Thunderstorms developed on the edge of an instability axis over northeast Nebraska during the mid afternoon hours of July 15th.  Surface temperatures in the 90s and dewpoint temperatures of 65 to 70 degrees were common in the more unstable air just south of where the convection developed, compared to slightly hotter but drier air just to the north.  The thunderstorms produced strong winds...areas of very heavy rain and isolated large hail as they congealed into a bow and moved southeast across the Omaha and Lincoln areas before weakening in strength over far southeast Nebraska.  Additional thunderstorms developed then...mostly west of Lincoln.  Although they mostly remained below severe limits, they produced additional areas of heavy rain which caused flooding in Seward and Saline counties.  Lightning was frequent with the storms, especially when they crossed the Omaha metro area.

Thunderstorm Wind in GAGE, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-08 21:00:00 to 15-JUL-08 21:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: ADAMS
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A spotter estimated thunderstorm wind gusts as high as around 60 mph in the Adams area.

Thunderstorm Wind in SALINE, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-08 21:45:00 to 15-JUL-08 21:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: DORCHESTER
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 60 mph knocked over 2 trees that fell on vehicles in town along with downing numerous branches.

Thunderstorm Wind in SARPY, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-08 21:26:00 to 15-JUL-08 21:31:00 (CST-6)
Location: AVERY
Magnitude: 59.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Thunderstorm gusts were measured at 68 mph by Awos at Offutt Afb.  The strong winds caused scattered power outages in the Bellevue area.

Thunderstorm Wind in LANCASTER, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-08 20:42:00 to 15-JUL-08 20:42:00 (CST-6)
Location: WEST LINCOLN
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at around 60 mph downed large branches near 37th and D Streets.

Hail in SALINE, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-08 21:43:00 to 15-JUL-08 21:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: DORCHESTER
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Hail up to nickel-size lasted for a few minutes.

Flash Flood in SAUNDERS, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-08 22:00:00 to 15-JUL-08 23:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: MORSE BLUFF
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.50K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Doppler radar estimated that around 3 inches of rain fell in a several hour or less period near Morse Bluff and this was backed by a public report of 3 inches in one hour.  The heavy rain produced flooding which briefly closed a road near Highway 79 in town.  Apparent damage was minimal.

Hail in BOONE, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-08 18:05:00 to 15-JUL-08 18:05:00 (CST-6)
Location: ALBION
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Nickel to quarter-size hail was reported along with strong winds and very heavy rain in the Albion area.  Winds were measured at 62 mph at the Albion Awos a few minutes earlier.

Heavy Rain in DOUGLAS, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-08 18:00:00 to 15-JUL-08 21:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: VALLEY
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Rainfall of 2.22 inches was measured at the NWS office in Valley between 7 and 10pm CDT.

Thunderstorm Wind in DOUGLAS, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-08 19:58:00 to 15-JUL-08 19:58:00 (CST-6)
Location: VALLEY
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at close to 60 mph blew a shed onto the road near 264th and Rainwood.

Hail in DODGE, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-08 17:53:00 to 15-JUL-08 18:03:00 (CST-6)
Location: WEBSTER
Magnitude: 2.50 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Hail close to baseball-size fell 7 miles north of North Bend.  The large hail caused a several mile wide swath of crop damage in the area.

Thunderstorm Wind in DOUGLAS, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-08 19:18:00 to 15-JUL-08 19:18:00 (CST-6)
Location: VALLEY
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

A thunderstorm wind gust of 60 mph was measured at the NWS office.  The strong winds caused some tree damage in Valley and knocked the power out across much of the town for a few hours.

Flash Flood in DOUGLAS, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-08 21:40:00 to 15-JUL-08 22:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: ELKHORN
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue

Several county roads were closed briefly in western Douglas county near the Valley area due to flash flooding.  Also cars reportedly stalled out as they encountered deep water near 208th and Maple in west Elkhorn.  Three to 5 inches of rain was reported in the area.  Reported damage was minimal.

Hail in DOUGLAS, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-08 19:27:00 to 15-JUL-08 19:27:00 (CST-6)
Location: OMAHA
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Hail up to quarter-size was reported in northwest Omaha near 157th street.

Thunderstorm Wind in BOONE, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-08 17:53:00 to 15-JUL-08 17:53:00 (CST-6)
Location: ALBION MUNI ARPT
Magnitude: 54.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

A thunderstorm gust was measured at 62 mph at the Albion Awos.  Similar gusts were estimated by Law Enforcement around that same time.  The strong winds caused scattered power outages in the area and was accompanied by hail up to quarter-size.

Thunderstorm Wind in WASHINGTON, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-08 16:25:00 to 15-JUL-08 16:25:00 (CST-6)
Location: SPIKER
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated around 60 mph knocked a large tree down near Herman.

Thunderstorm Wind in DOUGLAS, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-08 19:55:00 to 15-JUL-08 20:10:00 (CST-6)
Location: LANE
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Broadcast Media

Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at close to 60 mph pushed over a large tree near 168th and Pacific and snapped a few trees off in the Harvey Oaks area causing deck and fence damage.

Hail in DOUGLAS, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-08 19:15:00 to 15-JUL-08 19:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: VALLEY
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Broadcast Media

Hail up to golfball-size fell for about 15 minutes in and north through east of the Valley area.  The hail broke some windows out of a house east of town and caused scattered other house and vehicle damage in the area.

Thunderstorm Wind in CASS, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-08 21:35:00 to 15-JUL-08 21:35:00 (CST-6)
Location: PLATTSMOUTH
Magnitude: 55.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at over 60 mph downed a few trees and numerous tree limbs in the Plattsmouth area.  The fallen trees caused scattered power outages.

Flood in SALINE, NEBRASKA
From 16-JUL-08 08:00:00 to 21-JUL-08 13:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: CRETE
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Rainfall of 2 to 4 inches fell across sections of the Blue River basin on July 15-16.  This caused the Blue River to flood from near Crete to the confluence with Turkey Creek, which was also in flood. The stage of the Big Blue at Crete reached around 23 feet at 2am CDT on July 17, flood stage is 18 feet.  Although the river dropped to around flood stage during the morning hours of July 18th, additional heavy rain that fell over part of the basin on the 17th brought a second crest to the river of around 22 feet during the afternoon of July 19th. The flooding affected mainly agricultural lowlands but also flooded a few county roads.

Flood in SEWARD, NEBRASKA
From 16-JUL-08 06:00:00 to 16-JUL-08 16:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: MILFORD
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Rainfall of 3.5 inches fell overnight on July 15-16 in the Milford area.  This caused flooding along Coon Creek which flooded a park and golf course on the south side of town and also closed a few county roads in the area.

Flood in SALINE, NEBRASKA
From 16-JUL-08 05:45:00 to 19-JUL-08 03:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: WILBER MUNI ARPT
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Rainfall of 2 to 4 inches fell across much of the Turkey Creek basin on July 15-16.  This caused Turkey Creek to flood from near Wilber toward its confluence with the Blue River.  The stage at Wilber reached a little over 14 feet around 5pm CDT on July 16, flood stage is 11 feet.  The creek briefly dropped below flood stage during the evening of July 17th, but additional heavy rain producing thunderstorms caused a second crest of around 12.5 feet during the afternoon of July 18th before the creek fell below flood stage early on the 19th.  The flooding affected mainly agricultural lowlands but also flooded a few county roads.