Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Nebraska, April 14, 2012

Hail up to 2 inches in diameter fell for at least 7 minutes southwest of Petersburg. The hail was accompanied by wind gusts estimated at 50 mph.

An elevated super-cell thunderstorm dropped hail up to around baseball-size from a few miles west of Petersburg to about 13 miles northeast of town. The hail was accompanied by wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph which caused extensive window, siding and vehicle damage. Trees were also damaged in the area.

Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at close to 60 mph downed a 16 inch diameter tree on the northwest edge of Albion.

Hail around quarter-size fell near Dunbar. The hail caused some minor vehicle damage.

Hail that reached around golf ball-size fell in the Battle Creek area. The hail fell for around 10 minutes and covered the ground and caused some damage in the area.

Large amounts of hail up to golf ball-size fell for at least 10 minutes from southwest of Norfolk into town. The hail accumulated at least several inches and in some cases much more and was accompanied by torrential rain and 40 to 50 mph winds. This not only caused tree, building and vehicle damage but also flash flooding as hail clogged storm drainage systems. The larger hail stones generally fell west through south of town, but in town, drifts of the massive amounts of smaller hail required snow removal equipment to clear some streets. Some of the hail drifts lasted into evening.

Thunderstorms dropped several inches of rain in an hour or two which caused flash flooding near a construction area along Interstate 80 southwest of Greenwood. The flood waters covered the right west bound lane causing traffic to back up in the area. Damage was apparently minimal, however.

Rainfall, unofficially up to 5 inches in parts of Norfolk, combined with large accumulations of hail and caused flash flooding in parts of Norfolk and other locations across the northern sections of the county. In Norfolk the hail and heavy rain clogged storm drainage systems flooding streets and causing flooded basements. In addition, the hail clogged the drainage system for stairway that led down to the emergency room of a local hospital. The entrance then filled with water which caused the steel door to collapse sending a flood of water into the hospital. This caused the relocation of the emergency entrance and also prompted the moving of some patients.

Hail up to 1 inch in diameter fell for about a minute west of Fairbury.

Rainfall of over 3 inches fell across the northwest part of Stanton county. This caused flash flooding of several county roads northwest of Stanton.

Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at over 60 mph downed large trees in Daykin which caused some house damage and a welcome sign into town was knocked over. Several center pivots were flipped southwest of town and a private airplane hanger and other tree damage was noted southwest of town as well.

Heavy rain caused flash flooding across Highway 9 south of Pender.

Hail up to 1.5 inches in diameter fell along Highway 99 near the Nebraska and Kansas state line.

Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at around 60 mph downed large tree branches and damaged a barn in the area.

Heavy rain caused flash flooding across parts of the Fairbury area.

Heavy rain caused flash flooding across parts of Wilber. Rainfall of 2 to 3 inches fell across the area.

The tornado touched down on the east side of Sterling, just west of Highway 41. A concession stand at a baseball stadium was blown over near there as was a traffic sign. A path of mainly tree limb damage continued east including a few uprooted trees which blocked county roads. The tornado lifted about 2.75 miles east of Sterling.

This tornado touched down 5 miles west-southwest of Cook where it damaged trees and overturned a center pivot. A farmstead near there had 6 to 8 power poles snapped along with tree damage. From there the damage path was mostly east-northeast. About 1.5 miles west-northwest of Cook a home sustained significant structural damage, with the roof lifted completely off and 2 of its anchored exterior walls destroyed. An attached garage was destroyed as was a large shed. Materials from the house were blown at least a quarter of a mile away. Along Highway 50 several trees were knocked down in the Cook Cemetery. The tornado appeared to weaken as it crossed Highway 50, but still snapped trees and power poles along Road 738 north of Cook and caused tree damage near the football field. The tornado lifted about 1 mile east-northeast of Cook.

Rainfall of 2 to 3 inches caused flash flooding across several streets in Lincoln and also along Antelope Creek. Damage was apparently minimal.

A weak tornado overturned a few center pivots as it tracked mostly in open fields southwest of Talmage. Some tree and outbuildings were also damaged along its 3.75 mile path. The tornado initially touched down just in Johnson county, but most of the track was in Nemaha county.

A weak tornado overturned a few center pivots as it tracked mostly in open fields southwest of Talmage. Some tree and outbuildings were also damaged along its 3.75 mile path. The tornado initially touched down just across the county line in Johnson county, but most of the track was in Nemaha county.

A tornado touched down 3 miles northwest of Nebraska City destroying a machine shed and peeling the roof off of a vineyard building causing its partial collapse. Metal from that building was blown several hundred yards away. A home near there had window and siding damage and a home north of County Road 60 experienced a garage failure and outbuilding damage. Broken and uprooted trees marked the damage path east-northeast until the tornado lifted near the Missouri River. In total at least 7 homes were damaged from this tornado.

The Awos at Nebraska City measured a thunderstorm wind gust of 61 mph. The wind was from the same super-cell thunderstorm that produced a tornado in the area.

Thunderstorm winds estimated at over 70 mph blew debris across Highway 75 near Union.

Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at over 60 mph downed large trees in the Beaver Lake area.

Heavy rain caused flash flooding over a bridge on Highway 43 east of Firth. There was a report of 3.75 inches of rain in the area from storms this day. Damage was apparently minimal.

Heavy rain caused flash flooding across county road 120 west of Bennet. Damage was apparently minimal.

A tornado destroyed several farm outbuildings and caused tree and house damage to several farmsteads near Twin Lakes northeast of Milford.

This tornado first touched down about a mile northwest of South Bend in Cass county, crossed the Platte River and then lifted in Sarpy county about 2 miles north northeast of South Bend. The tornado caused tree and outbuilding damage along its path.

This tornado first touched down about a mile northwest of South Bend in Cass county, crossed the Platte River and then lifted in Sarpy county about 2 miles north northeast of South Bend. The tornado caused tree and outbuilding damage along its path.

Outflow winds from a thunderstorm that passed to the south of the area knocked down a couple of store signs near Auburn.

Emergency management estimated the thunderstorm wind gusts reached around 70 mph.