Butler County, Nebraska
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1952 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
37
Tornado reports
179
Hail reports
31
Floods since 1996
564
All events
1
Deaths
$38.4M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Butler County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 37 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.
Dense fog that reduced visibilities to near zero was the apparent cause of a fatal vehicle crash at the intersections of Highways 66 and 15 between Dwight and Ulysses. A west bound car failed to stop at the intersection and drove into a trailer hauled by a semi. The driver of the…
See narrative below.
Hail up to 2 inches in diameter damaged at least several hundred vehicles in town and also caused roof damage to a few hundred homes. The main damage path was from the southwest into the northeast part of town with the damage estimated at $4 million.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Trained spotter report of several trees down in David City, NE with estimated wind gusts of 60 mph. Time estimated from radar.
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) drought conditions covered around 23 percent of Butler County at the beginning of June, but conditions improved throughout the month. Severe drought coverage was reduced to zero early in the month, and moderate (D1) drought was completely eliminated by mid-month. The …
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) drought conditions persisted across Butler County through the month of May, though improvements in areal coverage were observed. The coverage of severe drought shrank from around 94 percent at the beginning of the month down to around 23 percent by the end of the mont…
Hail Hail
Public report of hail estimated at 1.00 inch in diameter.
Hail Hail
Public report of hail estimated at 1.25 inches in diameter.
Hail Hail
Trained spotter report of hail estimated at 2.00 inches in diameter.
Hail Hail
Emergency management report of hail estimated at 1.75 inches in diameter with lots of quarter sized hail mixed in. Hail caused damage to vinyl siding.
Hail Hail
Delayed report from emergency management of hail up to ping pong ball sized with wind-driven damage to windows and siding.
Hail Hail
Trained spotter report of hail measured at 1.50 inches in diameter with corresponding photographs shared on social media.
Drought Drought
Extreme (D3) drought conditions were initially present across 31 percent of Butler County at the beginning of April. Conditions improved steadily throughout the month, completely eliminating the extreme drought and leaving nearly 94 percent of the area in severe (D2) drought. The…
Drought Drought
A D2 (Severe) drought was introduced across the southern portion of the county on March 24, persisting through the remainder of the month. The cooperative observer near Fremont, Nebraska recorded 0.13 inches of precipitation for the month, which was 1.35 inches below average.
High Wind High Wind
No observations within the county. Estimated maximum wind gusts of 58-60 mph based on surrounding observations.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
The office received snowfall reports of 5 inches from the public, with the heaviest amounts of 6-7 inches estimated along the eastern edge of the county. Measured wind gusts of 20 to 27 mph, combined with the heavy snowfall, reduced visibility to around one-half mile.
High Wind High Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 61 mph near Dwight, NE.
High Wind High Wind
Mesonet measured wind gust of 59 mph near Dwight, NE.
High Wind High Wind
No observations within the county. Estimated maximum wind gusts of 58-60 mph based on surrounding observations.
High Wind High Wind
No observations within the county. Estimated maximum wind gusts of 55-60 mph based on surrounding observations.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Photos shared via social media of a destroyed outbuilding and a large, downed tree branch which did damage to the roof of a home. Time estimated based on radar.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Personal weather station measured heat index of 112 degrees.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Law enforcement report of several trees uprooted and branches broken. Wind speed estimated at 60-65 mph along the outflow boundary of a thunderstorm.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Mesonet measured wind gust of 60 mph along the outflow boundary of a thunderstorm.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 65 mph along the outflow boundary of a thunderstorm.
Drought Drought
D2 (severe) drought conditions at the beginning of the month saw significant improvement and were eliminated by July 22nd, with D1 (moderate) drought persisting. Observers at Surprise, Brainard 1.1 S, and Bellwood 5.8 W recorded 5.41, 6.28, and 9.68 inches of precipitation for th…
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
While no observations were available within the county, ASOS/AWOS and personal weather stations in surrounding counties measured heat index values of 106 to 114 degrees.
Drought Drought
With only slightly above average rainfall for the month, D2 (severe) drought conditions persisted across portions of Butler County. The cooperative observers at Brainard 1.1 S and Bellwood 5.8 W recorded 5.92 and 7.13 inches of precipitation for the month, respectively. These val…
Hail Hail
NWS Employee report of hail measured up to 1.75 in diameter.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Trained spotter report of wind gusts estimated at 50 to 60 mph along with pea sized hail.
Drought Drought
Toward the middle of the month, a D2 (severe) drought was introduced across the western portion of the county. Through the remainder of the month, conditions improved enough to trim back the D2 drought to the southwest corner of the county. The cooperative observer at Surprise re…
Hail Hail
Public report of hail estimated up to 2.4 in diameter. Delayed report with the time estimated from radar.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Personal weather station measured gust of 82 mph.
