Tornadoes and Hail in Nebraska, March 23, 2009

Name: Tornadoes and Hail in Nebraska, March 23, 2009
Start: 2009-03-23T10:50
End: 2009-03-23T18:08
Location: Nebraska

March 23, 2009 · NWS OAX · 38 events in 16 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 9
Property damage: $1.0 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 38

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 OAX wrote it up.

An intense upper level low pressure system tracked from eastern Colorado into southeast South Dakota from March 23rd into March 24th. This caused a surface low pressure system to move from western Nebraska into southeast South Dakota during that time. As the low tracked northeast, a dry-line moved into eastern Nebraska during the afternoon of March 23rd. With surface temperatures in the 60s and 70s, and dewpoint temperatures in the 50s, ample instability was in place to allow a line of severe thunderstorms to develop as the dry-line punched eastward. Several fast moving low-topped supercell thunderstorms were embedded in the line, and one cell produced cyclic tornadoes from southeast of Lincoln into western Iowa. The storms in the line were moving north northeast at 50 to 60 mph. In addition to the severe weather, strong southerly gradient winds prevailed ahead of the low pressure. In some cases the winds gusted between 50 and 65 mph for several hours across parts of eastern Nebraska.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Omaha, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 23, 8:40 AM CST, 2 hours 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 23, 8:40 AM CST, 2 hours 10 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
940 AM CDT MON MAR 23 2009

.DISCUSSION...
SEVERE WEATHER THREAT TODAY IS THE IMMEDIATE CONCERN...BUT NOT FOR
SEVERAL HOURS...MOSTLY LIKELY 21Z-03Z TIMEFRAME.

SUBJECTIVE 12Z UPPER AIR ANALYSIS REVEALED SEVERAL PIECES TO THE
PUZZLE. 150M HEIGHT FALLS WERE NOTED AT BOU THIS MORNING...WITH A
110 KT JET AT ABQ. A NARROW TONGUE OF +10 H85 MOISTURE WAS NOTED
FROM AMA TO DDC TO LBF TO ABR...AND A +50 DEGREE TONGUE OF
SURFACE MOISTURE WAS NOTED AS FAR NORTH AS PIR. AS THE UPPER LOW
MOVES TO WEST CENTRAL NEBRASKA BY 00Z THIS EVENING...THE SURFACE
LOW MOVES TO JUST WEST OF ONL. WHILE THERE MAY BE SOME SCATTERED
THUNDERSHOWERS DEVELOPING EARLY THIS AFTERNOON AS LARGE SCALE
ASCENT BEGINS TO MOVE INTO THE REGION...FEEL THE SEVERE STORMS
WILL LIKELY DEVELOP /JUST/ WEST OF OUR CWFA AROUND 20Z-21Z...THEN
MOVE INTO OUR AREA THRU 00Z. 0-6KM SHEAR VALUES OF 45 TO 60KTS
WILL BE MORE THAN SUPPORTIVE FOR MOSTLY LIKELY LOW TOPPED SUPERCELLS.
0-1KM SHEAR VALUES OF 30 TO 35 KNOTS IS CONCERNING...BUT BEST
TORNADO POTENTIAL STILL APPEARS TO BE ACROSS NORTHEAST NEBRASKA
WITHIN THE BACKED LOW LEVEL SURFACE FLOW TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE
SURFACE LOW WHERE LCL HEIGHTS SHOULD RANGE 6-800 METERS. FURTHER
SOUTH OF THE PLATTE RIVER...WHILE THERE MAY BE DISCRETE CELLS
INITIALLY...AM THINKING THAT IT MAY GO LINER PRETTY QUICK...WITH A
HAIL THREAT WITH WET BULB ZERO VALUES IN THE FAVORED RANGE OF
7-8000 FEET. SQUALL LINE WILL LIKELY PROGRESS EASTWARD THROUGH
THE CWFA THROUGH THE EVENING...EVENTUALLY SETTING UP JUST SOUTH
AND EAST OF THE CWFA BY MIDNIGHT.

