Tornadoes · United States · Nebraska

Tornadoes in Custer County, Nebraska

111 tornadoes have crossed Custer County since 1950, 1st of the 93 counties in Nebraska with a tornado on record, an average of 1.5 a year. They have killed 2 people and injured 46. 2 were rated F4 or EF4 and above.

The rating scale

Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The United States rated tornadoes on Ted Fujita’s F scale until 31 January 2007 and on the Enhanced Fujita scale after it. Both run from 0 to 5, and both rate the damage rather than measure the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.

  1. F0 / EF040 to 72 mph on the F scale, 65 to 85 mph on the EF scale

    Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.

  2. F1 / EF173 to 112 mph on the F scale, 86 to 110 mph on the EF scale

    Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.

  3. F2 / EF2113 to 157 mph on the F scale, 111 to 135 mph on the EF scale

    Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.

  4. F3 / EF3158 to 206 mph on the F scale, 136 to 165 mph on the EF scale

    Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.

  5. F4 / EF4207 to 260 mph on the F scale, 166 to 200 mph on the EF scale

    Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.

  6. F5 / EF5261 to 318 mph on the F scale, over 200 mph on the EF scale

    Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.

  7. Unrated

    The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.

Now

Tornadoes
111
Deaths
2
Injuries
46
F4 and above
2
Worst on record
F4, June 18, 1975

The deadliest in Custer County

  1. F2, Sherman, Custer and Howard counties, NebraskaJuly 8, 19551 killed, 13 injured
  2. F3, Lincoln, Custer and Logan counties, NebraskaJune 18, 19751 killed, 3 injured

The strongest

  1. F4, Custer and Valley counties, NebraskaMay 30, 1961F4, 48.1 mi (77 km)
  2. F4, Logan and Custer counties, NebraskaJune 18, 1975F4, 15.2 mi (24 km)
  3. F3, Buffalo, Dawson, Sherman and Custer counties, NebraskaApril 20, 1974F3, 63.5 mi (102 km)
  4. F3, Custer and Valley counties, NebraskaMay 30, 1961F3, 48.1 mi (77 km)
  5. F3, Custer and Valley counties, NebraskaMay 30, 1961F3, 48.1 mi (77 km)
  6. F3, Custer and Valley counties, NebraskaJuly 20, 1972F3, 32.8 mi (53 km)
  7. F3, Lincoln, Custer and Logan counties, NebraskaJune 18, 1975F3, 28.4 mi (46 km)
  8. F3, Custer County, NebraskaJune 1, 1990F3, 25.0 mi (40 km)
  9. F3, Dawson and Custer counties, NebraskaJune 18, 1975F3, 9.4 mi (15 km)
  10. F3, Custer County, NebraskaApril 26, 1974F3, 6.1 mi (10 km)

Every year with a tornado

The 49 years of the 76 in the record with a tornado in Custer County. Each year links to every tornado in Nebraska that year.

YearTornadoesDeathsInjuriesStrongest
20252Unrated
20244EF2
20234EF1
20203EF0
20191EF1
20162EF0
20141EF0
20133EF0
20121EF0
20101EF0
20092EF0
200749EF2
20061F1
20048F1
20036F1
20011F1
20005F2
19993F2
19981F0
19941F0
19931F1
19925F1
19911F0
19901F3
19891F0
198712F1
19862F2
19801F0
19791F1
19781F0
19774F1
19761F0
1975313F4
1974618F3
19732F1
19721F3
19714F0
197011F2
19642F1
19631F0
19621F0
19613F4
19602F1
19591F1
19573F1
19562F1
19553113F2
19531F2
19511F0

