Nebraska, 1999

Hail and Damaging Winds in Nebraska, August 15, 1999

August 15, 1999 · NWS GID · 7 events in 6 counties and zones

Severe thunderstorms early in the evening left a narrow path of wind damage from south of Kearney to the Grand Island area. Wind gusts of 60 to 80 mph damaged buildings, trees and downed several power lines.

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
0
Property damage
$260,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
7

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 early in the evening left a narrow path of wind damage from south of Kearney to the Grand Island area. Wind gusts of 60 to 80 mph damaged buildings, trees and downed several power lines. Some of the more severe damage was north and northwest of Gibbon. At least four farmsteads sustained damage to outbuildings, fences and grain bins in varying degrees. Crop damage was considered minimal. In the Grand Island area, a couple of garages were damaged, trees uprooted and about 5,000 people were left without electricity for a short time. Near Genoa, an airplane hanger was destroyed by the wind.

The radar

The Grand Island radar (KUEX), 65 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:01 UTC.

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Event by event

5 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Kearney

When
August 15, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Kearney County, 11 mi NW of Minden
Measured
1.75 in hail
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
40.620, -99.100

Thunderstorm Wind, Buffalo

When
August 15, 6:15 PM CST to 6:25 PM CST
Where
Buffalo County, Gibbon to 3 mi N of Gibbon
Measured
70 kt (81 mph)
Property damage
$150,000
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
40.780, -98.870

Thunderstorm Wind, Hall

When
August 15, 6:45 PM CST
Where
Hall County, Grand Is
Measured
61 kt (70 mph)
Property damage
$40,000
Reported by
NWS EMPLOYEE(OFF DUTY)
Coordinates
40.920, -98.350

Thunderstorm Wind, Merrick

When
August 15, 6:48 PM CST
Where
Merrick County, 6 mi SW of Chapman
Measured
60 kt (69 mph)
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
40.950, -98.250

Thunderstorm Wind, Nance

When
August 15, 6:50 PM CST
Where
Nance County, Genoa
Measured
60 kt (69 mph)
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
41.450, -97.730

Hail, Howard

When
August 15, 7:00 PM CST
Where
Howard County, 5 mi E of Dannebrog
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
41.120, -98.450

Thunderstorm Wind, Hall

When
August 15, 7:09 PM CST
Where
Hall County, Grand Is Arpt
Measured
61 kt (70 mph)
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
40.970, -98.320

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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Nebraska in 1999Every state in 1999This day in weather historyWarnings in Nebraska, August 1999

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: 5713799, 5713800, 5713801, 5713802, 5713803, 5713804, 5713805.