Tornado and Hail in Nebraska, June 29, 2000

A vicious severe thunderstorm roared south across a part of south-central Nebraska during the late afternoon and evening. The damage path extended from Gothenburg to Beaver City and Stamford. Wind driven hail and torrential rain shredded crops, broke windows and caused considerable property damage. Agricultural losses were in the tens of millions of dollars. This storm was likely the worst this generation had experienced, and "old-timers" had to remember back to 1937 for a comparable storm. The severe thunderstorm complex started early in the afternoon in the Nebraska Sand Hills and dropped south rapidly. Widespread reports of 70 mph winds were received from western Dawson county. A brief tornado set down 3 miles northeast of Farnam. The tornado lifted a garage over a house and "sucked" all of the items from the walls in the house. Golf ball size hail ripped apart crops and pasture in southwest Dawson county to the tune of 11 million dollars in loss.The storm progressed south across Gosper county with 70 mph winds and 1 inch hail. Power poles were broke and considerable soil erosion was reported in the county. As the storm reached Furnas county around 6:30 pm, it intensified some and the result was extensive property damage throughout the county. At the Southern Valley school south of Oxford, repairs of one million dollars were needed to fix the roof of the school and other structures near the school. Water damage was reported in many parts of the school. Windows were broken on buses and vehicles near the school grounds. Many homes in Furnas county sustained considerable hail damage to the north side. Windows were broken and siding damaged. Buildings on farms throughout the county were lost. Crop loss to the wheat, corn, and soybean crop was estimated at 15 million dollars.Just to the east, Harlan county did not escape the wrath of the storm. Dime size hail and 70 mph winds pummeled the Stamford and Oxford areas. Again, property damage was widespread to homes, businesses, and outbuildings. Crop loss in the western part of the county was nearly 7.5 million dollars. Producers will feel the effects of the storm well into the winter with very few corn stalks in the field for cattle to feed upon nor hay to cut for winter feed.