Thunderstorm Wind, Buffalo
- When
- June 20, 2:26 AM CST
- Where
- Buffalo County, 11 mi SE of Ravenna
- Measured
- 77 kt (89 mph)
- Property damage
- $40,000
- Crop damage
- $100,000
- Coordinates
- 40.920, -98.780
Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in Nebraska, June 20, 1997
A thunderstorm developed north of Kearney and moved east through Grand Island. Strong winds, over 75 mph, caused crop and tree damage in the area.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $155,000
- Crop damage
- $375,000
- Events
- 4
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.
A thunderstorm developed north of Kearney and moved east through Grand Island. Strong winds, over 75 mph, caused crop and tree damage in the area. Another thunderstorm in Nuckolls County produced a lightning bolt that struck a home. A fire was started by this lightning bolt that burned parts of the attic. The fire was limited to only the attic and was quickly extinguished.
The radar
The Grand Island radar (KUEX), 72 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 08:24 UTC.
Event by event
3 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm Wind, Hall
- When
- June 20, 3:14 AM CST
- Where
- Hall County, Cairo
- Measured
- 65 kt (75 mph)
- Property damage
- $40,000
- Crop damage
- $150,000
- Coordinates
- 41.000, -98.600
Thunderstorm Wind, Hall
- When
- June 20, 3:20 AM CST
- Where
- Hall County, Grand Is
- Measured
- 60 kt (69 mph)
- Property damage
- $40,000
- Crop damage
- $125,000
- Coordinates
- 40.920, -98.350
Lightning, Nuckolls
- When
- June 20, 4:30 AM CST
- Where
- Nuckolls County, Lawrence
- Property damage
- $35,000
- Coordinates
- 40.176, -98.047 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
What these are
- 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.
- Lightning
- A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Iowa, June 20 to 21, 1997
- Flash Flooding and Flood in Michigan, June 20 to 23, 1997
- Lightning Strike in Wisconsin, June 20, 1997
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Nebraska, June 20, 1997
- Hail and Damaging Wind in South Dakota, June 20, 1997
- Damaging Wind in South Dakota, June 20, 1997
- Damaging Wind in South Dakota, June 20, 1997
- Damaging Wind in South Dakota, June 20, 1997
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Nebraska, June 20, 1997
- Damaging Wind in Iowa, June 20, 1997
- Damaging Wind in Iowa, June 20, 1997
- Damaging Wind in South Dakota, June 20, 1997
More
Every storm in Nebraska in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings 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: 5609447, 5609448, 5609449, 5609450.