Severe warnings were canceled across the Omaha metro Friday night, though lightning, heavy rain, and a chance of pea-sized hail were expected to linger into midnight. A few counties farther west and northeast remained under warnings through late evening, with
OMAHA, Neb. (Misryoum) — Friday night’s severe weather pushed through the Omaha metro with lightning and heavy rain, but by late evening the most serious alerts were starting to come off.
At 11:15 p.m., severe warnings were canceled across the Omaha metro. Forecasters said lightning and heavy rain would continue through midnight, with possibly some pea-sized hail. They added that no additional severe weather is expected in the metro tonight.
Even as the central Omaha area calmed, parts of western Iowa and eastern Nebraska stayed under more urgent alerts.. A severe thunderstorm warning remained in effect for Harrison. Monona. Washington County until 11:15 p.m.. with large hail and damaging winds of at least 60 mph possible.. People in the warning area were advised to seek shelter indoors until the storm has passed.
That shelter-in-place message was echoed in the wider warning zone that covered multiple counties earlier Friday.. At 10:15 p.m.. a severe thunderstorm warning was listed for Washington. Harrison. Saunders. Douglas. Dodge. Shelby. and Pottawattamie Counties until 11:15 p.m.. again pointing to large hail and damaging winds of at least 60 mph.
Earlier still, forecasters warned that hail and damaging winds could hit more limited areas. At 9:45 p.m., a severe thunderstorm warning covered Burt, Harrison, Monona, and Washington County until 10:30 p.m., with large hail and damaging winds of at least 60 mph possible.
Farther southwest, the focus shifted to the strongest storm signatures moving through the region.. At 6:30 p.m.. a severe thunderstorm warning was in effect for Fremont. Montgomery. Mills. Pottawattamie. and Page counties until 7:15 p.m.. with a possibility of up to 1.25-inch hail and 70 mph wind gusts.. That threat was rated “Considerable. ” and residents in the warning area were told to seek shelter indoors until the storm passed.
Radar updates tracked the storm’s evolving threat.. At 6:25 p.m.. forecasters said a severe thunderstorm over Tabor. Iowa showed signs it could produce a lot of wind. with radar indicating 60–70 mph+ gusts.. They warned that Randolph and Imogene were in the path of those winds over the next 15–45 minutes. and they noted radar also showed a threat of up to egg-size hail for the area.
Warnings also tightened and expanded as the evening progressed.. At 6:05 p.m.. a severe thunderstorm warning was issued for N Fremont and S central Mills counties in western Iowa. and NW Otoe and SE Cass counties in eastern Nebraska. running until 6:45 p.m.. The threat included up to 1-inch hail and 60 mph wind gusts.
Earlier at 5:54 p.m., Mills and Cass counties were under a severe thunderstorm warning until 6:45 p.m., with large hail and damaging winds of at least 60 mph possible.
Before those late-evening cancellations, the broader setup was already clear. Around 5:20 p.m. Friday, a severe thunderstorm watch was in effect for much of the Omaha metro and surrounding areas until 1 a.m. Saturday, meaning conditions were favorable for severe storms.
The night’s message, then, was a moving target: as warnings eased across the Omaha metro, nearby counties remained under instructions to take shelter indoors while hail and high winds were still possible.
Omaha metro severe weather severe thunderstorm warning hail damaging winds lightning radar updates Fremont County Nebraska Monona County Pottawattamie County