Hail — Dawson, Nebraska

2014-05-07 · near Lexington, Dawson, Nebraska

Event narrative

Hail ranging in size from quarters to baseballs was reported in town by trained spotters and law enforcement officials.

Wider weather episode

The severe weather that occurred across South Central Nebraska, this Wednesday evening, was produced by a lone supercell storm that tracked east-northeast across Dawson, Buffalo, Sherman, Howard, and Greeley counties. The core of the storm entered southwestern Dawson county just after 7 p.m. CDT. The storm produced hail up to the size of baseballs in Lexington, as well as a funnel cloud 4 miles south of the city. Wind damage was also reported nearby. As the storm tracked into less populated areas, it continue to produce hail up to the size of golf balls. Another funnel cloud occurred 6 miles north of Amherst in Buffalo county. Significant wind damage occurred near the town of Hazard, with a pole barn destroyed, several utility poles snapped off and debris transported from southwest to northeast. The storm gradually weakened as it moved into Howard and Greeley counties. However, it still downed several trees as far east as Elba before its rapid demise thereafter.

The synoptic situation was complex. A quasi-stationary front extended from the Ohio Valley westward to low pressure near Sioux Falls, Iowa, then southwestward across Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado. A new cold front was moving in and attempting to merge with the stationary front near the time this storm developed. At the upper-levels, a deep trough was over the western U.S. with a ridge over the east. MLCAPE was around 1500 J/kg and deep layer shear was near 60 knots, creating a favorable environment for the supercell.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (40.7800, -99.7300)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 510411. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.