Extensive line of thunderstorms brought widespread severe wind to much of south central Nebraska and portions of north central Kansas on this date. This event will likely go down as the most widespread severe weather event of the spring and summer of 2020 for the Hastings County Warning Area (CWA). Thunderstorms developed along a cold front across north central Nebraska, and also within a zone of low level upslope flow over western Nebraska and northeast Colorado, during the early evening hours of July 8th. Both areas of development initially contained line segments and embedded supercells, posing risks for all severe hazards, but quickly organized into two separate lines of convection, or quasi linear convective systems (QLCSs). By 9pm CDT, one line extended roughly west to east from Thedford, NE to O'Neill, NE and was moving southeast, while the other line extended roughly north to south from near Thedford, NE to just west of McCook, NE and was moving mainly east. Shortly thereafter, both lines began to merge together into one coherent line and produced several instances of 60-75 mph wind gusts and isolated severe hail north/northwest of the CWA. Thunderstorms increased in organization into a bow echo over Furnas and Gosper Counties in Nebraska, then entered far western/northwestern portions of north central Kansas between 10:30-11pm CDT. By 11pm CDT, the QLCS had taken on an ���S��� shape, slanting southwest to northeast. The greatest concentration of severe wind reports occurred north of the state line, however, several severe wind reports were also reported roughly along and north of Highway 36 between 11pm CDT on July 8th and 1am CDT on July 9th as forward speed increased dramatically. Peak wind gusts across north central Kansas generally remained 60-65mph. The only known damage was to a roof of a mobile home in Mitchell County, though at least minor tree and crop damage likely occurred across at least portions of the area as well. The leading edge of the QLCS, and associated peak wind threat, shifted east and southeast of the CWA by 1AM CDT, though lingering stratiform rain as well as a northwest to southeast band of thunderstorms near the state line continued for a few more hours. Severe hail associated with this activity remained just north of the state line, over Furnas County, where regenerating thunderstorms were most intense.
Meteorologically speaking, this severe wind event was driven largely by a cold front interacting with a strongly unstable airmass due to steep mid level lapse rates, strong heating, and moist boundary layer. Initially cellular activity quickly grew upscale into line segments owing to the linear forcing along the cold front and generally outflow dominated activity, with peak DCAPE values in excess of 1500 J/kg. The primary shortwave trough responsible for the cold front remained well north of the area, near the Montana/Canadian border, but several weak perturbations moving west to east over the cold front likely aided in thunderstorm development as well. A distinct mesoscale convective vortex, modest deep layer shear of 30-35 knots, and an intensifying southerly low level jet up to 45 knots sustained the severe convection well past sunset. Finally, it's worth noting that an impressive surface pressure rise/fall couplet of at least 3mb/2hr accompanied the QLCS across the CWA between 05Z and 07Z.

Thunderstorm Wind in MITCHELL, KANSAS
From 08-JUL-20 23:35:00 to 08-JUL-20 23:35:00 (CST-6)
Location: CAWKER CITY
Magnitude: 56.00 EG
Property damage: 8.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Wind gusts estimated to be near 65 MPH caused roof damage to a mobile home.

Thunderstorm Wind in PHILLIPS, KANSAS
From 08-JUL-20 22:10:00 to 08-JUL-20 22:10:00 (CST-6)
Location: PHILLIPSBURG ARPT
Magnitude: 50.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Thunderstorm Wind in JEWELL, KANSAS
From 08-JUL-20 22:59:00 to 08-JUL-20 22:59:00 (CST-6)
Location: WEBBER
Magnitude: 50.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

A wind gust of 58 MPH was recorded by a mesonet station located 5 miles east-northeast of Webber.

Thunderstorm Wind in SMITH, KANSAS
From 08-JUL-20 22:59:00 to 08-JUL-20 22:59:00 (CST-6)
Location: SMITH CENTER ARPT
Magnitude: 51.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Thunderstorm Wind in JEWELL, KANSAS
From 08-JUL-20 23:00:00 to 08-JUL-20 23:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: BURR OAK
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Wind gusts were estimated to be near 60 MPH.

Thunderstorm Wind in JEWELL, KANSAS
From 08-JUL-20 23:29:00 to 08-JUL-20 23:29:00 (CST-6)
Location: RANDALL
Magnitude: 50.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

A wind gust of 58 MPH was recorded by a mesonet station located in Randall.