582  
ACUS11 KWNS 212020  
SWOMCD  
SPC MCD 212019  
NEZ000-COZ000-WYZ000-212215-  
 
MESOSCALE DISCUSSION 0815  
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK  
0319 PM CDT THU MAY 21 2026  
 
AREAS AFFECTED...PORTIONS OF NORTHEASTERN COLORADO...SOUTHEAST  
WYOMING AND WESTERN NEBRASKA  
 
CONCERNING...SEVERE POTENTIAL...WATCH POSSIBLE  
 
VALID 212019Z - 212215Z  
 
PROBABILITY OF WATCH ISSUANCE...60 PERCENT  
 
SUMMARY...THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THIS  
AFTERNOON WITH A FEW STRONGER STORMS POSSIBLE. SUPERCELLS WITH A  
RISK FOR HAIL, DAMAGING GUSTS AND PERHAPS A BRIEF TORNADO ARE  
POSSIBLE. A WW IS BEING CONSIDERED FOR PARTS OF THE AREA.  
 
DISCUSSION...AS OF 2015 UTC, VISIBLE AND RADAR IMAGERY SHOWED  
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING WITHIN THE BROAD UPSLOPE FLOW  
REGIME FROM EASTERN WY INTO NORTHEAST CO AND WESTERN NE. AIDED BY  
DEEP ASCENT FROM THE APPROACHING UPPER LOW OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS,  
DIURNAL HEATING HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT MUTED BY LINGERING LOW CLOUDS.  
SURFACE DEWPOINTS WILL GRADUALLY INCREASE, WITH CLEARING AND STEEP  
LAPSE RATES EVENTUALLY SUPPORTING MODERATE BUOYANCY.  
 
AREA VADS SHOW 40-50 KT OF DEEP-LAYER SHEAR SUPPORTIVE OF ORGANIZED  
SUPERCELLS. HAIL IS THE PRIMARY RISK WITH THESE STORMS OWING TO  
STEEP LAPSE RATES, COLD MID-LEVEL TEMPERATURES AND THE ELONGATED MID  
AND UPPER-LEVEL HODOGRAPHS. DAMAGING GUSTS WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE,  
ESPECIALLY TO THE WEST WHERE LOW-LEVEL LAPSE RATES ARE STEEPER. A  
TORNADO OR TWO IS ALSO POSSIBLE LATER THIS EVENING WITH INCREASING  
LOW-LEVEL SHEAR AND TERRAIN INFLUENCE, BUT THIS REMAINS UNCERTAIN.  
 
CURRENT EXPECTATIONS ARE FOR STORMS TO INCREASE IN INTENSITY OVER  
THE NEXT 2-3 HOURS BUT REMAIN FAIRLY ISOLATED. DEEPENING CUMULUS HAS  
BEEN NOTED ALONG THE CHEYENNE RIDGE AND THE PALMER DIVIDE. THESE  
AREAS ARE LIKELY TO SEVERE AS THE PRIMARY FOCUS FOR STRONGER STORM  
DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON. FATHER NORTH, WEAKER BUOYANCY WILL  
LIKELY LIMIT INTENSITY, THOUGH AN ISOLATED SEVERE THREAT COULD EXIST  
OVER SOUTHEASTERN WY AND WESTERN NE. GIVEN THE EXPECTED INCREASE IN  
THE SEVERE RISK WITH TIME, A WW IS BEING CONSIDERED.  
 
..LYONS/HART.. 05/21/2026  
   
..PLEASE SEE WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV FOR GRAPHIC PRODUCT  
 
ATTN...WFO...LBF...GLD...BOU...CYS...  
 
LAT...LON 41400261 41030229 40410211 39640206 39130230 39070277  
39110357 39230431 39510463 40340475 41390494 41920469  
42040397 41750281 41400261  
 
MOST PROBABLE PEAK TORNADO INTENSITY...85-110 MPH  
MOST PROBABLE PEAK WIND GUST...UP TO 60 MPH  
MOST PROBABLE PEAK HAIL SIZE...1.00-1.75 IN  
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