Douglas storm history
Storm events recorded in Douglas, Nebraska between 1950 and 2025.
1,232
Total events
23
Tornadoes
480
Hail
92
Floods
20
Deaths
$887.0M
Property damage
Most significant events
Strongest tornadoes, deadliest events, and biggest damage in this county. Up to 50 shown.
This tornado developed about one quarter mile west of the West Q Road and 255th Street intersection in Western Douglas county where trees were knocked down and a farmstead sustained outbuilding damage. The tornado continued northeast crossing agricultural fields and flipping nume…
Tornado EF3 Tornado
At approximately 5:55 PM CST on Thursday, April 17, a tornado developed near Highway 133, and appeared to produce first damage by snapping limbs in an area of trees. The tornado moved to the east, impacting trees, homes, and destroying a garage near 108th Street. It damaged trees…
A highly damaging swath of severe thunderstorm winds moved across Douglas County, Nebraska, predominantly impacting the western and northern parts of the county, including the Omaha metropolitan area on the morning on August 9th, 2025. The storm produced damaging wind gusts, with…
Wind chill got as low as -30 in the county. An 86 year old woman was found dead in a garage due to suspected cold exposure.
Temperatures in the single digits and northwest winds of 20 mph led to wind chills in the -5 to -15 range in Douglas County. A 40 year old woman was found deceased in a tent in a homeless encampment in Omaha. An autopsy confirmed that she died from hypothermia.
For 7 days, the high temperature in Omaha was above 93. The highest observed temperature was 104 on August 24. The peak heat index reached at least 105 each day. The highest calculated heat index was a 117 on August 22.
Area automated observations indicated winds of 40 to 45 mph were common during the afternoon hours on the 10th. The combination of the winds and heavy falling snow resulted in considerable blowing and drifting snow and very low visibilities for several hours.
One of the first prolonged heat-wave episodes of the season sent around 45 people to local hospitals in the Omaha area due to heat exhaustion. The heat was also apparently responsible for one death as a Council Bluffs Iowa man was found dead after crashing his vehicle into a cons…
Sustained south winds of 25 mph with gusts to 40 mph caused a large tree limb to fall onto a 7-year-old boy killing him in midtown Omaha.
Arctic air spilled into the region dropping temperatures to 5 below to 10 below zero. Although winds had decreased into the 15 to 25 mph range, they still produced wind chill values of 20 below to 30 below zero during much of this time period. Temperatures moderated slightly by m…
Although the accumulating snow had ended by this time, sustained winds of 20 to 30 mph and gusts to 40 mph continued to cause areas of blowing snow along with substantial drifting snow. Visibilities occasionally fell below 1 mile and the persistent drifting snow kept many roads a…
Snowfall of 8 to 12 inches fell across much of the county from this storm with a little over 12 inches measured at the NWS office in Valley, 9.4 inches measured at Omaha Eppley and around 10.5 inches measured in Bennington and at Boystown. The snow began during the late evening o…
Heavy rainfall in the Omaha metropolitan area caused areas of flash flooding, especially near the Saddle Creek and Center Streets area, near the intersections of 96th and Q Streets, 17th and Ames Avenue and 108th and Q streets. It was near that last location where a 29-year-old m…
A 46 year old man was killed when lightning struck him while he was riding alone on a bike trail in central Omaha. The lightning came from a high based thunderstorm that was producing occasional cloud to ground lighting but little rainfall as it tracked east across the city.
Record setting rainfall caused extensive flooding over the Omaha Nebraska and Council Bluffs Iowa metro area and surrounding counties. Rainfall at Eppley Airfield in Omaha totaled 10.46 inches for the 24 hour period ending at 3 am cst 8/7/99, this was the most rainfall recorded i…
A maximum heat index of 112 degrees was observed the afternoon of the 15th. There were also 13 heat-related hospitalizations in Douglas County.
A max heat index of 110 was observed at the Millard AWOS. A peak heat index of 113 was also observed at the Eppley Airfield ASOS. 37 heat related hospitalizations were reported in Douglas County by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.