OTHERWISE...THE SECONDARY CONCERN WILL BE GRADIENT WINDS AHEAD OF
THE SEVERE STORMS...AND THE CURRENT WIND ADVISORY THAT WE HAVE
GOING LOOKS GOOD WITH GUSTS ALREADY APPROACHING THE MID 40S IN
SOME AREAS SOUTH AND WEST. GUSTS COULD EASILY APPROACH 55 MPH
LATER TODAY...AND WILL HAVE TO WATCH FOR ANY THUNDERSHOWERS THAT
DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE MAIN LINE THAT COULD BOOST GUSTS EVEN HIGHER
INTO WARNING CATEGORY.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 318 AM CDT MON MAR 23 2009/

DISCUSSION...

CLASSIC EARLY SPRING STORM TAKING SHAPE OVER THE PLAINS WITH
BLIZZARD CONDITIONS EXPECTED OVER PARTS OF THE WESTERN PLAINS WITH
SEVERE WEATHER AND HEAVY RAIN LIKELY OVER PARTS OF THE CENTRAL PLAINS.
FORECAST CHALLENGES IN SHORTER TERM DEAL WITH WINDS...CONVECTIVE
TRENDS AND THEN HOW FAR SE WILL SNOW WRAP AROUND SYSTEM LATE
TNGT/TUE. CHALLENGES FURTHER OUT INCLUDE ANOTHER POTENTIAL LATE
WEEK STORM ALTHOUGH NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WILL BE MADE TO THAT
PD ATTM.

EARLY MORNING STLT TRENDS AND LAST EVENINGS UA ANLYS SHOWED BROAD
UPPER TROUGH/HGT FALLS OVER MUCH OF THE WRN CONUS. SYSTEM FCST
SIMILARLY BY 00Z NAM/GFS/ECMWF TO CONSOLIDATE/CLOSE-OFF OVER THE
NEBR SANDHILLS BY 00Z/24 WITH 500 MB HGTS AT 540-543 DM. SYSTEM
THEN SLOWS DOWN AFTER THAT WITH MODELS DIVERGING SLIGHTLY ON TRACK
WITH GFS THE SLOWEST/FTHR S. LOW LVL JET CRANKING UP AHEAD OF
SYSTEM BROUGHT AN INCREASE IN ELEVATED MARGINALLY SVR STORMS AS
OF 0730Z AND ENOUGH OF THESE LOW LVL WINDS HAD MIXED DOWN A BIT
EARLIER PRODUCING WINDS THAT BRIEFLY REACHED ADVSRY CRITERIA.
SFC WINDS HAD BACKED OFF SOME AND UNLESS THEY PICK BACK UP BEFORE
PRESS TIME...WILL CONT START TIME OF WIND ADVSRY AT 14Z.
HOWEVER...SFC PRES GRADIENT IS TIGHT OVR ALL OF THE CWA AND BUFR DATA
SHOWED MOST OF THE CWA MIXED DOWN SIMILAR WIND SPEEDS AT 18Z SO
EXPANDED AREAL COVERAGE TO ALL BUT KNOX/CEDAR COUNTIES. EARLY
MORNING SFC OBS SHOWED SOMEWHAT DRIER SFC AIR HAD SPREAD OVER MUCH
OF THE CWA LOWERING MANY DWPTS INTO THE 40S. WOULD EXPECT THEM TO
INCREASE BACK INTO LOW/MID 50S BY EARLY AFTN BASED ON UPSTREAM OBS BFR
DRYLINE MOVES ACROSS. SYNOPTIC SYSTEM WILL PROVIDE SIGFNT FORCING
TODAY AIDING IN WEAKENING MID LVL CAP AND FCST SOUNDINGS FM
GFS/NAM SIMILARLY SPREAD THIS WEAKENING INTO WRN ZONES IN 18-20Z
PD AND TO OMAHA BY 23 OR 00Z. ADJUSTED GRIDS TO ACCOUNT FOR
DECREASING TSTM THREAT INTO MID AFTN BEFORE INCREASING CHCS AGAIN
AS CAP WEAKENS AND DRYLINE/CDFNT PUSH INTO WRN THEN CNTRL CWA.
BESIDES HAIL THREAT TDA AND EVEN IF LOW-TOPPED SUPERCELLS DON/T
MATERIALIZE OVER CWA...SHEAR WILL BE DECENT AND SFC WINDS WILL BE
STRONG ENOUGH THAT IT WOULDN/T TAKE MUCH TO REACH SVR WIND
CRITERIA W/ANY ACTIVITY...THUS ADDED SVR MENTION TO ALL ZONES FM
21-01Z...ALTHO THREAT COULD LINGER A BIT LONGER FAR SERN ZONES.
LTL/NO CHANGES WERE MADE TO TEMPS...GENERALLY UPPER 60S-LOWER
70S.

