Storm Brings Rain, Hail

A late afternoon storm centered in the Lodgepole area built and gave the area some much needed rain, along with not-so-welcome hail in some areas of Cheyenne County.

Officially, the storm produced only a half inch of rain at Sidney. At the storm’s center, Lodgepole, there were unconfirmed reports of as much as three inches of rain. The National Weather Service (NWS) in Cheyenne did not have an official estimates, although checks of the NeRAIN network showed reports of a half to three-quarters of an inch around Lodgepole.

Region 21 Director Ron Leal said there was enough rain to make Lodgepole Creek run, and said in Lodgepole there was water running across Highway 30. Leal said he witnesses pea and marble-size hail in Lodgepole, while the NWS received a report of 1-3/4 inch hail northeast of town.

On the other side of the county, NWS estimated about a quarter inch of rain, with an NeRAIN report of .2 inches.

There were also unconfirmed reports of heavy rain and hail south of Sidney, with one NeRAIN report of 1.19 inches of rain southeast of Sidney.

Despite flood warnings being issued, Leal said he did not receive any reports of dangerous flooding.