Flash Flooding Emergency issued in Plains after storm drops up to 10 inches of rain

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Showers and thunderstorms to rock the Rockies, High Plains

Severe weather potential stretches from western Texas north to Montana on Friday with large hail and damaging winds the primary threats. But thanks to an Omega Block pattern setting up over the Great Lakes, the stormy forecast is going to stick around for several days.

STRATTON, Neb. – A Flash Flooding Emergency was declared in two Nebraska towns after a thunderstorm dropped several inches of rain in just a few hours.

Several cars have washed away, and multiple water rescues are underway in the towns of Stratton and Palisade, according to the National Weather Service.  

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Crews working to evacuate flooded residents in Palisade had to wait for an airboat to arrive so power crews could de-energize a line and allow rescue crews safe passage, according to the Southwest Public Power District. They were eventually able to evacuate those in need.

The National Weather Service estimates that as much as 5 to10 inches of rain fell in just a few hours as of late Friday morning, with another 1 to 2 inches likely before the storms pass.

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The town of Stratton measured 5.32 inches of rain in just three hours, which has just an 0.1-0.2% chance of happening in a given year, according to the FOX Forecast Center. Their storm total so far Friday is 6.20 inches - about a third of their annual average.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to fix an error that stated the Flash Flood Emergency was in Kansas, not Nebraska.