Nebraska, 1997

Tornadoes and Hail in Nebraska, June 11, 1997

June 11, 1997 · NWS GID · 16 events in 7 counties and zones

Severe thunderstorms developed in central Nebraska and moved south. These storms dropped hail up to the size of tennis balls and produced winds up to 80 mph.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$1.5 million
Crop damage
$9.2 million
Events
16

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS GID wrote it up.

Severe thunderstorms developed in central Nebraska and moved south. These storms dropped hail up to the size of tennis balls and produced winds up to 80 mph. Damage to crops and property extended from near Ord to near Doniphan. Brief weak tornadoes were reported near Rockville and near Doniphan. A stronger tornado set down near Cario and moved southeast. A farmhouse was severely damaged. The owner of the home escaped injury by taking shelter in the basement. Other storms developed in south-central Nebraska near Arapahoe. These storms also produced large hail and strong winds. Several reports of funnel were received but none reached the ground.

The radar

The North Platte radar (KLNX), 134 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:01 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

10 hail, 3 thunderstorm wind, 3 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Valley

When
June 11, 5:00 PM CST
Where
Valley County, 5 mi W of Ord
Measured
1 in hail
Property damage
$25,000
Crop damage
$1.0 million
Coordinates
41.600, -99.030

Hail, Valley

When
June 11, 5:25 PM CST
Where
Valley County, 4 mi NE of Arcadia
Measured
2.25 in hail
Property damage
$75,000
Crop damage
$1.0 million
Coordinates
41.470, -99.080

Hail, Valley

When
June 11, 5:45 PM CST
Where
Valley County, 2 mi E of Arcadia
Measured
2 in hail
Property damage
$75,000
Crop damage
$1.0 million
Coordinates
41.430, -99.100

Thunderstorm Wind, Sherman

When
June 11, 6:13 PM CST
Where
Sherman County, Loup City
Measured
80 kt (92 mph)
Property damage
$125,000
Crop damage
$200,000
Coordinates
41.280, -98.980

Hail, Furnas

When
June 11, 6:30 PM CST
Where
Furnas County, 1 mi NE of Hollinger
Measured
2.5 in hail
Property damage
$75,000
Crop damage
$1.0 million
Coordinates
40.180, -99.680

Hail, Furnas

When
June 11, 6:34 PM CST
Where
Furnas County, Arapahoe
Measured
1.75 in hail
Property damage
$75,000
Crop damage
$1.0 million
Coordinates
40.300, -99.900

Numerous funnel clouds were reported in Furnas County along with extensive crop damage from the hail.

Tornado, Sherman

When
June 11, 6:39 PM CST
Where
Sherman County, Rockville to 5 mi NW of Rockville
Rating
F0
Path length
0.5 mi
Path width
25 yd
Crop damage
$25,000
Coordinates
41.170, -98.920

A brief touchdown was reported by spotters northwest of Rockville.

Hail, Furnas

When
June 11, 7:00 PM CST
Where
Furnas County, Oxford
Measured
1 in hail
Property damage
$25,000
Crop damage
$500,000
Coordinates
40.250, -99.630

Hail, Sherman

When
June 11, 7:08 PM CST
Where
Sherman County, Ashton
Measured
1.75 in hail
Property damage
$90,000
Crop damage
$500,000
Coordinates
41.250, -98.820

Hail, Harlan

When
June 11, 7:10 PM CST
Where
Harlan County, Stamford
Measured
0.75 in hail
Crop damage
$250,000
Coordinates
40.130, -99.580

Hail, Harlan

When
June 11, 7:10 PM CST
Where
Harlan County, Alma
Measured
1.75 in hail
Property damage
$25,000
Crop damage
$500,000
Coordinates
40.100, -99.350

Thunderstorm Wind, Howard

When
June 11, 7:20 PM CST
Where
Howard County, Dannebrog
Measured
70 kt (81 mph)
Property damage
$25,000
Crop damage
$1.5 million
Coordinates
41.120, -98.550

Hail, Howard

When
June 11, 7:20 PM CST
Where
Howard County, Boelus
Measured
2 in hail
Property damage
$50,000
Crop damage
$500,000
Coordinates
41.080, -98.720

Tornado, Hall

When
June 11, 7:25 PM CST to 7:40 PM CST
Where
Hall County, Cairo to 2 mi SE of Cairo
Rating
F1
Path length
6 mi
Path width
75 yd
Property damage
$750,000
Crop damage
$100,000
Coordinates
41.030, -98.600

Thunderstorm Wind, Franklin

When
June 11, 7:44 PM CST
Where
Franklin County, Franklin
Measured
80 kt (92 mph)
Property damage
$50,000
Crop damage
$100,000
Coordinates
40.100, -98.950

Tornado, Hall

When
June 11, 7:50 PM CST
Where
Hall County, 4 mi N of Doniphan
Rating
F0
Path length
0.5 mi
Path width
25 yd
Crop damage
$50,000
Coordinates
40.820, -98.370

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Tornado
A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Nebraska in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Nebraska, 1997Warnings in Nebraska, June 1997

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5609343, 5609344, 5609345, 5609346, 5609347, 5609348, 5609349, 5609350, 5609351, 5609352, 5609353, 5609354, 5609355, 5609356, 5609341, 5609342.