EF1 Tornado — Phelps, Nebraska

2024-05-03 · near Holdrege, Phelps, Nebraska

Event narrative

This tornado developed very close to, or over, the fairgrounds area, then moved north. The most concentrated area of damage occurred between 4th Street and 6th Avenue, between Sherman Street and Lincoln Street, which included snapped wooden poles, an overturned pivot, and varying degrees of damage to manufactured homes. It appears the tornado briefly lifted as it moved north of 6th Avenue, sparing neighborhoods in northeast Holdrege more significant damage, before touching back down in a field just northwest of the intersection of 18th Avenue and Lincoln Street. The tornado reached peak intensity and width near Lincoln Street and 25th Avenue just northeast of Holdrege where significant damage to outbuildings, some newer and well-built, was noted. Damage also occurred to roofs of a few homes. The tornado would go on to overturn numerous pivots and snap a few more power poles as it curved northeast. Damage ceased near the intersection of Q Road and 736 Road, which coincides with substantial weakening of the circulation on radar. The estimated peak wind was 110 MPH.

Wider weather episode

Line of thunderstorms with embedded supercells brings all severe hazards to portions of south central Nebraska during the evening of May 3, 2024. Thunderstorms initially developed over the Nebraska Panhandle during the late afternoon hours, then shifted eastward through the evening, arriving in far western portions of the forecast area (Dawson and Gosper Counties) between 7-8PM CDT. By this time, activity had organized into a NE to SW line, though some supercells remained embedded within the broader line. Of particular note and intensity was the portion of the line between Elwood and Holdrege in which a supercell evolved into a bowing line segment. During this transition, the primary threat changed from large hail (locally up to around golf ball size) to damaging straight line winds and brief tornadoes. The most notable and damaging tornadoes occurred near Atlanta and Holdrege. In fact, the town of Holdrege was quite fortunate in that two separate tornadoes touched down, one on the north side of town and one of the east side. Damage in town was relatively minimal (downed trees, power lines, small outbuildings), with the most costly and prevalent issue likely being the wind-driven hail. However, several homes and farmsteads just outside of town received more significant building damage up to EF-1 intensity. A single home was damaged just W of Atlanta in the first brief tornado of the event. Another two tornadoes were surveyed later in the event, but these were weak (EF-0), for an event total of 5 tornadoes. East of Hwy 183, the primary severe threat was damaging straight line winds in the 60-70 MPH range between 10PM and midnight. Severe wind gusts were reported in all three of the Tri-Cities. Activity largely shifted east into eastern Nebraska by around midnight.

Finally, it's worth noting that heavy rain caused brief issues with the I-80 eastbound ramps near Elm Creek. No other instances or impacts of flash flooding were reported.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (40.4300, -99.3600)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1178145. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.