Brown County, Nebraska
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1955 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
38
Tornado reports
283
Hail reports
12
Floods since 1996
618
All events
0
Deaths
$40.3M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Brown County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 38 in all. Zoom in and the paths widen to their surveyed width.
EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated
Year by year
All storm eventsTornadoes
NOAA's storm database records tornadoes back to 1950 and hail and thunderstorm wind back to 1955, but floods only from 1996 on. Older floods are missing here. For those, the U.S. Geological Survey's stream gauge records and flood reports are the place to look.
Most significant events
The strongest tornadoes, deadliest events and biggest damage here, up to 50.
Severe drought conditions (D2), which began the month of June, intensified to extreme drought conditions (D3) by the end of the month. Pastures that make up close to 78 percent of the land use in Brown County (2007 Census USDA) was rated 69% poor or very poor. The lack of rain li…
Scattered supercells with winds in excess of 60 mph moved southeast across North Central Nebraska . The severe thunderstorms produced large hail which severely damaged crops and property.
Drought Drought
Over far northern portions of the county, severe (D2) drought conditions improved to moderate (D1) drought by the end of June. Over the remainder of the county, extreme (D3) drought conditions improved to severe (D2) drought by the end of the month. The Cocorahs station at Brewst…
Drought Drought
Extreme (D3) drought conditions continued across almost all of Brown County in May. Over far northern portions of the county, severe (D2) drought conditions persisted through the end of the month.
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) drought conditions deteriorated to extreme (D3) drought conditions across almost all of Brown County in April. Over far northern portions of the county, severe (D2) drought conditions persisted through the end of the month. The cooperative observer at Ainsworth report…
Drought Drought
Moderate (D1) drought conditions, deteriorated to severe (D2) drought conditions across all of Brown County by the end of March. The cooperative observer at Ainsworth reported 0.45 inches for precipitation for March. This was 0.75 inches below the normal of 1.20 inches.
High Wind High Wind
Northwest winds of 35 to 45 mph with gusts to as high as 70 mph were common across Brown County during the evening hours on December 17th through the early afternoon hours on December 18th. The strongest winds occurred during the late evening hours on December 17th and again duri…
High Wind High Wind
Northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph with gusts to near 60 mph were common across Brown County during the morning hours into the mid afternoon hours. The Ainsworth AWOS site recorded sustained winds of 40 mph between 1000 am CST and 1100 am CST with a peak wind gust of 56 mph at 1015 …
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Hail Hail
Golf ball sized hail reported in Ainsworth.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Ping pong size hail and 50 mph winds at this location.
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm wind gusts, estimated at 80 MPH sheared off multiple tree limbs up to 8 inches in diameter.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Severe thunderstorms producing several wet microbursts, led to violent winds in Ainsworth. Wind gusts, estimated at around 100 MPH, uprooted several mature trees in and around Ainsworth. Other mature trees were snapped above ground level. Numerous reports of power lines down, one…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Wet microbursts with wind speeds estimated up to 95 MPH, led to severe tree damage along highway 20 from approximately 3 miles east of Ainsworth to just north of Long Pine. There were several cases of mature-soft and hard wood trees heavily damaged along this line. Tree limbs up …
Tornado EFU Tornado
Tornado was a brief touchdown and occurred over open terrain. No damage was reported.
Tornado EFU Tornado
Tornado briefly touched down over open terrain. No damage reported.
Tornado EFU Tornado
Tornado briefly touched down in an open field. No damage reported.
Hail Hail
Drought Drought
Over far southern portions of Brown County, severe (D2) drought conditions improved to moderate (D1) conditions by the end of May. The cooperative observer at Ainsworth reported 5.46 inches of precipitation in May. This was 1.66 inches above the normal of 3.80 inches.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Wildfire Wildfire
Fire initiated during the early afternoon hours of April 21st. Aided by gusty southerly winds, the fire tracked north consuming approximately 24000 acres of grass and timberland. The fire tracked through several canyons, making control of the fire difficult. By the time the fire …
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm wind gust of 62 MPH measured at this location.