Every tornado that crossed Custer County

111 tornadoes, newest first.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
July 23, 20255:15 PM CDTUnratedCuster0.010
July 23, 20254:11 PM CDTUnratedCuster0.010
July 16, 20246:54 PM CDTEF1Custer0.010$10,000
July 3, 20246:25 PM CDTUnratedCuster0.010
June 7, 20245:19 PM CDTEF2Custer1.7750$80,000
May 6, 20246:40 PM CDTUnratedCuster0.11
May 12, 20234:00 PM CDTUnratedCuster0.110
May 12, 202312:47 PM CDTUnratedCuster0.110
May 12, 202312:42 PM CDTUnratedCuster0.11
May 12, 202312:34 PM CDTEF1Custer4.0100
June 8, 20208:20 PM CDTEF0Custer0.010
June 8, 20207:53 PM CDTEF0Custer0.010
June 8, 20206:48 PM CDTEF0Custer0.010
May 17, 20198:30 PM CDTEF1Custer0.192$15,000
August 11, 20163:33 PM CDTEF0Custer0.010
August 11, 20163:31 PM CDTEF0Custer0.010
June 16, 20146:24 PM CDTEF0Custer0.240
July 9, 20135:15 PM CDTEF0Custer0.275
July 9, 20135:10 PM CDTEF0Custer0.020
May 29, 20134:46 PM CDTEF0Custer0.335
September 30, 20125:05 PM CDTEF0Custer0.190
June 3, 20106:30 PM CDTEF0Custer0.110
June 23, 20098:54 PM CDTEF0Custer0.130
June 17, 20097:50 PM CDTEF0Custer0.120
June 6, 20079:20 PM CDTEF0Custer0.120
May 5, 20071:03 PM CDTEF1Custer40.7220$40,000
May 5, 200712:23 PM CDTEF1Custer20.6150$150,000
April 20, 200710:02 PM CDTEF2Dawson18.91,3209$2.6 million
June 7, 20067:38 PM CDTF1Custer0.120$70,000
May 29, 20045:25 PM CDTF0Custer0.110
May 29, 20045:06 PM CDTF0Custer0.220
May 29, 20044:55 PM CDTF0Custer0.210
May 29, 20044:55 PM CDTF0Custer0.110
May 22, 20047:17 PM CDTF0Custer0.110
May 22, 20047:12 PM CDTF0Custer0.210
May 22, 20046:50 PM CDTF1Custer0.530$50,000
May 22, 20046:34 PM CDTF1Custer0.220$40,000
June 24, 20037:00 PM CDTF0Custer2.130$50,000
June 9, 20037:40 PM CDTF1Custer4.0580$30,000
June 9, 20037:20 PM CDTF0Custer0.110
June 9, 20036:59 PM CDTF0Custer0.110
April 18, 20034:56 PM CDTF0Custer0.520$20,000
April 18, 20034:47 PM CDTF0Custer2.020$20,000
April 6, 200111:20 PM CDTF1Custer1.0100$100,000
October 31, 20007:35 PM CSTF1Loup12.0250$750,000
October 31, 20007:00 PM CSTF2Custer12.0250$1.0 million
October 31, 20006:12 PM CSTF2Dawson23.0220$120,000
June 12, 20009:48 PM CDTF0Custer0.120
June 12, 20008:55 PM CDTF0Custer0.120
July 2, 19999:35 PM CDTF0Custer1.0100$20,000
June 29, 19997:15 PM CDTF0Custer1.050
June 3, 199910:35 PM CDTF2Custer5.5300$300,000
June 13, 19986:50 PM CDTF0Custer0.130
October 16, 19946:30 PM CDTF0Custer2.0100$5,000 to $50,000
June 26, 19934:20 PM CDTF1Custer2.023$50 to $500
July 18, 19925:37 PM CDTF0Custer0.123
June 16, 19926:35 PM CDTF1Custer0.423under $50
June 16, 19926:23 PM CDTF0Custer0.223
June 16, 19926:17 PM CDTF1Custer0.550$5,000 to $50,000
May 15, 19926:45 PM CDTF0Custer21.023
May 30, 199111:50 AM CDTF0Custer0.223
June 1, 19908:02 PM CDTF3Custer25.050$50,000 to $500,000
