EF2 tornado in Garden County, Nebraska

Tornado touched down approximately 3 miles southwest of Bingham in far northern Garden County. This tornado quickly increased in size as it moved northeast, impacting utility poles and trees along Highway 2. Just to the east, the tornado impacted a farmstead and overturned a freight train, producing EF2 damage. The tornado continued to move slowly northeast for the next hour, primarily impacting open country in rural southwest Cherry County. The tornado ended shortly after 6 PM MST, 11 miles north-northeast of Ashby Nebraska.

An upper level trough of low pressure aloft was situated over the Intermountain West on April 27th. East of this feature, a warm front lifted into western Nebraska and became the focal point for thunderstorm development during the late afternoon hours. Initial thunderstorms developed over western Garden County and tracked northeast into abundant low level moisture, strong low level shear and increased instability where they quickly became severe. Hail up to 3 inches in diameter and eleven tornadoes occurred with the severe storms which continued into the mid evening hours. Activity finally weakened over northern Cherry County by late evening. A couple of tornadoes were rated EF2 with winds estimated up to 132 MPH.