Hail in Merrick County, Nebraska

An upper level trough was over the northern Rocky Mountains and Northern Plains and was bringing a cold front south through Nebraska during the afternoon and evening hours of Independence Day. Temperatures heated up in advance of the front with dewpoints mostly in the 60s. A very moist and unstable atmosphere was present. CAPE values were generally near 4,000 J/kg ahead of the front, and 0 to 6 km wind shear values were around 35 knots. Mid-level lapse rates were generally 7 to 8 degrees C/km.

Isolated showers and storms were moving across portions of south central Nebraska during the early to mid-afternoon hours. This activity did not produce any severe weather. The main storm activity developed late in the afternoon into the evening hours and was associated with the cold front moving through Nebraska. Storms began developing in central Nebraska in the late afternoon and early evening hours. Then storms developed in south central Nebraska and formed a line with the storms in the central part of the state. The storms in central Nebraska moved southeast during the evening hours while the storms in the south central part of the state remained fairly stationary. The storms produced large hail and wind gusts of 58 to 66 mph between 5:30 PM CDT and 9 PM CDT. The largest hail reported was up to 2.50 inches and was reported in Webster, Fillmore, and Thayer Counties.