Thunderstorm Wind in Thayer County, Nebraska

A swath of wind with gusts estimated to be as high as 90 MPH swept through the west-northwest portions of Thayer County. Peak measured gusts included the following: 85 MPH, measured by a mesonet station located four miles east-southeast of Deshler; 85 MPH, measured by a mesonet station located three miles west-southwest of Carleton; 83 MPH, measured by mesonet stations located four miles northwest of Deshler and one mile north of Deshler; 72 MPH, measured by a mesonet station located five miles south-southwest of Carleton. Widespread tree and crop damage was reported along and within a few miles either side of this path. Several large trees were snapped and large limbs were downed. Approximately four miles northwest of Deshler, emergency management reported a home suffered roof damage at a farmstead, and had several outbuilding damaged or destroyed. In Deshler, a large cinderblock wall was blown over at a local business and the steeple of a church was blown over onto the ground. Approximately 1.5 miles south-southwest of Deshler, a barn was displaced off of its foundation. In the Carlton and Davenport area, emergency management reported that at least 30 power poles were damaged or destroyed, with several being along Highway 4.

For a few areas, this was the second night in a row of strong to severe thunderstorms wind gusts as a complex of thunderstorms moved across far southern Nebraska and north central Kansas. The thunderstorms generally tracked from Harlan to Thayer counties around the midnight hour producing 60 to 90 mph wind gusts.

Nuckolls and Thayer counties took the brunt of the highest winds, including an estimated 90 mph wind in the Superior area. The town of Superior reported as many as 200 trees were damaged. Homes and businesses throughout town had extensive roof damage and broken windows. In Ruskin, the pole which held the outdoor warning device was snapped and tossed into a nearby business. South Central Public Power District estimated at least 200 power poles were damaged or destroyed along with 10 miles of power line.

In Thayer county, damage was nearly as impressive as a measured 85 mph wind gust occurred southeast of Deshler. Other mesonet stations in the county recorded 72 and 83 mph wind gusts respectively and showed the widespread extent of the high winds. Crop damage was widespread as wind stripped leaves and broke stalks. A home northwest of Deshler had several outbuildings destroyed and the steeple of the church was blown over in Deshler. At least 30 power poles were strewn along Highway 4 in the Carlton and Davenport areas.

While the peak measured wind gust was 85 mph near Deshler, and similar type winds plowed across the Superior area, there were several mesonet stations in the general area which recorded 60 to 75 mph wind gusts with the passage of the storm.

With the frontal boundary stalled in the area, deep moisture convergence increased during late afternoon hours as low-level moisture pooled near the front. A broad upper trough was moving through the Northern Plains and Northern Rockies at the time. As the trough approached, a lead shortwave in northwest Kansas tapped into surface-based CAPE of 4,000 J/kg and little to no Convective Inhibition (CIN) to spark the thunderstorms. This high instability became the 'juice' for the storms later that night. A surge of dry air in the 850-700 MB layer aboard strong southwest winds pumped into extreme south central Nebraska and likely supported the strong wind gusts produced by the thunderstorms. Eventually, a 40 mph low-level jet fed into the frontal zone and pushed the storms east-northeast overnight.