM CDT	Unrated	Platte, NE	0.1	50
May 12	3:55 PM CDT	EF2	Wheeler, NE	7.3	75
May 12	4:00 PM CDT	Unrated	Custer, NE	0.1	10
May 12	4:09 PM CDT	EF1	Boone, NE	1.3	150
May 12	4:22 PM CDT	Unrated	Madison, NE	0.1	50
May 12	4:33 PM CDT	EF1	Pawnee, NE	3.0	80
May 12	4:53 PM CDT	EF1	Stanton, NE	8.9	200
May 12	5:01 PM CDT	EF1	Madison, NE	3.1	50
May 12	5:15 PM CDT	EF2	Dodge, NE	5.5	800
May 12	5:17 PM CDT	EF1	Stanton, NE	5.0	150
May 12	5:34 PM CDT	EF1	Stanton, NE	2.8	200
May 12	5:39 PM CDT	EF1	Stanton, NE	5.1	300
May 12	5:42 PM CDT	EF0	Dodge, NE	2.5	300
May 12	5:46 PM CDT	EF2	Dodge, NE	10.4	1,600
May 12	6:14 PM CDT	EF1	Burt, NE	1.1	100
May 12	6:20 PM CDT	EF2	Burt, NE	11.3	1,150	2
May 12	6:34 PM CDT	EF0	Wayne, NE	0.7	20
May 12	7:03 PM CDT	EF2	Brown, KS	1.5	500
May 12	7:11 PM CDT	EF1	Jackson, KS	3.6	50
May 12	7:18 PM CDT	EF0	Brown, KS to NE	2.3	50
May 12	7:23 PM CDT	Unrated	Burt, NE	0.4	50
May 12	7:38 PM CDT	Unrated	Jackson, KS	0.0	10
May 12	7:43 PM CDT	Unrated	Burt, NE	0.5	20
May 12	7:49 PM CDT	Unrated	Jackson, KS	0.0	10
May 12	8:06 PM CDT	EF0	Kay, OK	0.3	10

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.