Thunderstorm Wind — Scotts Bluff, Nebraska

2024-06-20 · near Mitchell, Scotts Bluff, Nebraska

Event narrative

Numerous reports of wind gusts between 90 and 100 MPH near the town of Mitchell causing significant damage with downed trees, powerlines, and overturned center pivots.

Wider weather episode

An intense supercell crossed into western Scotts Bluff County around 3:00 PM MDT on 6/20, quickly transitioning to an intense bow echo which produced widespread destructive straight line winds. These storms produced an EF-1 tornado to the southeast of the town of Morrill, NE, while a notable RFD (Rear Flank Downdraft) produced a broad swath of straight line winds in excess of 80 MPH. These RFD winds resulted in extensive tree and power line damage, most notably resulting in the collapse of a 300 foot KNEB communications tower. A member of the general public reported a wind gust to 104 MPH on a Davis weather instrument on the west side of Scottsbluff, which was consistent with the results of an official NWS Damage Survey. These storms quickly grew upscale into a large bowing MCS which tracked across much of western Nebraska, which continued to produce extreme winds through the evening with a peak wind gust to 81 MPH at Alliance.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (41.9400, -103.8100)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1182154. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.