Storms that form in isolation, such as those expected Tuesday afternoon, are more powerful than those that occur in groups, as is expected in the evening, he said.

“Basically, it comes down to competition. The less competition a storm has, the more likely it is to survive and last longer — that’s part of the concern we have about Tuesday,” Halblaub said.

The afternoon storms are expected to fire up quickly, he said, which means that people outdoors in central Nebraska may not have a lot of warning.

Travelers along Interstate 80, especially in the afternoon and evening, should have a mechanism for monitoring forecasts and an idea of where they’ll seek shelter, he said.

For the most part, Halblaub said, the greatest threat for severe weather in central Nebraska is from 4 to 9 p.m.

In eastern Nebraska, any early-arriving afternoon storms might also bring large hail and isolated bouts of powerful winds, Smith said. In the evening, eastern Nebraska, including the Lincoln and Omaha areas, is expected to see wider-spread wind damage.

Additionally, because successive storms could track across eastern Nebraska, there is a potential for flash flooding, Smith said. The risk of flash flooding is greatest after 7 p.m.