Blizzard Blizzard
Highways 15, 64, and 92 closed in Butler County due to blizzard conditions. Snowfall amounts generally in the 6 to 10 range with wind gusts measured up to 63 mph.
High Wind High Wind
Mesonet station NE045 in David City measured gust of 63 mph.
High Wind High Wind
No observations in the county, though surrounding conditions support High Wind Warning, with a 58 mph gust just outside the northern edge of the county.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Wind chill got as low as -44 in the county.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Wind chill got as low as -36 in the county.
High Wind High Wind
Though no direct measurements were made in the county of severe level wind gusts, observations from surrounding counties support the high likelihood of wind gusts up to 60 mph occurring the afternoon of the 19th.
Flood Flood
Flooding from excessive rain runoff was noted at the Surprise river gauge (SRPN1) along the Big Blue River in southwestern Butler county. The river gauge crested at 2 am CST on the 2nd at a height of 7.57 feet. Flood stage continued until 2 am CST on the 4th.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
The Butler County Emergency Manager reported flooding in Bruno, and in rural areas just to the south and eat of the town. Many roads were under water, particularly in the Skull Creek area.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The Butler County Emergency Manager reported several center pivots overturned and multiple power poles snapped from the intersection of U.S. Highway 80 and State Highway 64 East towards Bellwood. A damage survey also found an empty grain bin that had been blown off its foundation…
Tornado EF0 Tornado
This brief tornado touched down a quarter mile north of 28 Road and a quarter mile west of Q Road, and tracked east for approximately two-thirds of a mile before dissipating. On the west side of Q road, a center pivot was overturned. Several hardwood trees were blown down on the …
Tornado EF0 Tornado
This tornado touched down approximately half a mile east of T Road on 28 Road where tree branches were snapped off trees and littered across the road. This tornado then continued east along 28 Road to V Road snapping branches of trees along its way. Just after it crossed V Road, …
Hail Hail
The Butler County Emergency Manager reported golf ball sized hail in downtown Ulysses.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 14 | 0 |
| 2025 | 21 | 0 |
| 2024 | 14 | 4 |
| 2023 | 8 | 0 |
| 2022 | 18 | 0 |
| 2021 | 11 | 0 |
| 2020 | 10 | 0 |
| 2019 | 12 | 0 |
| 2018 | 17 | 0 |
| 2017 | 9 | 0 |
| 2016 | 9 | 0 |
| 2015 | 10 | 1 |
| 2014 | 21 | 0 |
| 2013 | 14 | 1 |
| 2012 | 27 | 0 |
| 2011 | 34 | 0 |
| 2010 | 16 | 0 |
| 2009 | 22 | 0 |
| 2008 | 13 | 3 |
| 2007 | 12 | 0 |
| 2006 | 24 | 2 |
| 2005 | 15 | 0 |
| 2004 | 14 | 0 |
| 2003 | 14 | 0 |
| 2002 | 12 | 0 |
| 2001 | 11 | 0 |
| 2000 | 11 | 1 |
| 1999 | 18 | 0 |
| 1998 | 6 | 0 |
| 1997 | 14 | 0 |
| 1996 | 25 | 2 |
| 1995 | 3 | 0 |
| 1994 | 1 | 0 |
| 1992 | 7 | 2 |
| 1991 | 3 | 0 |
| 1990 | 2 | 1 |
| 1989 | 2 | 0 |
| 1988 | 3 | 1 |
| 1987 | 2 | 0 |
| 1986 | 7 | 0 |
| 1985 | 7 | 1 |
| 1984 | 2 | 0 |
| 1982 | 1 | 0 |
| 1981 | 3 | 0 |
| 1980 | 5 | 1 |
| 1979 | 1 | 0 |
| 1978 | 6 | 2 |
| 1977 | 2 | 0 |
| 1976 | 1 | 0 |
| 1973 | 4 | 0 |
| 1972 | 2 | 2 |
| 1971 | 2 | 2 |
| 1970 | 5 | 2 |
| 1968 | 1 | 0 |
| 1967 | 1 | 0 |
| 1966 | 1 | 0 |
| 1965 | 3 | 1 |
| 1964 | 2 | 1 |
| 1960 | 1 | 0 |
| 1959 | 2 | 1 |
| 1958 | 1 | 1 |
| 1957 | 2 | 2 |
| 1953 | 2 | 2 |
| 1952 | 1 | 1 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Butler County, measured to its path.
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