Nebraska, 1998

Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Nebraska, May 15, 1998

May 15, 1998 · NWS GID · 6 events in 4 counties and zones

Midday thunderstorms spawned a tornado south of York damaging a farmstead significantly. The tornado set down two miles north of Fairmont and was on the ground for seven miles before lifting just east of McCool Junction.

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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
1
Property damage
$1.9 million
Crop damage
$800,000
Events
6

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.

Midday thunderstorms spawned a tornado south of York damaging a farmstead significantly. The tornado set down two miles north of Fairmont and was on the ground for seven miles before lifting just east of McCool Junction. The tornado nearly destroyed at least one farmstead and caused damage to power poles and lines and center pivot systems. A semi tractor trailer was overturned three miles southeast of York. The driver sustained minor injuries. The same storm also produced a brief tornado south of Benedict destroying two hog confinement facilities but no hogs were injured.

The radar

The Grand Island radar (KUEX), 83 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:01 UTC.

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Event by event

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

Tornado, Fillmore

When
May 15, 11:01 AM CST to 11:06 AM CST
Where
Fillmore County, Fairmont to 2 mi N of Fairmont
Rating
F2
Path length
4 mi
Path width
100 yd
Property damage
$750,000
Crop damage
$150,000
Coordinates
40.670, -97.570

Tornado, York

When
May 15, 11:06 AM CST to 11:16 AM CST
Where
York County, Mc Cool Jct to 3 mi E of Mc Cool Jct
Rating
F1
Path length
5 mi
Path width
50 yd
Property damage
$250,000
Crop damage
$400,000
Coordinates
40.700, -97.580

Thunderstorm Wind, York

When
May 15, 11:10 AM CST
Where
York County, 3 mi SE of York
Measured
70 kt (81 mph)
Injuries
1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$500,000
Crop damage
$100,000
Coordinates
40.830, -97.550

Tornado, York

When
May 15, 11:30 AM CST to 11:34 AM CST
Where
York County, 2 mi S of Benedict
Rating
F0
Path length
0.5 mi
Path width
25 yd
Property damage
$250,000
Crop damage
$100,000
Coordinates
40.980, -97.620

Thunderstorm Wind, Polk

When
May 15, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Polk County, 3 mi NE of Shelby
Measured
65 kt (75 mph)
Property damage
$50,000
Crop damage
$50,000
Coordinates
41.230, -97.400

Thunderstorm Wind, Hamilton

When
May 15, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Hamilton County, Stockham
Measured
65 kt (75 mph)
Property damage
$50,000
Coordinates
40.720, -97.970

What these are

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.
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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Nebraska in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Nebraska, 1998Warnings in Nebraska, May 1998

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: 5644586, 5644587, 5644588, 5644589, 5644590, 5644591.