FCST TRACK OF MID LVL SYSTEM...MOSTLY W THROUGH N OF THE CWA...POINTED
TO POSSIBLY SOME WET SNOW WRAPPING INTO NWRN ZONES...BUT KEPT
POPS BELOW LIKELY CATEGORY TNGT THERE WITH ANY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS
FOR US PROBABLY MINIMAL. WOULD EXPECT SQUALL LINE TYPE ACTIVITY
RACING EWD WITH CELLS TRACKING NNEWD THROUGH CWA THIS EVENING WITH
POPS MARKEDLY DECREASING AFT 06Z. KEPT SRN CWA DRY ON TUE WITH
SMALLISH POPS NRN ZONES. BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE LINGERING PCPN AND
PROBABLE CLOUD COVER LOWERED HIGHS TO MID/UPPER 30S FAR NW ZONES.
BANKING ON ENOUGH SUN/FAVORABLE MIXING SERN 2/3RDS THAT DESPITE
AFTN COLD ADVCTN THAT UPPER 40S/LOWER 50S CAN BE REACHED BEFORE
READINGS LVL OFF IN THE AFTN. WEAK WARM ADVCTN AHEAD OF ANOTHER
TROUGH SHOULD BRING A BIT MILDER READINGS TO THE FCST AREA WED.
APPEARS ANOTHER POTENTIALLY MAJOR STORM WILL BE LIFTING ACROSS THE
PLAINS LATE THIS WEEK OR OVER THE WEEKEND...THIS TIME A BIT
FARTHER SE PUTTING MORE OF OUR CWA AT RISK FOR SNOW. ALTHOUGH
INCREASED POPS INTO CHC CATEGORY NWRN ZONES ON THU IN WARM ADVCTN
ZONE AHEAD OF THIS NEXT SYSTEM...LEFT OUT PDS ALONE ATTM AS SYSTEM
APPEARS IT WILL HAVE SOME DIGGING TO DO WHICH COULD THROW TIMING
OFF SUBSTANTIALLY. FWIW 00Z GFS COBB DATA THREW OUT OBSCENE SNOW
AMOUNTS TO PARTS OF THE CWA.

AVIATION...
FOR TAF SITES KOFK/KOMA/KLNK.

OUTSIDE OF TSTM ACTIVITY...EXPECT VFR CEILINGS TO PREVAIL. TSTM
ACTIVITY COULD CREATE MVFR CEILINGS AND IFR VISIBILITIES. STIFF
WINDS WILL OCCUR WITH STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENT THROUGH THE DAY...
THEN WIDNS WILL BECOME SOUTHWEST THIS EVENING. AFTER THE MORNING
ACTIVITY...BEST CHANCE FOR STRONG TSTMS IS FROM 20Z TO 02Z WITH
PASSAGE OF DRYLINE AND COLD FRONT.

&&

.OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NE...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR NEZ015>018-030>034-
     042>045-050>053-065>068-078-088>093.

IA...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR IAZ043-055-056-069-
     079-080-090-091.

