Nebraska, 1999

Tornado and Hail in Nebraska, June 3, 1999

June 3, 1999 · NWS LBF · 3 events in 1 county or zone

Several large hail reports were received beginning at 936 PM CDT near Berwyn. Five center pivot irrigation systems were overturned from 8 miles southwest to 7 miles west southwest of Comstock at approximately 1000 PM CDT.

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
$404,000
Crop damage
$25,000
Events
3

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 LBF wrote it up.

Several large hail reports were received beginning at 936 PM CDT near Berwyn. Five center pivot irrigation systems were overturned from 8 miles southwest to 7 miles west southwest of Comstock at approximately 1000 PM CDT. A tornado initially touched down 3 miles southwest of Comstock and was intermittentaly on the ground causing tree damage. The tornado then dropped down 1 mile southwest of the center of Comstock. It reached its maximum intensity as it struck a farm 1/2 mile west of Comstock. Every outbuilding on the farm was destroyed, including a large machine building and the house was heavily damaged. The tornado then crossed the Middle Loup River and struck a residence on the northwest edge of Comstock destroying three outbuildings and damaging the house. Another farm a mile north of Comstock was struck, and everything but the house was destroyed. Several vehicles in the path were damaged or destroyed.

The radar

The North Platte radar (KLNX), 112 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:44 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Custer

When
June 3, 8:45 PM CST
Where
Custer County, 7 mi N of Westerville
Measured
1.75 in hail
Property damage
$4,000
Crop damage
$25,000
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
41.500, -99.380

Thunderstorm Wind, Custer

When
June 3, 9:00 PM CST to 9:20 PM CST
Where
Custer County, Comstock to 8 mi WSW of Comstock
Property damage
$100,000
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
41.470, -99.370

Tornado, Custer

When
June 3, 9:35 PM CST to 9:57 PM CST
Where
Custer County, Comstock to 3 mi N of Comstock
Rating
F2
Path length
5.5 mi
Path width
300 yd
Property damage
$300,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
41.520, -99.280

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 1999Every state in 1999This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Nebraska, 1999Warnings in Nebraska, June 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: 5705935, 5705936, 5705934.