This alert expired on 18 May 2026 at 01:52 UTC. It is kept here as a record.
No stronger detection stands among the 30 recorded within 20 km of this point since 16 March 2026 — 5 others scored the same. Another comparable one was recorded here earlier the same day. 8 more were recorded here in the fortnight before it.
What the source measured
NOAA reported: Tornado Warning issued May 17 at 8:42PM CDT until May 17 at 8:45PM CDT by NWS Topeka KS
An estimated 640,589 people live within 50 km of this point.
Nearby, since 16 March 2026
- May 22, 2026 · score 72 · 15.7 km
- September 3, 2026 · score 41 · 17.2 km
How we know
Confirmed by 5 independent sources, including NOAA.
Our own score for this event is 72 out of 100, at 90 % confidence.
The score is ours, computed from intensity, exposed population and local history — not the source’s.
Computed under scoring rules v1. Rows carrying other versions were judged by different rules and are not directly comparable.
Event Data
| Type | Severe Weather |
| Severity | Critical |
| Calamity Score (ours) | 72 / 100 |
| Our confidence | 90% |
| Coordinates | 41.5070, -95.8497 |
| Nearest City | Council Bluffs (27 km) |
| Population Exposed | 640.6K within 50 km |
| Impact Tier | catastrophic |
| Timestamp | 2026-05-18T01:42:00.000Z |
| Source | https://api.weather.gov/alerts/merged_Tornado Warning_noaa_urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.1d5f6049ec940ad1fdbb1bb1fabbc442 |
Score Breakdown
Technical Details
| Event | Tornado Warning |
| Urgency | Immediate |
| Certainty | Observed |
| AreaDesc | Marshall, KS; Washington, KS; Cass, NE; Otoe, NE; Pottawattamie, IA and 3 more areas |
| Headline | Tornado Warning issued May 17 at 8:42PM CDT until May 17 at 8:45PM CDT by NWS Topeka KS |
| Expires | 2026-05-17T20:52:00-05:00 |
| SenderName | NWS Topeka KS |
| HasExactCoords | true |
| MergedCount | 6 |
| MergedIds | ["noaa_urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.1d5f6049ec940ad1fdbb1bb1fabbc442f89ff5a5.001.1","noaa_urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.c69d2b9fc2d281b6bde3d397230dd28bc341b410.001.1","noaa_urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.0d0030bcdbaccab0d4d46afaadf94a784f3773f3.002.1","noaa_urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.f9253b265a72bdfd322f093a797b604b65d34986.001.1","noaa_urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.0f98d52b46fdeb4d7a8c815a4ecbc32cd253b249.001.1","noaa_urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.143039dbb5a2f87ab170dc9a8ca7cf6dfc78824c.001.1"] |
| Iem TypeSummary | G |
| Iem Magnitude | 63 |
| Iem Unit | MPH |
| Iem City | 7 ENE Omaha |
| Iem County | Douglas |
| Iem State | NE |
| Iem Wfo | OAX |
| Iem Remark | ASOS KOMA reporting peak gust of 63 mph at 827pm. |
| Google News RssFeed | weather |
| Google News SourceName | Omaha World-Herald |
Safety Information
If a tornado warning is issued: go to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor, away from windows. A vehicle and a mobile home are not shelter. Cover your head and neck. Wait for the official all-clear before going outside, and watch for downed power lines and gas leaks afterwards.
Series begins 8 March 2026. Comparisons refer to that period only. Collection gap: 14-26 August 2026.
This data is aggregated algorithmically from scientific sources. Not a replacement for official emergency warnings.
Want to know when something happens near Council Bluffs?
Calamity.live data shows a weather event with CalamityScore 72/100, near Council Bluffs (United States), based on data from noaa. Source: Calamity.live, a platform aggregating real-time data from 185 scientific monitoring sources.