&&

DEWALD

Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 23, 10:31 AM CST, 19 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
1131 AM CDT MON MAR 23 2009

IAZ043-055-056-069-079-080-090-091-NEZ011-012-015>018-030>034-
042>045-050>053-065>068-078-088>093-240000-
MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-
PAGE-KNOX-CEDAR-THURSTON-ANTELOPE-PIERCE-WAYNE-BOONE-MADISON-
STANTON-CUMING-BURT-PLATTE-COLFAX-DODGE-WASHINGTON-BUTLER-
SAUNDERS-DOUGLAS-SARPY-SEWARD-LANCASTER-CASS-OTOE-SALINE-
JEFFERSON-GAGE-JOHNSON-NEMAHA-PAWNEE-RICHARDSON-
1131 AM CDT MON MAR 23 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN NEBRASKA
AND WESTERN IOWA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

SEVERE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS
CENTRAL NEBRASKA...THEN MOVE INTO EASTERN NEBRASKA BY LATE
AFTERNOON...AND INTO WESTERN IOWA BY EARLY THIS EVENING.

THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BEGIN TO IMPACT AREAS ALONG AND WEST OF A
LINE FROM WAYNE TO BEATRICE BY 3 PM...THE REMAINDER OF EASTERN
NEBRASKA BY 4 TO 6 PM...AND ACROSS WESTERN IOWA AFTER 6 PM. SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS CONTAINING LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE THE
PRIMARY HAZARDS...ALTHOUGH LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR IS QUITE STRONG
RESULTING IN ISOLATED TORNADOES AS WELL.

A VERY STRONG AREA OF LOW PRESSURE ACROSS WEST CENTRAL NEBRASKA
WILL MOVE TO NORTHEAST NEBRASKA BY EARLY EVENING. FORECAST
SOUNDINGS INDICATE THAT A MID LEVEL CAP SHOULD SUFFICIENTLY WEAKEN
BY MID TO LATE AFTERNOON TO ALLOW SEVERE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT.
DISCRETE CELLS MAY INITIALLY DEVELOP...BUT MERGING INTO A SQUALL
LINE THAT DEVELOPS SOUTHWARD INTO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS AS THE DRY
LINE SWEEPS EASTWARD THROUGH THE AREA.

IN ADDITION TO THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM THREAT...STRONG SOUTH OR
SOUTHEAST WINDS WILL PREVAIL OVER THE AREA TODAY...WITH GUSTS OF
45 TO 60 MPH EXPECTED. THUS...A WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT
FOR MUCH OF THE REGION. IN ADDITION...A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN
EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA. WINDS SHOULD DECREASE
OVER THE AREA THIS EVENING...AND THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT SHOULD
SHIFT SOUTH AND EAST OUT OF THE REGION BY MIDNIGHT AND BEYOND.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO DEVELOP OVER THE PLAINS LATE
THIS WEEK INTO SATURDAY. CURRENT INDICATIONS ARE THAT THIS SYSTEM
WILL TRACK FARTHER SOUTH THAN THE ONE AFFECTING THE REGION
TODAY...THUS PUTTING MORE OF THE AREA AT RISK FOR ACCUMULATING
SNOW. AS USUAL...LOCATIONS THAT WILL RECEIVE SNOW...AND EXACT
AMOUNTS...WILL DEPEND HEAVILY ON THE TRACK OF THIS STORM SYSTEM.
STAY TUNED TO LATER FORECASTS ON THIS DEVELOPING WINTER STORM
LATER IN THE WEEK.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL MOSTLY LIKELY BE NEEDED FROM MID
AFTERNOON INTO MID EVENING...INITIALLY ACROSS EASTERN
NEBRASKA...AND EVENTUALLY ACROSS WESTERN IOWA.

DEWALD

In the hours before

Local storm report, Mar 23, 9:17 AM CST, 1 hour 33 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA
1017 AM CDT MON MAR 23 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1017 AM     NON-TSTM WND DMG FAIRBURY                40.14N 97.18W
03/23/2009                   JEFFERSON          NE   EMERGENCY MNGR

            SPORADIC POWER OUTAGES DUE TO HIGH GRADIENT WINDS. PEAK
            WIND 51 MPH NEAR FAIRBURY.