June 28, 198912:35 PM CDTF0Custer0.130$50 to $500
June 12, 19877:00 PM CDTF1Custer0.2302$5,000 to $50,000
June 21, 19869:20 PM CDTF0Custer0.120$50 to $500
April 3, 19865:30 PM CSTF2Custer1.540$50,000 to $500,000
October 15, 19809:15 PM CDTF0Custer0.130$5,000 to $50,000
July 7, 19798:10 PM CDTF1Blaine32.3100$500,000 to $5 million
May 24, 197811:15 PM CDTF0Custer0.110
May 26, 19772:30 PM CDTF1Custer0.120$50 to $500
May 25, 19779:00 PM CDTF0Custer0.120
May 25, 19779:00 PM CDTF0Custer0.120
April 17, 19774:46 PM CSTF0Custer0.110
July 3, 19766:15 PM CDTF0Custer0.310under $50
June 18, 19759:15 PM CDTF4Logan15.210$500 to $5,000
June 18, 19759:00 PM CDTF3Lincoln28.41013$50,000 to $500,000
June 18, 19758:30 PM CDTF3Dawson9.410$500 to $5,000
August 26, 197410:30 PM CDTF1Custer2.7105$50,000 to $500,000
May 20, 19748:47 PM CDTF0Custer0.110
April 26, 19749:00 PM CDTF3Custer5.6104$50,000 to $500,000
April 26, 19749:00 PM CDTF3Custer6.1103
April 20, 19743:10 PM CDTF3Buffalo63.58806$500,000 to $5 million
April 11, 19743:25 PM CDTF0Custer0.110$5,000 to $50,000
April 14, 19738:00 PM CSTF1Custer38.510$50,000 to $500,000
April 14, 19737:30 PM CSTF1Custer0.110$500,000 to $5 million
July 20, 19723:40 PM CDTF3Custer32.8150$5,000 to $50,000
October 18, 19712:20 AM CDTF0Custer15.6200$5,000 to $50,000
May 30, 19716:55 PM CDTF0Custer0.110
May 5, 19714:38 PM CDTF0Custer0.110
May 5, 19713:50 PM CDTF0Custer0.160$5,000 to $50,000
May 12, 19706:20 AM CDTF2Custer0.1101$50,000 to $500,000
April 26, 19641:30 PM GMT-5F1Custer0.110$5,000 to $50,000
April 2, 19643:00 PM GMT-6F0Custer0.110$50 to $500
June 5, 19635:50 PM GMT-5F0Custer0.110
May 29, 196211:15 AM GMT-5F0Custer0.110
May 30, 19616:00 PM GMT-5F4Custer48.110$50,000 to $500,000
May 30, 19616:00 PM GMT-5F3Custer48.110
May 30, 19616:00 PM GMT-5F3Custer48.110
June 17, 196012:20 AM GMT-5F0Custer1.010$5,000 to $50,000
June 15, 196011:30 PM GMT-5F1Custer2.730$500 to $5,000
June 20, 19593:30 PM GMT-5F1Custer0.110$50 to $500
July 3, 195711:30 PM GMT-5F0Custer0.110under $50
May 20, 19574:00 PM GMT-5F1Custer0.110$500 to $5,000
May 20, 19573:17 PM GMT-5F1Custer2.7300under $50
October 29, 19564:30 PM GMT-6F1Valley99.850$5,000 to $50,000
June 16, 195611:05 PM GMT-5F1Custer3.0220$5,000 to $50,000
September 20, 19555:00 PM GMT-5F2Custer8.510$500 to $5,000
July 8, 19553:00 AM GMT-5F2Sherman31.210113$50,000 to $500,000
May 2, 195512:00 AM GMT-5F2Custer0.110
June 7, 19533:30 PM GMT-5F2Sherman6.6100$50,000 to $500,000
May 13, 19518:00 PM GMT-5F0Custer0.110$500 to $5,000

Nearby

Warnings in force in Custer CountyThe forecast for Custer CountyThe live radar over Custer CountyEvery county in Nebraska

What this means

Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.

Sources

NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.