A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for Lincoln and portions of central and eastern Nebraska until 4 p.m. Wednesday as a cluster of storms moves southeast across the state.
National Weather Service meteorologist Laurel McCoy said storms moving out of north-central Nebraska could reach the Lincoln area between 2 and 3 p.m.
“Our main hazards with this, we’re looking at potential for damaging winds and maybe even some hail,” McCoy said. “We could see winds up to 70, 75 miles an hour at peak.”
The National Weather Service placed Lincoln under the watch shortly before 10 a.m. A watch means atmospheric conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms, although severe weather is not guaranteed at every location.
10/11 NOW reported that the watch covers parts of central and eastern Nebraska, with possible wind gusts up to 70 miles an hour and hail as large as ping-pong balls. The station’s forecast placed much of Nebraska under a marginal risk for severe weather, meaning isolated severe storms are possible. Damaging winds and large hail are the primary threats, while the tornado threat is considered very low.
McCoy said the storms should move through the Lincoln area relatively quickly and exit by about 4 p.m. Brief heavy rainfall is possible, but the system’s speed should limit the flash-flooding threat.
Road conditions could still deteriorate temporarily. McCoy cautioned that heavy downpours could quickly fill roadside ditches and create enough standing water to cause hydroplaning.
Conditions should become quieter Wednesday night. The National Weather Service forecast calls for only a slight chance of a storm before 7 p.m., followed by partly cloudy skies and a low near 65. Patchy fog could develop toward daybreak Thursday.
Thursday is expected to become mostly sunny in Lincoln, with a high near 85. However, 10/11 NOW says another round of thunderstorms could develop mainly across southeastern Nebraska, with an isolated severe storm possible.
Additional storm chances remain in the forecast late Friday and during portions of the weekend.
“We’re in a pretty active pattern right now,” McCoy said, but added that confidence is currently low in any particular weekend system becoming strong.
The National Weather Service forecast calls for a chance of storms Friday night, mostly sunny conditions Saturday and another chance of storms Sunday. Temperatures are expected to remain seasonable to slightly below average over the weekend.