Damaging Winds, Large Hail & Isolated Tornadoes; Central Plains; Late Afternoon; July 19, 202

Photo byNational Weather Force

Brief Outlook:

Severe thunderstorms are expected from the northern/central High Plains into the northern/central Plains on Friday, with the most organized storms from far northeast Colorado into central Nebraska. Check below for further details, timing and much more information.

Region Impacted: Northern/Central High Plains and Northern/Central Plains

States and Cities Impacted: Colorado (Denver, Sterling), Nebraska (North Platte, Grand Island), South Dakota (Pierre, Rapid City).

Detailed Forecast:

An expansive upper ridge will persist across the West on Friday. A shortwave trough initially in eastern Montana will slide southeastward around the upper ridge, reaching the central Plains by the afternoon. Enhanced mid-level flow, with wind shear values around 35-45 knots in the 0-6 km layer, will support the development of organized storm structures, including supercells capable of producing severe weather.

At the surface, instability values are expected to reach 1500-2500 J/kg, particularly across eastern Colorado and western Nebraska. Low-level shear will be enhanced by the southerly flow ahead of the trough, and mid-level lapse rates will be steep, promoting strong updrafts. Storms are expected to be initially discrete before potentially forming clusters or lines, capable of producing large hail and damaging winds. Some areas may also experience isolated tornadoes due to the favorable shear profiles in that area although not a very high risk.

Timing:

Thunderstorms are expected to initiate by mid-afternoon in eastern Colorado and western Nebraska, with peak activity from late afternoon to early evening. Storms will likely develop along a surface trough extending from the Black Hills into the central High Plains. These storms are expected to move southeastward, with severe weather threats persisting into the evening hours. By late evening, the storms are expected to weaken as they move into less favorable conditions.

Main Impact: damaging winds, large hail, isolated tornadoes & lightning.

Stay tuned for more updates.

Sina⚡⚡

Our fully integrated private weather offices, the first of their kind, issue weather watches and advisories to the public. Like or follow us, and the newsfeed will target your area.

For more information and services, visit our redesigned website for micro-climate options and personalized alerts: More Info: More Info