Hail — Dawson, Nebraska

2024-06-29 · near Cozad, Dawson, Nebraska

Event narrative

Emergency management reported widespread significant damage across Cozad from large hail up to four inches in diameter. The local hospital was damaged enough from broken windows, roof damage, and leaking water that patients had to be transferred to nearby hospitals for a period of time. One injury was reported, a person was caught outside in the storm, suffering cuts and bruises and losing consciousness.

Wider weather episode

A solitary late-night thunderstorm turned out to be one of the most prolific hail producers of the season in south central Nebraska.

The storm erupted in Lincoln County and then rolled east-southeast across Dawson County. Satellite and ground truth observations suggested approximately 150 square miles of wind and hail impacts along the storm's path. The town of Gothenburg (and locations to the north of town) got the ball rolling with reports of 2.75' diameter hail across the north side of town causing damage to windows, roofs, siding and vehicles. A 70 mph wind gust was measured on the Nebraska State Mesonet System at Wild Horse Golf Course. However, the community of Cozad took the brunt of the beastly supercell. Hail up to 4' in diameter pummeled the town and left very few structures spared from damage. Cozad Community Hospital diverted patients to other facilities, temporarily closed the front entrance and lost all phone lines as the storm roared through. The Cozad City Pool was forced to close. Hail, wind and water damage occurred at Cozad Public Schools during an ongoing renovation. Damage to the auditorium and offices resulted in the need for alternative student and staff space for several weeks into the school year. One injury was reported to a person who was caught outside, sustaining cuts, bruises and losing consciousness. The thunderstorm moved southeast and slid just southwest of Lexington before dying out in northern Phelps county. Tens of millions of dollars of property and crop damage occurred along the thunderstorm's 27-mile long path.

A couple hours later, isolated thunderstorms in Sherman, Buffalo and Hall counties produced 65 mph winds and hail near Ravenna and north of Wood River. Crop damage and downed power lines were reported.

The thunderstorm formed along a sagging frontal boundary. Mid-level lapse rates were steep in the region and low-level moisture convergence increased along the front. The supercell formed on the tail end of a short wave traversing the Dakotas, likely owing its high intensity to the favorable right-rear region of a 300 MB jet streak to the northeast providing strong upper diffluence in the area. Though instability was clearly available with MUCAPE values of 2500 J/kg, a warm layer in the middle atmosphere was a limiting factor to more widespread storm coverage in the area.

The Storm Prediction Center included a large part of Nebraska in a Slight Risk for severe weather highlighted the potential for large hail in southwest Nebraska. However, due to the limited coverage of the severe weather, no watches were issued.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (40.8600, -99.9800)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1182398. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.