High Wind — Thurston, Nebraska

2026-01-16 · Thurston, Nebraska

Event narrative

Personal weather station measured wind gust of 62 mph near Pender, NE.

Wider weather episode

On January 16, 2026, gusty winds and snow squalls impacted eastern Nebraska. A shortwave trough pivoting across the Northern Plains drove an initial cold front and strong cold air advection (CAA) into the region. Behind a secondary cold front, enhanced atmospheric mixing tapped into higher winds aloft, transferring them to the surface. While widespread peak gusts ranged from 45 to 55 mph, isolated locations briefly recorded gusts of 58 to 62 mph. Additionally, horizontal convective rolls trailing the secondary front generated transient heavy snow showers, resulting in two distinct snow squalls. The intense winds within these bands caused localized blowing snow and rapidly reduced visibilities to 1/4 mile or less. The first squall moved through Cuming County during the late morning, followed by a second in Lancaster County during the evening.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1311548. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.