Multiple tornadoes touched down across eastern Nebraska and western Iowa Thursday evening, impacting communities after a tornado watch had been issued for the region. The National Weather Service is currently working to confirm the exact number of tornadoes, but at least two major touchdowns have been reported, causing concern and prompting residents to seek shelter.
The first tornado was reported north of the Omaha metropolitan area, triggering tornado sirens in Omaha, Bennington, and Elkhorn around 7 p.m. Central Time. Eppley Airfield also saw precautionary measures, with people taking shelter for approximately 15 minutes. Another significant tornado touched down near Oakland, Iowa, around 8 p.m., followed by reports of a potentially "catastrophic" tornado moving through Essex, Iowa, roughly an hour later. Darkness hampered visibility for storm chasers and meteorologists attempting to assess the full scope and intensity of the storms.
Areas in Nebraska including Bennington and Manley, and Iowa communities Randolph and Essex were directly impacted by the severe weather. Highway 30 near Rogers and North Bend experienced hazardous conditions as strong winds kicked up significant dust clouds, forcing drivers to pull over as tornado concerns escalated in Dodge County. A tornado warning had been issued for Dodge County around 6 p.m.
The severe weather brought not only tornadoes but also large hail and powerful winds. Hail, initially reported around 2-3 inches in diameter, grew to baseball-sized in Fremont. While radar indicated a weakening hail threat as storms moved into Douglas County near Bennington, reports of exceptionally large hail, described as "the size of a person’s hand," continued to emerge. Wind gusts associated with the storms reached up to 80 miles per hour, posing a significant threat to anyone in the storm's path.
Forecasters had predicted the risk of severe thunderstorms for the afternoon and evening, noting that the highest threat was large hail, but also acknowledging the possibility of tornadoes due to wind shear in the atmosphere. A cold front moving through the region was expected to trigger storm development, primarily north of I-80 and Omaha.
Despite the tornado watch and warnings, the rapid development and intensity of the storms appeared to have caught some off guard. The clearing of the tornado watch by 9:30 p.m. for most counties in western Iowa, except for a few, suggests the immediate threat may have lessened in some areas, but the aftermath of the storms and potential damage are still being assessed.
Looking ahead, the weather forecast for Friday indicates much cooler and breezy conditions across Nebraska. Temperatures are expected to drop significantly following the passage of the cold front, with highs only reaching the 50s in central and eastern Nebraska and even cooler in western parts of the state. Cloudy skies and a chance of drizzle or isolated showers are anticipated for Friday, marking a stark contrast to the warm and stormy conditions of Thursday.
