Hail in Gage County, Nebraska

Trained spotter report of hail measured up to 1.50 inches in diameter in Beatrice, NE.

A broken line of strong to severe thunderstorms impacted eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa on April 23rd, 2026. The system was driven by a broad upper-level trough located over the western third of the United States, as additional shortwave energy rounded the ridge and pushed into the central Plains. In response to these features, strong lee troughing developed across the Great Plains. Southerly winds rapidly drew rich Gulf moisture northward, pushing dewpoints into the 60s. Surface observations showed a front draped from south-central Nebraska into northeast Nebraska and northwest Iowa, which slowly progressed eastward through the afternoon. This system brought strong winds throughout the vertical column, increasing deep-layer shear. This enhanced shear combined with steep lapse rates to provide a highly favorable environment for severe thunderstorms. A weak cap in place during the afternoon initially limited development until a few convective updrafts managed to punch through. The initial storms were isolated, posing a primary threat for large hail and tornadoes, particularly for those that interacted with the frontal boundary. Through the late afternoon and into the evening, convective development became much more widespread along the front as it slowly pushed eastward, bringing reports of hail and damaging wind gusts.

Numerous hail reports were received throughout the event. As storms matured, a southwest-to-northeast oriented broken line of supercells formed, extending generally from Lincoln, NE, through Omaha, NE, and into Little Sioux, IA. Wind gusts were measured up to 68 mph. Within this corridor, hail ranging from 1 to 1.75 inches in diameter was widely reported. Further south, an additional strong supercell developed near Fairbury, NE. This storm tracked east-northeast, gradually growing upscale as it advanced. As the cell progressed, it produced hail up to 2 inches in diameter.