A couple small multicell thunderstorm clusters produced severe winds on this Monday evening. Isolated thunderstorms initiated over northwest Kansas during the late afternoon hours. As additional storms developed, multicell clusters formed. The first cluster crossed into Furnas County around 6 pm CST. Over the following three hours, it continued moving east-northeast just south of Interstate 80. Along this path, multiple stations measured winds of at least 58 mph, with the highest being 64 mph near the town of Norman, which is in Kearney County. Large tree branches were also snapped off in a couple locations. This cluster produced severe outflow winds far from the heaviest precipitation. The 64 mph gust measured at Pleasanton was 25 miles north of the storms and this occurred with significant blowing dust over portions of Buffalo County. A gustnado was also reported just south of Hastings, much closer to the most intense part of the storms. This cluster rapidly weakened once it moved east of Highway 281. Meanwhile, the second cluster moved into Furnas County just after 7 pm CST, and it followed an almost identical track to the first. This cluster did not produce nearly as much severe weather. Grand Island experienced severe wind gusts from both clusters - 58 mph with the first, and 74 mph with the second. These gusts were separated by 90 minutes.
These storms initially formed just south of a quasi-stationary front that extended from near Imperial to Omaha. In the upper-levels, southwest flow was over the Plains with a deep trough was over the West and a ridge over the Mississippi River Valley. There was a subtle shortwave trough moving across the Central Plains. Immediately prior to the thunderstorms moving in, temperatures were in the upper 80s with dewpoints in the middle to upper 50s. Mid-level lapse rates were steep (8 deg C/km), resulting in MLCAPE of 2000-2500 J/kg. Effective deep layer shear was between 35 and 40 kt.

Hail in HARLAN, NEBRASKA
From 15-MAY-17 18:38:00 to 15-MAY-17 18:38:00 (CST-6)
Location: OXFORD
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in PHELPS, NEBRASKA
From 15-MAY-17 19:01:00 to 15-MAY-17 19:01:00 (CST-6)
Location: HOLDREGE
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Hail in HARLAN, NEBRASKA
From 15-MAY-17 20:02:00 to 15-MAY-17 20:02:00 (CST-6)
Location: OXFORD
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Thunderstorm Wind in HALL, NEBRASKA
From 15-MAY-17 20:25:00 to 15-MAY-17 20:25:00 (CST-6)
Location: (GRI)GRAND IS RGNL A
Magnitude: 50.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

Thunderstorm Wind in HALL, NEBRASKA
From 15-MAY-17 21:49:00 to 15-MAY-17 21:49:00 (CST-6)
Location: (GRI)GRAND IS RGNL A
Magnitude: 64.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

Thunderstorm Wind in BUFFALO, NEBRASKA
From 15-MAY-17 20:05:00 to 15-MAY-17 20:10:00 (CST-6)
Location: AMHERST
Magnitude: 56.00 MG
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Damage was reported approximately 10 miles north of Amherst, where a small outbuilding was knocked over. A lot of blowing dust was also reported along Highway 10.

Thunderstorm Wind in FURNAS, NEBRASKA
From 15-MAY-17 18:38:00 to 15-MAY-17 18:38:00 (CST-6)
Location: ARAPAHOE
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Wind gusts were estimated to be near 60 MPH.

Thunderstorm Wind in ADAMS, NEBRASKA
From 15-MAY-17 20:15:00 to 15-MAY-17 20:15:00 (CST-6)
Location: (HSI)HASTINGS ARPT
Magnitude: 50.00 MG
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

A large tree was downed in town, blocking traffic for a time on Baltimore Avenue. A gustnado was also reported just south-southeast of town.

Thunderstorm Wind in PHELPS, NEBRASKA
From 15-MAY-17 19:10:00 to 15-MAY-17 19:10:00 (CST-6)
Location: FUNK
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Wind gusts were estimated to be near 60 MPH.

Thunderstorm Wind in KEARNEY, NEBRASKA
From 15-MAY-17 19:21:00 to 15-MAY-17 19:21:00 (CST-6)
Location: AXTELL
Magnitude: 55.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Thunderstorm Wind in KEARNEY, NEBRASKA
From 15-MAY-17 19:42:00 to 15-MAY-17 19:42:00 (CST-6)
Location: NORMAN
Magnitude: 56.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Thunderstorm Wind in HARLAN, NEBRASKA
From 15-MAY-17 19:57:00 to 15-MAY-17 19:57:00 (CST-6)
Location: OXFORD
Magnitude: 52.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Thunderstorm Wind in FRANKLIN, NEBRASKA
From 15-MAY-17 19:18:00 to 15-MAY-17 19:18:00 (CST-6)
Location: HILDRETH
Magnitude: 56.00 EG
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Multiple trees were downed in town. Wind gusts were estimated, a nearby mesonet station recorded a gust of 63 MPH.