Thunderstorm Wind — Hitchcock, Nebraska

2025-05-18 · near Stratton, Hitchcock, Nebraska

$350K

Property damage

104 EG

Magnitude

Event narrative

A storm survey found estimated 120 mph straight line winds that continued along Highway 34 to the northeast. Multiple sheds and at least 15 power poles were blown down along with numerous large tree limbs. 3 center pivots along the straight lined wind path were also flipped. The damage path was roughly 1600 yards wide.

Wider weather episode

Numerous severe storms moved into SW Nebraska from northeast Colorado and northwest Kansas and led to numerous reports of hail, wind and tornadoes. The strongest tornado was an EF 3 to the north of Stratton, Nebraska along with hail around 2 inches north of Stratton and in Benkelman as well. The EF 3 caused major damage to structures, electric poles, and farm machinery. The same thunderstorm also produced swaths of straight-line winds that also caused damage to electric poles, trees, and structures.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (40.1230, -101.3060)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1257171. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.