Drought Drought
Drought conditions continued to improve in April across most of Brown County. Over far southern portions of the county, severe (D2) drought persisted, however over the remainder of the county, severe (D2) drought improved to moderate (D1) drought conditions by the end of the mont…
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Across Brown County, a long duration of dangerous wind chill values of 30 below or colder began during the early morning hours on January 18th through the early morning hours on February 20th. Although winds remained generally light throughout the event, winds combined to produce…
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) drought conditions persisted across all of Brown County through the end of February. The cooperative observer at Elsmere 9ENE reported 0.68 inches of precipitation in February. This was 0.12 inches below the normal of 0.80 inches. The cooperative observer at Ainsworth…
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) drought conditions persisted across all of Brown County through the end of January. The cooperative observer at Elsmere 9ENE reported 0.10 inches of precipitation in January. This was 0.44 inches below the normal of 0.54 inches. The cooperative observer at Ainsworth r…
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) drought conditions persisted across all of Brown County through the end of December. The cooperative observer at Elsmere 9ENE reported 0.09 inches of precipitation in December. This was 0.62 inches below the normal of 0.71 inches. The cooperative observer at Ainsworth…
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) drought conditions persisted across all of Brown County through the end of November. The cooperative observer at Elsmere 9ENE reported 1.11 inches of precipitation in November. This was 0.33 inches above the normal of 0.78 inches. The cooperative observer at Ainsworth…
Drought Drought
Moderate (D1) drought conditions deteriorated to severe (D2) drought conditions across all of Brown County by the end of October. The cooperative observer at Elsmere 9ENE reported 0.90 inches of precipitation in October. This was 0.89 inches below the normal of 1.79 inches. The c…
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Tornado EFU Tornado
Law enforcement reported a tornado 8 miles west of Ainsworth, tracking to the southeast. No damage was reported.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail lasted for 10 minutes at this location.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Emergency management reports washed out roads along Hidden Paradise Area on the southwest side of Long Pine. There was a mudslide along a hillside in the Hidden Paradise Area which knocked down a tree and led to a washout on Paradise road. Long Pine Creek was reported at bank ful…
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Tornado EF1 Tornado
Tornado briefly touched down producing limb damage and uprooted several trees at this location.
Tornado EF1 Tornado
Tornado briefly touched down, rolling and severely damaging a single wide manufactured home. Other outbuildings were destroyed at this location which were significantly aged. Tree limbs were broken and trees snapped.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Across Brown County, a long duration of dangerous wind chill values of 30 below or colder began during the evening hours on January 12th through the morning hours on January 16th. Northerly winds as high as 20 to 35 mph occurred at times during the event. The winds combined to pr…
Blizzard Blizzard
Northerly winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts to 50 mph at times occurred during the event, causing blizzard conditions with visibility of a quarter mile or less at times. Considerable blowing and drifting occurred. General public in Ainsworth reported on social media blizzard condi…
Drought Drought
Over far southern Brown County, severe (D2) drought conditions improved to moderate drought conditions by the end of September. The cooperative observer at Ainsworth reported 3.26 inches of precipitation for September. This was 0.70 inches above the normal of 2.56 inches. The coo…
Hail Hail
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4 | 0 |
| 2025 | 22 | 3 |
| 2024 | 18 | 3 |
| 2023 | 23 | 0 |
| 2022 | 17 | 0 |
| 2021 | 6 | 0 |
| 2020 | 10 | 1 |
| 2019 | 20 | 0 |
| 2018 | 13 | 0 |
| 2017 | 12 | 0 |
| 2016 | 9 | 0 |
| 2015 | 12 | 1 |
| 2014 | 19 | 0 |
| 2013 | 31 | 0 |
| 2012 | 22 | 0 |
| 2011 | 20 | 3 |
| 2010 | 17 | 0 |
| 2009 | 15 | 0 |
| 2008 | 37 | 2 |
| 2007 | 17 | 1 |
| 2006 | 10 | 0 |
| 2005 | 24 | 1 |
| 2004 | 13 | 1 |
| 2003 | 19 | 0 |
| 2002 | 16 | 2 |
| 2001 | 27 | 0 |
| 2000 | 11 | 1 |
| 1999 | 10 | 0 |
| 1998 | 21 | 3 |
| 1997 | 24 | 0 |
| 1996 | 21 | 0 |
| 1994 | 2 | 0 |
| 1992 | 3 | 1 |
| 1990 | 1 | 0 |
| 1988 | 3 | 0 |
| 1987 | 3 | 1 |
| 1986 | 4 | 1 |
| 1985 | 4 | 0 |
| 1984 | 2 | 1 |
| 1983 | 3 | 0 |
| 1982 | 1 | 0 |
| 1981 | 6 | 0 |
| 1980 | 3 | 1 |
| 1979 | 6 | 1 |
| 1978 | 5 | 1 |
| 1977 | 5 | 0 |
| 1976 | 7 | 1 |
| 1974 | 1 | 0 |
| 1973 | 3 | 0 |
| 1971 | 3 | 2 |
| 1968 | 2 | 0 |
| 1967 | 1 | 1 |
| 1966 | 2 | 0 |
| 1965 | 4 | 2 |
| 1962 | 1 | 0 |
| 1958 | 1 | 1 |
| 1956 | 1 | 1 |
| 1955 | 1 | 1 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Brown County, measured to its path.
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