&&

DEWALD

Local storm report, Mar 23, 9:57 AM CST, 53 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA
1057 AM CDT MON MAR 23 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0131 AM     HAIL             3 ESE CREIGHTON         42.45N 97.85W
03/23/2009  E0.88 INCH       KNOX               NE   PUBLIC

&&

JRB

The radar

The Grand Island radar (KUEX), 111 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:25 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

16 hail, 8 high wind, 8 tornado, 6 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Jefferson

When: March 23, 10:50 AM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Jefferson forecast zone
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 40.176, -97.143 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sustained winds of 35 to 40 mph with gusts of 60 to 65 mph prevailed over the county from late morning through early evening. Several weather recording stations reported wind gusts of 60 to 65 mph including one maintained by emergency management which recorded a 65 mph wind gust at 258 pm CDT. The strong winds downed trees and large limbs, power lines, caused some building damage in Fairbury and nearby Endicott and created very poor visibilities in blowing dust. The winds also flipped 2 semis. One semi was overturned southwest of Fairbury around 240 pm CDT and the other was blown over 1/2 mile east of Jansen on Highway 136 around 320 pm. The second resulted in minor injuries to the driver.

High Wind, Boone

When: March 23, 11:00 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where: Boone forecast zone
Measured: 35 kt (40 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 41.707, -98.067 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Gradient south winds of 35 to 40 mph with gusts to 50 to 55 mph prevailed for several hours across Boone county. The winds severely damaged a barn 8 miles west of Albion and another one 11 miles west of town.

High Wind, Saline

When: March 23, 12:42 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Saline forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 40.524, -97.141 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A dept. of roads sensor near Wilber measured sustained winds of 40 mph with gusts of 50 to 55 mph much of the afternoon of the 23rd. The emergency manager in Wilber reported that a wind gust of 62 mph was measured by his home equipment. The wind caused scattered tree and building damage in the county. A semi trailer was also overturned near Dorchester.

High Wind, Seward

When: March 23, 1:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Seward forecast zone
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 40.872, -97.139 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sustained winds of 35 to 40 mph with gusts of 60 to 65 mph prevailed over the county much of the afternoon of the 23rd. A dept. of Roads sensor near Milford measured a 64 mph wind gust at 312 pm CDT. The strong winds caused scattered tree, building and fence damage in the county.

High Wind, Johnson

When: March 23, 1:00 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Johnson forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 40.393, -96.265 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts estimated at close to 60 mph blew a storage shed located at the Tecumseh Livestock Auction into a power pole along Calhoun Street. This caused power to be lost for around 45 minutes for about half the residents of Tecumseh, with a few customers without power for a day or two. The winds were from gradient south winds that blew in advance of thunderstorms that developed west of region. When the damage occurred, the line of thunderstorms was still about 20 to 30 miles to the west and moving north northeast.

High Wind, Otoe

When: March 23, 1:00 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Otoe forecast zone
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 40.649, -96.135 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts estimated at 60 to 65 mph tipped over 3 semi-trailer on Highway 2 from around 4 pm until 5 pm CDT. The winds also destroyed a garage and snapped several pine trees near Palmyra around 630 pm. The winds were from gradient south or southwest winds that blew in advance of and behind a line of thunderstorms that developed west of region and moved across the region. The semis were tipped generally in advance of the storms, while the garage and tree damage occurred with the line 10 or 20 miles to the east.

High Wind, Gage

When: March 23, 1:30 PM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Gage forecast zone
Measured: 35 kt (40 mph) measured sustained
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 40.262, -96.689 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sustained winds of 35 to 40 mph with gusts of 50 to 55 mph prevailed over the county much of the afternoon of the 23rd. One home weather station in Beatrice recorded sustained winds of 40 mph for several hours.

