Severe threat wraps up late Friday night

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Follow the latest alerts and updates on Friday’s First-Alert Day:

Forecast Update:

The highest risk for strong storms has passed as of 8:45PM but is not over completely... areas to focus on are to the N of the Metro and the far SE corner of our viewing area in NW Missouri and SW Iowa. Severe storms and flash flooding are possible. Some isolated development is still a possibility mainly through the 9PM hour in the Metro as a weak boundary pushes through. We’ll watch the backside of that around 11PM but that threat is not looking as likely.

That risk for spotty storms will end overnight with clearing into the weekend. Saturday is the best day for anything outdoors as showers move in Sunday.

8:11 p.m. -- OPPD is reporting dozens of power outages in Saunders and Dodge counties.

7:55 p.m. -- The National Weather Service issued a flash-flood warning for several counties including Dodge and Washington counties as radar indicated thunderstorms that could produce heavy were approaching the area. That included the Uehling, which reportedly sustained tornado damage earlier in the evening.

The warning was set to expire at 11 p.m.

6:56 p.m. -- A tornado warning has been issued for parts of Washington, Dodge, and Burt counties. A storm capable of producing a tornado has been identified near Uehling, located about 21 miles north of Fremont. This storm is capable of producing baseball-sized hail, according to the NWS alert.

The National Weather Service also confirmed that the tornado watch previously issued for the Omaha-metro area and surrounding counties would remain in effect until 9 p.m.

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6:37 p.m. -- The Nationals Weather Service is reporting a large and extremely dangerous tornado was observed in Burt County about 10 miles east of West Point, near Lyons, about 78 miles north of Omaha.

“This is a particularly dangerous situation,” the NWS report states. “You are in a life-threatening situation. Flying debris may be deadly to those caught without shelter. ... Complete destruction is possible.”

6:28 p.m. -- Substantial farmstead damage was reported near Oakland.

6:14 p.m. -- Tornado warning issued in parts of Saunders, Dodge, and Washington counties.

6:10 p.m. -- A storm chaser reported that a commercial cattle feedlot had been heavily damaged by a tornado.

5:48 p.m. -- Tornado warning in Dodge County, about 8 miles west of Fremont near Cedar Bluffs. This area could see hail up to 1.75 inches in diameter.

5:30 p.m. -- Tornado observed between Scribner and Hooper, Neb. Residents in that area are advised to take shelter immediately. Farther west, there was a tornado warning near Clarkson, in Colfax County. Golf-ball-sized hail was reported near Prague.

5:24 p.m. -- A tornado warning near Scribner on Highway 275, moving northeast in the rural areas with the possibility of some golf-ball-sized hail. Also some activity near Prague, moving north.

5:22 p.m. -- A tornado was spotted on the ground northeast of North Bend, north of Highway 30.

5:04 p.m. -- A tornado warning was issued for Dodge and Saunders counties.

5:01 p.m. -- A trained spotter has reported baseball-sized hail in the Table Rock area.

4:59 p.m. -- Saunders County is under a severe thunderstorm warning.

4:52 p.m. -- Tornado warning just outside of Table Rock. Law enforcement reported a tornado on the ground in the Pawnee City area.

4:46 p.m. -- Reports of golf-ball-sized hail in Pawnee City.

4:44 p.m. -- The funnel cloud near Table Rock appears to have dissipated.

4:39 p.m. -- A funnel cloud has formed and rotation has been detected in the Table Rock area. Residents there should take shelter.

4:19 p.m. -- Tornado warning issued for Platte and Madison counties. There’s potential for rotation in the Belwood area.

3:56 p.m. -- National Weather Service says “a confirmed tornado was located 5 miles south of Lindsay, or 16 miles east of Albion, moving north at 40 mph.” That’s about 40 miles northwest of Columbus, or 114 miles northwest of Omaha.

Storms are filling in along the line as it moves in from the west. An approaching front will bring storm chances to the east through the evening. Hail and wind are concerns but many storms are showing signs of rotation.

3:52 p.m. -- “A severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located 4 miles west of Newman Grove,” according to a National Weather Service alert.

3:32 p.m. -- A tornado warning was issued for Boone, Platte, and Madison counties.

3:07 p.m. -- A tornado warning has been issued for Polk County, Neb. There are also storms firing in the counties west of the Omaha-metro.

1:11 p.m. -- A tornado watch is in effect until 9 p.m. for several counties in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. This includes Cass, Dodge, Douglas, Sarpy, Saunders, Valley, and Washington counties in Nebraska; and Pottawattamie, Fremont, Mills, and Harrison counties in Iowa.

Previous 6 First Alert Weather Day coverage

After starting the day with some spotty showers, the rainfall has come to a close for now.

Cloud cover remains in place through the late morning hours.

Early in the afternoon, sunshine will break through the cloud cover and increase the instability with quickly warming temperatures.

Stronger storms will begin to develop as we move into the late afternoon and early evening hours.

This is the reason for today’s 6 First Alert Weather Day.

A TORNADO WATCH is in place until 9 PM... All forms of severe weather are possible:

Storms begin to form 3-4 PM west of the Metro and quickly strengthen.

The peak window in the metro for severe weather in the metro will be from 5 to 7 PM, with the window extended through 10 PM east of the metro.

Storms are likely E of the Metro by 7 PM... The threat continues in W Iowa until 9-10 PM.

Any of these scattered storms could produce large hail (over golf-ball sized possible), wind gusts over 60 mph and a tornado or two.

These storms will be moving quickly, making it that much more important to be aware as we head into this time frame.

Downpours will also be possible with these storms.

After a high in the mid 80s this afternoon, we will see lows near 60 degrees tonight with some overnight clearing.

Saturday gives us a partly cloudy sky and a high near 80 degrees.

There will be a few spotty light showers to dodge for any Mother’s Day plans with an otherwise mostly cloudy sky and temps topping out in the low to mid 70s.

Much of next week will be dry with Thursday giving us our next chance for some showers and thunderstorms.

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