Flash Flood Watch Extended Through This Afternoon

...HEAVY RAINFALL EXPECTED ACROSS THE SOUTHERN NEBRASKA PANHANDLE THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON...

A SLOW MOVING STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE FROM COLORADO INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS TODAY. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR ACROSS THE AREA DURING THE DAY TODAY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL.

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH NOW IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON...

THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR MORRILL COUNTY THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON

ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TODAY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL WITH UP TO ANOTHER INCH OF RAIN ACCUMULATION POSSIBLE.

ADDITIONAL RAINFALL ON THE SATURATED GROUND FROM SUNDAYS VERY HEAVY RAINFALL...COULD LEAD TO MORE FLASH FLOODING THROUGH THE DAY TODAY. ADDITIONAL RUNOFF WOULD EXACERBATE RIVER FLOODING AS WELL IN THE PANHANDLE AT MITCHELL...MINATARE AND HENRY AS WELL AS SCOTTSBLUFF AND BRIDGEPORT.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.

North Platte River to Rise to Near 9 Feet

The North Platte River at Bridgeport is forecast to rise to 8.93 feet by early Tuesday morning. This would increase the river above the current stage of 8.58 feet, and the record stage of 8.86 feet, which was set just yesterday at 6 a.m. and 8 a.m.

This stage is not expected to last long, with the forecast for the river to drop back to current levels by Wednesday afternoon.

North Platte River Rises to Record Stages

At 6 p.m. Saturday, the stage at the North Platte River in Bridgeport was 8.76 feet (or approximately 8,970 feet). This is down 0.10 feet from the 6 a.m. and Noon reading of 8.86 feet (or approximately 9,290 feet).

The new forecast issued this evening from the River Forecast Center shows a slow fall to around 8.4 feet by 6 p.m. tomorrow night, and then steady conditions after then. This morning's forecast showed a rise to 9.0 feet by Tuesday. This is a flucuation situation, and residents on the North Platte River should keep aprised of the latest statements and updates.....

President Obama Declares Disaster for Morrill, 17 Other Nebraska Counties

President Barack Obama has issued an emergency disaster declaration for 18 Nebraska counties for flooding along the Missouri and Platte rivers.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced the declaration Saturday. It was requested Friday by Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman.

The declaration allows FEMA to coordinate disaster relief efforts and provide assistance.

The Missouri River flows along the state's eastern border. The Platte forms from the North Platte and South Platte rivers at the city of North Platte, cutting through central Nebraska and to the southeast. Both rivers are swollen because of spring rains and snowpack. They're expected to remain high into fall.

The counties included in the declaration are Boyd, Burt, Cass, Cedar, Dakota, Dixon, Douglas, Garden, Knox, Lincoln, Morrill, Nemaha, Otoe, Richardson, Sarpy, Scotts Bluff, Thurston and Washington.

Flash Flood Watch Issued from Sunday afternoon through late Sunday Night

Heavy rainfall expected across the Panhandle Sunday afternoon through Monday morning.

A slow moving storm system will move across the Central Rockies Sunday and Monday. the storm is expected to produce widespread moderate to severe thunderstorms across the Panhandle Sunday afternoon into Monday morning. These thunderstorms are expected to also produce very heavy rainfall, in the order of possibly 2 to 3 inches in some areas.

*** Flash Flood WATCH in effect from Sunday afternoon through late Sunday night ***

The National Weather Service in Cheyenne has issued a Flash Flood Watch for a portion of western Nebraska, including Morrill County from Sunday afternoon through late Sunday night.

Moderate to severe thunderstorms are anticipated Sunday afternoon into Monday morning. These thunderstorms are expected to produce very heavy rainfall with several inches of rain accumulations possible.

This amount of rainfall falling on already wet soils from previous heavy rain events the past few days could lead to significant flash flooding Sunday afternoon through Monday morning. Runoff will exacerbate river flooding as well in the Panhandle at Mitchell, Minatare and Henry, as well as Scottsbluff and Bridgeport.

A Flash Flood Watch means that conditions may develop that lead to flash flooding. Flash flooding is a very dangerous situation. You should monitor later forecasts and be preapred to take action should flash flood warnings be issued.

Potential Significant Severe Weather Outbreak Sunday

Fathers Day could bring a potentially significant severe weather outbreak to the state of Nebraska. This is the Storm Prediction Center's Day 2 Outlook for Sunday (issued around 11:30 this morning):

A significant severe weather event is expected Sunday afternoon and Sunday night.

An upper level trough will transition east from the Inter Mountain West toward the Great Plans on Sunday. In advance of this system, a surface low will deepen over eastern Colorado, lifting a warm front north over the area. Severe thunderstorms are expected to develop across the western Nebraska and push east. Supercells with large hail, damaging winds, and strong tornadoes will be possible from the initial development.