High Wind, Lancaster

When: March 23, 1:30 PM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Lancaster forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 40.784, -96.688 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Asos at the Lincoln airport recorded sustained winds of 35 to 40 mph with gusts of 55 to 60 mph for several hours during the afternoon of the 23rd. A peak gust of 60 mph was recorded at 248 pm CDT.

Hail, Saline

When: March 23, 2:26 PM CST
Where: Saline County, 3.15 mi W of Friend
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 40.650, -97.340

Hail, Platte

When: March 23, 2:36 PM CST
Where: Platte County, 0.52 mi E of Columbus
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 41.430, -97.360

Hail, Saline

When: March 23, 2:48 PM CST
Where: Saline County, Dorchester
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 40.650, -97.120

Golf ball-size hail caused siding damage to at least 20 homes in the Dorchester area.

Hail, Seward

When: March 23, 2:50 PM CST
Where: Seward County, Staplehurst
Measured: 4.25 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 40.970, -97.170

Hail up to Softball size was reported in the Staplehurst area.

Hail, Butler

When: March 23, 3:05 PM CST
Where: Butler County, 0.69 mi S of Brainard
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 41.170, -97.000

Hail, Gage

When: March 23, 3:05 PM CST
Where: Gage County, 7 mi NW of Beatrice
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.342, -96.824

Hail, Butler

When: March 23, 3:07 PM CST
Where: Butler County, David City
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 41.250, -97.130

Hail, Gage

When: March 23, 3:13 PM CST to 3:25 PM CST
Where: Gage County, 1.25 mi WSW of Clatonia to 1 mi S of Cortland
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 40.462, -96.851

Hail between 1 inch and golf ball-size was reported from 1 mile south of Clatonia to 1 mile south of Cortland.

Tornado, Knox

When: March 23, 3:15 PM CST to 3:16 PM CST
Where: Knox County, 3.53 mi WSW of Santee to 2.45 mi W of Santee
Rating: EF1
Path length: 1.79 mi
Path width: 75 yd
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 42.804, -97.880

A tornado apparently touched down on the Nebraska side of the Missouri River south of Springfield, SD. The tornado caused some tree damage in the area.

Hail, Lancaster

When: March 23, 3:26 PM CST to 3:41 PM CST
Where: Lancaster County, 0.64 mi NE of Walton to 2.06 mi NE of Hanlon
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 40.806, -96.560

Hail up to 1 inch in diameter was reported just south and just east of Lincoln. The hail fell from the supercell thunderstorm that produced several tornadoes southeast through east of town.

Thunderstorm Wind, Gage

When: March 23, 3:26 PM CST
Where: Gage County, 1.74 mi SW of Clatonia
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $500
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 40.450, -96.850

Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at over 60 mph damaged a metal outbuilding south of Claytonia.

Tornado, Lancaster

When: March 23, 3:31 PM CST to 3:33 PM CST
Where: Lancaster County, 2.93 mi SE of Hickman to 1.43 mi WSW of Holland
Rating: EF1
Path length: 2.42 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 40.567, -96.635

This is the first of 5 cyclic tornadoes that a low-topped supercell thunderstorm produced at it tracked southeast through east of the Lincoln. The first tornado touched down around 4 miles south of Hickman uprooting some trees and causing farm outbuilding and other tree damage along its path.

Tornado, Lancaster

When: March 23, 3:36 PM CST to 3:37 PM CST
Where: Lancaster County, 1.79 mi NNW of Holland to 2.98 mi N of Holland
Rating: EF2
Path length: 1.6 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 40.623, -96.594

This is the second of 5 cyclic tornadoes that a low-topped supercell thunderstorm produced at it tracked southeast through east of the Lincoln area. This tornado touched down around 2 miles east of Hickman and damaged a house in the area, destroyed some farm outbuildings, took the roof off of a barn and also caused tree damage.

