Thunderstorm Wind — Douglas, Nebraska

2025-08-09 · near Waterloo, Douglas, Nebraska

Event narrative

A highly damaging swath of severe thunderstorm winds moved across Douglas County, Nebraska, predominantly impacting the western and northern parts of the county, including the Omaha metropolitan area on the morning on August 9th, 2025.

The storm produced damaging wind gusts, with the highest being an estimated 100 mph reported by broadcast media southwest of Washington at 04:52 CST. Multiple locations experienced estimated and measured gusts of 90 mph or higher. An estimated 95 mph gust was reported in Bennington, also responsible for destroying a shed. An estimated 95 mph gust and snapped power poles south of Valley. An estimated 95 mph gust and snapped trees with large diameters north-northeast of Elkhorn. Measured gusts by NWS employees up to 90 mph near Valley.

Tragically, significant impacts occurred east-southeast of Yutan at 04:55 CST when an estimated 90 mph gust uprooted a very large tree (approximately two feet in diameter) that fell onto a vehicle, resulting in one fatality and one injury. Widespread structural and tree damage impacted parts of the area. In Bennington, damage reports included the destruction of a shed and large snapped tree branches. Near Elkhorn, a large tree fell onto a truck and minivan. North-northeast of Valley, there was damage to a roof, resulting in insulation blown across the road, and an overturned semi-truck. The severe winds also downed power lines southwest of Washington and destroyed a boat canopy southeast of Washington.

The property damage to public infrastructure across Douglas County from these severe winds is estimated to be $3,810,332.00. This figure reflects only the costs associated with repairing public assets and does not account for the extensive damage sustained by private and commercial properties throughout Saline County.

Wider weather episode

A powerful thunderstorm, characterized by a broad swath of destructive winds, swept across eastern Nebraska and western Iowa on the morning of August 9, 2025. The event was responsible for one fatality and seven injuries, as well as widespread property and tree damage. This devastating storm was spawned by a large low-pressure system moving across the northern Great Plains. A trailing front and a strong low-level jet stream, a ribbon of fast-moving air just above the surface, funneled a significant amount of moisture into the area. This created extremely unstable atmospheric conditions that, along with a setup favoring strong downbursts, led to the widespread and damaging winds.

The event began in Saline County, Nebraska, at approximately 3:25 AM CST with numerous reports of high wind gusts and damage. An emergency manager in Friend measured an 84 mph wind gust and reported trees down, power outages, and roof damage. In Seward County, an 82 mph gust was measured by a public weather station 3 miles south-southwest of Seward. At 3:55 AM CST an NWS employee reported large trees down and a shed roof torn off 4 miles south-southwest of Garland.

As the thunderstorm moved into Lancaster County, it produced the highest wind gust of the event at 4:22 AM CST, when the Lincoln Airport (KLNK) ASOS station recorded a 91 mph wind gust. Reports from law enforcement at 4:15 AM CST detailed substantial roof damage to two buildings 3 miles south-southwest of Lincoln. An emergency manager reported an overturned camper at 4:00 AM CST 4 miles north-northwest of Malcolm, which resulted in five injuries, with two people transported to the hospital.

A tragic incident occurred in Douglas County at 4:55 AM CST when a very large, two-foot diameter tree was uprooted and fell onto a vehicle 3 miles east-southeast of Yutan, resulting in one fatality and one injury. An NWS employee estimated an 80 mph gust 4 miles north of Gretna at 4:54 AM CST. The powerful winds extended into Washington County where emergency management reported a large tree fell on a camper 4 miles northeast of Blair, injuring two occupants. A public weather station 1 mile south-southeast of Blair measured an 86 mph gust, and a report from the same location detailed a building roof collapse at 5:26 AM CST.

As the squall line moved into western Iowa, it continued to produce significant winds and damage. At 5:35 AM CST, the KTQE ASOS station 2 miles east-southeast of Tekamah in Burt County measured a 69 mph gust. At 5:43 AM CST, two public weather stations in Missouri Valley, Harrison County, measured a 76 mph gust, and reports from Mondamin and Pisgah indicated a large uprooted tree and snapped power poles and trees. A public weather station 3 miles south-southwest of Blencoe in Monona County measured a 73 mph gust at 5:45 AM CST. The final report came from Shelby County, where law enforcement noted a barn was blown down and trees were damaged 2 miles north of Defiance at 6:05 AM CST.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (41.2715, -96.3346)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1290166. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.