Indications are heavy rain will fall Sunday afternoon through Monday night, with rainfall totals approaching or exceeding 3 inches in some areas. Parts of western Nebraska appear most favored as un upper level low is expected to deepen across southwestern Nebraska and track northeast through north Central Nebraska.
If this heavy rain develops in the North Platte basin, a significant rise would occre on the river and cause flooding or flash flooding concerns.

Weekend Severe Weather Threats

(Storm Prediction Center Day 2 / Saturday Severe Weather Outlook)

The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, OK has a SLIGHT risk of severe weather for the Nebraska Panhandle Saturday afternoon and evening. Storms should form relatively quickly in the afternoon, with a hail and wind threat. Deep-layer sheer will be quite favorable for a few supercells.

 (Storm Prediction Center Day 3 / Sunday Severe Weather Outlook)

 

The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, OK has a SLIGHT risk of severe weather for the entire state of Nebraska Sunday afternoon and evening. A warm front will move north across the area, triggering thunderstorms. Moist air will lead to strong instability, favoring supercells. Hail and wind damage will be the primary threat, although strong low-level shear may support a tornado or two, especially across western Nebraska.

Tornado Wach will likely be issued shortly

The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, OK is monitoring portions of the Nebraska Panhandle for a Tornado Watch...which would likely be issued between 2pm and 3pm this afternoon. Details by clicking on the headline, or by clicking here:
http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/md/md1194.html

More Severe Thunderstorms Possible Today, Tomorrow

ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR THIS AFTERNOON. SOME OF THE STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE AND PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. AN ISOLATED TORNADO IS ALSO POSSIBLE IN EXTREME NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE NEBRASKA PANHANDLE.

ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXISTS FOR MONDAY...WITH A FEW BECOMING SEVERE IN THE AFTERNOON.

Severe Thunderstorm Watch CANCELLED

The Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been CANCELLED.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 11 PM TONIGHT

THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF
  
          NORTHEAST COLORADO
          NORTHWEST KANSAS
          WESTERN NEBRASKA
          SOUTHEAST WYOMING
  
EFFECTIVE THIS SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 335 PM UNTIL 1100 PM MDT.
  
HAIL TO 2.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.
  
REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES.
  
DISCUSSION...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO INTENSIFY OVER THE HIGH PLAINS OF NORTHEAST CO AND SOUTHEAST WY...AND SPREAD EASTWARD THROUGH THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. MODERATE INSTABILITY AND SUFFICIENT VERTICAL SHEAR WILL SUPPORT ORGANIZED AND OCCASIONAL SUPERCELL STORMS CAPABLE OF LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

Severe weather watch will likely be issued shortly

A severe weather watch will likely be issued for our area shortly. Large hail and isolated tornadoes will be the main threats for thunderstorms that develop this afternoon.

Update on Today's Severe Weather Threat

A CLUSTER OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AS AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVES THROUGH SOUTHEAST WYOMING. SOME OF THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE WITH GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH...ALONG WITH BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL. THIS ACTIVITY WILL BEGIN MOVING INTO AREAS ALONG THE NEBRASKA AND WYOMING BORDER AFTER 4 PM AND EXIT THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE BY 9 PM. THE STORMS WILL GENERALLY MOVE NORTHEAST AT 30 TO 35 MPH.

Severe Thunderstorms Possible Later Today

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AS AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVES THROUGH SOUTHEAST WYOMING. SOME OF THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE WITH GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL AND DAMAGING DOWNBURST WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH...ALONG WITH BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL. THE GREATEST CONCERN WILL BE FROM NOON THROUGH 9 PM THIS EVENING.

Residents Reminded Not to Pump Water into Sanitary Sewer

BRIDGEPORT – The City of Bridgeport is asking residents using pumps to protect their basements or crawl spaces from flooding to pump those into their yard, alley, or street and not the sanitary sewer system, effective immediately.

“The amount of flow into the sanitary sewer system is exceeding the amount of flow that our system was designed for,” Public Works Director Wayne Kautz (pronounced COWTS) said. “We are asking residents for their immediate help by not pumping their basements or crawl spaces into the sanitary sewer system.”

Bridgeport Municipal Code Section 52.012 prohibits discharges from storm water, surface water, groundwater, roof runoff, or subsurface drainage into any sanitary sewer. Fines for violation of the ordinance are $100 for each violation, with each 24-hour period being deemed a separate offense.

“We are expecting high waters for the rest of the summer,” Kautz said. “Having residents help us out now will go a long way into allowing us to continue to operate the sanitary sewer system smoothly through the summer.”

Additional information and updates will be posted on the City’s website at www.cityofbport.com.