Tornado, Lancaster

When: March 23, 3:41 PM CST to 3:48 PM CST
Where: Lancaster County, 2.65 mi W of Bennet to 3.55 mi NNE of Clearidge Arpt
Rating: EF1
Path length: 7.58 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Continued into: Otoe, Ne (OAX)
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 40.682, -96.551

This is the third of 5 cyclic tornadoes that a low-topped supercell thunderstorm produced at it tracked southeast through east of the Lincoln area. This tornado touched down around 2.5 miles west of Bennet, in Lancaster county, tracked northeast clipping the far northwest corner of Otoe county and then lifted around 1.5 miles into the southwest corner of Cass county. In Lancaster county the tornado uprooted trees and caused farm outbuilding damage. In Cass county the tornado destroyed a garage and tossed the debris into a occupied car injuring 5 people. The total path length was around 11 miles.

Tornado, Otoe

When: March 23, 3:48 PM CST to 3:49 PM CST
Where: Otoe County, 6.49 mi NW of Palmyra to 6.8 mi NNW of Palmyra
Rating: EF1
Path length: 1.36 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Continued into: Cass, Ne (OAX)
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 40.769, -96.464

This is the third and longest tracked of 5 cyclic tornadoes that a low-topped supercell thunderstorm produced at it tracked southeast through east of the Lincoln. This tornado touched down around 2.5 miles west of Bennet, in Lancaster county, tracked northeast clipping the far northwest corner of Otoe county and then lifted around 1.5 miles into the southwest corner of Cass county. In Otoe county the tornado caused tree and farm outbuilding damage. In Cass county the tornado destroyed a garage and tossed the debris into a occupied car injuring 5 people. The total path length was around 11 miles.

Tornado, Cass

When: March 23, 3:49 PM CST to 3:51 PM CST
Where: Cass County, 2.91 mi SSW of Eagle to 1.07 mi SSW of Eagle
Rating: EF1
Path length: 1.88 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Injuries: 5 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 40.784, -96.449

This is the third and longest tracked of 5 cyclic tornadoes that a low-topped supercell thunderstorm produced at it tracked southeast through east of the Lincoln area. This tornado touched down around 2.5 miles west of Bennet, in Lancaster county, tracked northeast clipping the far northwest corner of Otoe county and then lifted around 1.5 miles into the southwest corner of Cass county. In Cass county the tornado destroyed a garage and tossed the debris into a occupied car injuring 5 people. Other tree and farm outbuilding damage was noted. The total path length was around 11 miles.

Tornado, Cass

When: March 23, 3:52 PM CST to 3:57 PM CST
Where: Cass County, 1.04 mi WSW of Eagle to 0.94 mi SSW of Alvo
Rating: EF1
Path length: 3.99 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Injuries: 3 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 40.814, -96.438

This is the fourth of 5 cyclic tornadoes that a low-topped supercell thunderstorm produced at it tracked southeast through east of the Lincoln area. This tornado touched down on the southwest side of Eagle and caused tree and some building damage along its path before lifting around 1 mile south of Alvo. Three people sustained minor injures near Alvo when a tree fell onto a truck they were in.

Tornado, Cass

When: March 23, 3:59 PM CST to 4:08 PM CST
Where: Cass County, 0.34 mi WNW of Alvo to 1.35 mi W of South Bend
Rating: EF1
Path length: 10.65 mi
Path width: 880 yd
Property damage: $1.0 million
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 40.871, -96.386

This is the fifth and last of 5 cyclic tornadoes that a low-topped supercell thunderstorm produced at it tracked southeast through east of the Lincoln area. This tornado touched down in Alvo and tracked a little over 10 miles north northeast before lifting just west of South Bend. The tornado knocked down power poles and transmission lines, snapped trees and damaged houses and destroyed farm out buildings along its path. One of the downed power lines fell on a car trapping its occupant for several hours. Several cars were crushed by fallen trees in the Alvo area. From the 3 confirmed tornadoes that hit the county, plus any associated wind damage, emergency management estimated that 30 homes had minor damage with 4 sustaining major damage and 60 to 80 farm outbuildings were damaged with the total damage approaching $1 million.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lancaster

When: March 23, 4:10 PM CST
Where: Lancaster County, 4.18 mi S of Panama
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.540, -96.510

