Tornado in Nebraska, May 8, 1996

The beginning of the tornado started 4 1/2 miles west northwest of downtown Beatrice, just north of the Homestead National Monument. The storm damaged trees just north of state highway 4 when it struck several homes, primarily lifting the roofs off of them. The tornado was rated F1 at that point. Around 1/2 mile to the east, the tornado struck a subdivision. The damage was more severe, with collapsed outer walls and roofs off homes. The tornado damage was rated as a strong F2 in this area. The tornado, continuing to move in an east southeast direction, nearly paralleling highway 4, struck a church. Part of the roof was lost off the church. After striking the church, the tornado hit several more homes and barns before entering the heart of the city. The damage path width of the tornado was 1/4 to 1/2 mile wide, with damaging thunderstorms winds out to 11/2 mile. The main tornado path remained 1/4 to 1/2 mile wide north of U.S. highway 136, with much of the damage south of highway 136 due to thunderstorm downburst winds. The tornado strength weakened when entering the city, with an F-scale strength between F0-F1. Although much of the damage in the central city area was due to falling trees and large tree limbs, other damage noted was roofing torn off of several buildings and a collapsed 200 foot communication tower. After the storm exited the city, it regained strength. The tornado also began curving to the northeast. The storm maintained about F1 strength from about 1 mile east of downtown Beatrice to the storm's dissipation, approximately 3 miles northeast of the city. The strong F2 tornado's path was 9.5 miles long.