6 FIRST ALERT: Severe Thunderstorm Watch until 8pm for the Omaha metro (2024)

Published: Jun. 18, 2024 at 5:11 AM CDT|Updated: 17 minutes ago

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Tuesday is a 6 First Alert Weather Day thanks to a cold front slowly moving through this evening. It will spark storms along it that will likely impact most of the area as we go through the evening hours. Within those storms, a few isolated severe storms are possible with wind and hail potential.

UPDATE 5:25 p.m. -- A Severe Thunderstorm Warning continues for southeast Saunders, northwest Lancaster, Butler, and Seward counties until 6pm. Wind gusts to around 60mph are the main risk along with torrential rainfall. Strongest winds likely moving toward Ulysses and Dwight.

UPDATE 5:00 p.m. -- The line of storms continues to move east across the area, on track to reach the metro by 6 or 7PM. Periods of heavy rainfall are expected. Storms have also started to fill in behind the initial line. Main impacts continue to be flooding, strong winds, and hail.

UPDATE 4:30 p.m. -- A line of strong storms continue to push to the east across Nebraska this afternoon. The line currently stretch from from West Point to Schuyler to David City, moving east at around 20mph. This line should reach Fremont and Wahoo between 5 and 6pm, and push into the Omaha metro between 6 and 7pm. Heavy rainfall and frequent lightning is expected with these storms, along with a low risk for a few wind gusts and some hail up to 1 inch with the strongest storms. The hail is not expected to be widespread, with the main risk being the heavy rain and lightning.

Previous Update:

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect until 8pm for most of eastern Nebraska and western Iowa, including the Omaha metro as well as Lincoln, Fremont, Wahoo, Beatrice, Harlan, Atlantic, and Nebraska City. A few isolated reports of hail or gusty winds are possible as storms move through the area. The greatest risk of severe weather is in the 4-7pm window with weaker storms and the flooding risk continuing into the evening.

Thunderstorms are developing this evening along a slow moving cold front coming in from central Nebraska. Thunderstorms have developed along a line from Sioux City through West Point and Columbus to Grand Island. A couple of stronger storms have formed out near Grand Island with some quarter sized hail possible.

These storms will continue to push to the east, reaching West Point, Schuyler, David City, and York by 4pm. The line should move into Tekamah, Fremont, Wahoo, and the Lincoln area by 5 to 6pm, and then reach the Omaha metro between 6 and 7pm. Once storms move in, it may take several hours for the rain and storm to move out given the slow overall movement of the cold front. A lightning threat may linger even longer behind the main line of storms.

The storms should be rather slow moving and will be running parallel to that front. That will lead to an increased risk of heavy rain and flash flooding for parts of the area. Some 2 to 4 inch rain totals are possible where storms train over the same areas multiple times. This could be especially problematic for areas that picked up several inches of rain over the weekend into Monday morning. Areas north of I-80 will see the highest risk for flash flooding as the soil is still relatively saturated from that rain.

Rain will likely taper off after Midnight, but additional rain showers with a few rumbles of thunder will likely move back into the area by sunrise on Wednesday. On and off showers are likely during the morning hours, but should taper off once again by the afternoon. Clouds and showers will help to keep temperatures cooler, with much of the day likely spent in the 60s. Afternoon highs should reach the low 70s once the rain moves out. A few spotty storms are still possible into Thursday morning before drier and warmer weather moves back in to end the week.

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