Widespread thunderstorms produced a few severe wind gusts and hail, along with heavy rain on this Thursday. The evolution of thunderstorms was complex during this event. Initially, two separate areas of thunderstorms initiated and organized during the late afternoon hours; one was over northeast Nebraska and the other was over northwest Kansas. In the latter location, the increasing number of storms, some of which were splitting-supercells, resulted in the eventual formation of a small bow echo over south central Nebraska by mid- to late-evening. Meanwhile, the storms over northeast Nebraska back-built into south central Nebraska in a linear fashion, intersecting with the developing bow echo comma-head. The first reported severe hail occurred at 5:45 p.m. CST near Holdrege, from an isolated right-moving supercell just after the split. The second report of hail occurred near Sumner and was associated with a left-moving supercell soon after the split. The first report of estimated severe winds occurred in Harlan County around 7:40 p.m. CST, just as the squall line was forming. The subsequent bow echo produced winds a couple other reports of severe winds in Webster and York Counties as well, but there was nothing in the way of damage reported. In fact, this bow echo did not produce severe winds in most locations. Significant rainfall occurred in a few locations, but it was most concentrated where Howard, Merrick, and Nance Counties meet. This is where the stationary line back-built to the western MCS. The heavy rain ended in this area as northern bookend vortex from the bow echo moved through. Rainfall of 3 to 5 inches was common in this area.
These MCSs formed in the warm sector of a weak low pressure system over South Dakota. The western storms formed along and ahead of the cold front, while the eastern storms formed in vicinity of the warm front. In the upper-levels, west-southwest flow was over the region, with a trough from the Northern Rockies back into Utah. A ridge was over the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes. Before the convection moved in, temperatures had cooled into the upper 70s, with dewpoints in the middle to upper 60s. Mid-level lapse rates were modest, slightly less than 7 deg C/km. Resultant MLCAPE was around 2500 J/kg. Effective deep layer shear was 30 to 40 kts, primarily in the initiation regions, but less in areas where the MCS activity matured. While low-level winds were not extraordinary, there was enough veering and increasing speed with height to result in effective SRH between 150 and 200 m2/s2.

Hail in PHELPS, NEBRASKA
From 15-SEP-16 17:45:00 to 15-SEP-16 17:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: HOLDREGE
Magnitude: 1.50 
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 125.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Hail in DAWSON, NEBRASKA
From 15-SEP-16 19:28:00 to 15-SEP-16 19:28:00 (CST-6)
Location: SUMNER
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 125.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Highway 40 was covered in hail.

Thunderstorm Wind in HARLAN, NEBRASKA
From 15-SEP-16 19:40:00 to 15-SEP-16 19:40:00 (CST-6)
Location: ORLEANS
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Penny size hail accompanied the winds.

Hail in HOWARD, NEBRASKA
From 15-SEP-16 20:15:00 to 15-SEP-16 20:15:00 (CST-6)
Location: BOELUS
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Thunderstorm Wind in WEBSTER, NEBRASKA
From 15-SEP-16 20:34:00 to 15-SEP-16 20:34:00 (CST-6)
Location: RED CLOUD
Magnitude: 59.00 MG
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Thunderstorm Wind in YORK, NEBRASKA
From 15-SEP-16 22:18:00 to 15-SEP-16 22:18:00 (CST-6)
Location: YORK ARPT
Magnitude: 53.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Heavy Rain in HOWARD, NEBRASKA
From 15-SEP-16 06:00:00 to 16-SEP-16 06:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: CUSHING
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: CoCoRaHS

Rainfall total from the past 24 hours was 3.80 inches.

Heavy Rain in MERRICK, NEBRASKA
From 15-SEP-16 06:00:00 to 16-SEP-16 06:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: PALMER
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: CoCoRaHS

Rainfall total from the past 24 hours was 3.49 inches.

Heavy Rain in NANCE, NEBRASKA
From 15-SEP-16 06:00:00 to 16-SEP-16 06:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: FULLERTON
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: CoCoRaHS

Rainfall total from the past 24 hours was 5.02 inches.

Heavy Rain in DAWSON, NEBRASKA
From 15-SEP-16 09:00:00 to 16-SEP-16 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: SUMNER
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Rainfall total from the past 24 hours was 3.75 inches.