EF0 tornado in Adams County, Nebraska

A multi-vortex tornado, confirmed by storm chaser video, touched down in a corn field just north of the highway rest stop along Highway 6 east of Hastings. The tornado produced intermittent tree damage as it drifted south over the rest stop area and near a residence. A new condensation funnel developed over a nearby corn field where a pivot was overturned. The tornado actually curved back to the north, back across the highway, then dissipated shortly thereafter in a corn field. The official track is a best estimate based on a combination of damage and storm chaser video. The peak wind gust was estimated to be 85 MPH.

A broad, upper trough was over most of the country, including Nebraska. An upper disturbance passed over the central Plains which created enhanced lift. CAPE values of around 2,000 J/kg, wind shear of around 40 to 50 knots, and mid-level lapse rates of 7 to 8 degrees C/km were over south-central Nebraska. Temperatures were mostly in the 70s to lower 80s. These conditions resulted in an atmosphere that was conducive for severe storm development.

Thunderstorms had already developed to the northwest of the area during the early to mid-morning hours and moved over central Nebraska during the late morning hours. Additional storms developed to the west and northwest of the area during the late morning hours. These storms moved eastward and one storm began impacting Dawson County with hail up to the size of tennis balls just after 12 PM CDT. This storm continued moving east southeast through the afternoon with other storms moving in behind the original storm. The largest hail of the day was baseball sized and fell in Phelps County after 2 PM CDT. Additional hail impacted Dawson, Gosper, Buffalo, Phelps, Kearney, Franklin, Webster, and Fillmore Counties. These storms produced 5 tornadoes which impacted Kearney, Adams, Clay, and Fillmore Counties. The first two tornadoes impacted Kearney County and were both rated EF1. The third and fourth tornadoes impacted Adams County and were both rated EF0. The fifth tornado first touched down in Clay County then moved into Fillmore County and was rated an EF1. Severe wind gusts were also reported with these storms with the strongest winds estimated near 80 mph in Kearney and Adams Counties. The storm reports ended just before 6 PM CDT as the storms moved east of the area.