Thunderstorm winds estimated at close to 60 mph blew the walls out of a machine shed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cass

When: March 23, 4:10 PM CST to 4:20 PM CST
Where: Cass County, 3.96 mi WNW of Murdock to 1.35 mi W of South Bend
Measured: 85 kt (98 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 40.947, -96.337

Scattered wind damage from a low-topped supercell thunderstorm that earlier produced 5 tornadoes to the south, was reported west through southwest of the South Bend area. Due to the tree and farm outbuilding damage noted, a NWS Storm Survey estimated that wind speeds were between 90 and 100 mph.

Hail, Douglas

When: March 23, 4:20 PM CST to 4:42 PM CST
Where: Douglas County, 3.07 mi WSW of Omaha Millard Arpt to 3.57 mi N of Boys Town
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.191, -96.178

A supercell thunderstorm that produced several tornadoes southwest of town and at least one tornado northeast of town dropped hail across much of the Omaha metro area. Across Omaha most of the hail was 1/2 inch in diameter or less, and it drifted several inches deep in some locations. However, some larger hailstones were observed, mostly across the western sections of town. Golf ball-size hail was reported near 144th and Ida, a few 1.25 inch stones fell near 150th and Blondo and 1 inch hail was observed near 168th and Harrison Streets.

Hail, Lancaster

When: March 23, 4:20 PM CST
Where: Lancaster County, 9 mi SSE of Lincoln
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.680, -96.604

Golf ball size hail was reported around 5 miles south of the southern part of Lincoln.

Hail, Sarpy

When: March 23, 4:20 PM CST to 4:24 PM CST
Where: Sarpy County, 0.51 mi E of Gretna to 1.04 mi E of Chalco
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 41.149, -96.240

Hail 3/4 to 1.5 inches in diameter was reported from around Gretna northeast to the Chalco area. There was also a rotating wall cloud reported in the Chalco area from this storm.

Hail, Sarpy

When: March 23, 5:02 PM CST
Where: Sarpy County, 2.69 mi WSW of Chalco
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 41.170, -96.200

From the second severe storm to pass across the region this evening.

Hail, Washington

When: March 23, 5:13 PM CST
Where: Washington County, 3.19 mi ENE of Washington
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.410, -96.160

Hail, Douglas

When: March 23, 5:16 PM CST
Where: Douglas County, 2.56 mi NNE of Boys Town
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.306, -96.120

Reported near 132nd and Fort Streets. From the second storm that rolled across the Omaha metro area this evening.

Hail, Richardson

When: March 23, 5:20 PM CST
Where: Richardson County, 2.98 mi ENE of Straussville
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 40.140, -95.600

Thunderstorm Wind, Richardson

When: March 23, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Richardson County, 5.55 mi S of Salem
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 40.000, -95.730

Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 60 to 70 mph downed trees and snapped at least one power pole causing a power outage south of Salem.

Thunderstorm Wind, Douglas

When: March 23, 5:52 PM CST
Where: Douglas County, (Oma)eppley Fld Omah
Measured: 59 kt (68 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 41.300, -95.900

A southerly thunderstorm wind gust was measured at 68 mph by the Asos at Omaha-Eppley airfield just behind a departing line of thunderstorms.

Thunderstorm Wind, Richardson

When: March 23, 6:08 PM CST
Where: Richardson County, Falls City
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 40.070, -95.600

A thunderstorm wind gust was measured at 59 mph by Asos at the Falls City airport. The winds caused damage to a hanger door.

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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

Every storm in Nebraska in 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Nebraska, 2009 Warnings in Nebraska, March 2009

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: 153302, 154821, 153305, 153303, 154184, 155246, 153304, 153306, 152877, 152878, 154859, 152879, 152880, 152881, 152882, 152884, 155238, 152886, 153320, 153802, 153803, 153805, 153806, 153808, 153809, 153810, 153322, 153820, 152888, 152889, 153314, 153317, 153318, 152895, 153319, 153323, 153313, 153312.