Hail in Buffalo County, Nebraska

All injuries were minor

A wicked severe thunderstorm ripped across Buffalo and Kearney counties, dumping hail larger than softballs and causing about 100 million dollars in damage in those two counties. As the severe storm rolled across Buffalo county, it moved southeast along Highway 40 through Amherst, near Riverdale and eventually into the city of Kearney. In excess of 6000 structures will require roof, window, and siding repairs. In some cases, hail stones penetrated the shingles, sheeting, and interior ceiling drywall. One person reported an 8 inch diameter hole in their roof. Another home owner sustained $60,000 in damage. One more home owner reported hail stones landing on the living room couch, after falling through the roof. Over 3000 automobiles were severely damaged. One local auto dealership experienced damage to 297 cars on the lot. Hundreds of windows were lost on the campus of the University of Nebraska-Kearney. Eight police cruisers were damaged. Fifteen (15) people were treated for minor abrasions and released from the local hospital. Several hailstones measured 5 inches in diameter throughout the county, and there were unconfirmed reports of melon sized hail near Amherst.In Kearney county, extensive damage was noted in the Minden area. Four and a half (4.5) inch diameter hail was reported in the city. The most extensive damage occurred at the indoor greenhouse facility which grows tomatoes. The glass structure was no match for the softball size hailstones. 2500 pains of glass were broken, including about 60 percent of the roof panes. Shards of glass penetrated the tomatoes and forced the expulsion of the product for safety reasons. Crop damage was widespread throughout the county as over 22,000 acres of corn, soybeans and alfalfa were severely damaged or destroyed. The storm continued south and produced more crop and property damage in parts of Webster and Franklin counties.