Wind chills across the county dropped under 35 degrees below zero every night during the duration of this event. The coldest wind chills were felt on January 13th and 14th. The coldest recorded wind chill in the county was minus 41 degrees, observed at both Eppley Airfield and th…
Heat index values of 105 to 110 degrees much of the afternoon of July 17th sent at least 10 people to Omaha hospitals, most were under the age of 40 and involved in outdoor activities.
A line of intense thunderstorms swept across the entirety of Douglas County, impacting the largest metropolitan area in the Omaha NWS County Warning Area. As these storms entered the western part of the county, 80 miles per hour wind gusts were likely being produced, with a 76 mi…
Flooding along the Missouri River in Douglas county gradually worsened during June and moderate flooding persisted into August as record releases from Gavins Point Dam brought widespread flooding along the River. Initially the high releases were due to heavy rain and snow melt, b…
Flooding along the Missouri River gradually worsened during June as record releases from Gavins Point Dam brought widespread flooding along the river. At Omaha the river climbed to around its 29 foot flood stage late in May and rose steadily through June reaching around 35 feet l…
Rainfall of at least 3 to 5 inches fell over much of the Elkhorn River basin in the week ending 7am 6/12, including 1 to 2 inch 24 hour amounts ending 7am the 12th. This caused record or near record flooding along the Elkhorn River from around Clearwater and Neligh downstream to …
This is a continuation of the damage path from the bow echo that started in Dodge and Saunders county to the west. The damage path in Douglas county was about 5 to 7 miles wide and a NWS storm survey estimated winds of at least 70 mph and in some cases up to 100 to 115 mph. Wind …
Lightning struck a midtown Omaha holiday decorating business starting a fire which quickly destroyed it. The storm responsible for the damage rolled across the city and produced a large number of cloud-to-ground lightning strokes as well as dropping at least 1 to 2 inches of rain…
A large bowing line of thunderstorms moved through the Omaha area bringing very strong winds and causing areas of substantial tree damage. A wind gust of 59 mph was recorded by Asos at Eppley Airfield at 1229 am cdt, while a wind gust of 84 mph was recorded on top of a building i…
High Wind High Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 62 mph in Omaha, NE.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Snow squall conditions impacted the county between 11:50 AM and 12:30 PM CST. KOAX radar indicated a robust convective band with high reflectivity moving rapidly through the area. During the passage of this band, the KOMA ASOS recorded a minimum visibility of 1/2 mile (0.50 mi) i…
High Wind High Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 64 mph near Millard, NE.
High Wind High Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 66 mph near Bennington, NE, 59 mph measured near Omaha, NE and 58 mph measured near Bennington, NE. KOMA ASOS measured wind gust of 59 mph. A peak wind gust of 59 mph was also measured at the NWS Valley/Omaha office.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
The office received snowfall reports of 4.5 to 5.5 inches from the public, Official NWS Observations, Trained Spotters and Broadcast Media. The heaviest snowfall was estimated around the eastern edge of the county. I-80 was closed between NE 370 and Exit 440 due to jackknifed sem…
High Wind High Wind
KOMA ASOS measured wind gust of 59 mph near Omaha, NE. Personal weather station measured wind gust of 59 mph near Fort Calhoun, NE.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Former NWS Employee reported wind gusts 60-65 mph, bringing down a couple 6-8 inch tree limbs. Time estimated via radar.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Delayed public report of large tree branches snapped; one of which fell on a house. Report and photos shared by broadcast media. Report time based on radar data.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
On the morning of July 31st, 2025, a storm brought heavy, intense rainfall to the Omaha metropolitan area, causing flash flooding in both Douglas and Sarpy counties. Between 4:00 AM and 7:30 AM CST, the West Papillion Creek at Elkhorn experienced a rapid rise in water levels. The…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Delayed report from 911 call center of multiple trees down. Wind speeds were estimated at 60-65 mph. Time estimated via radar.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
KOMA ASOS measured heat index up to 111 degrees. KMLE AWOS measured heat index up to 112 degrees. Personal weather stations and mesonets measured heat index of 115, 117 and 118 degrees.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
KOMA ASOS measured heat index up to 112 degrees with a minimum heat index of 71 degrees through the period. KMLE AWOS measured heat index up to 112 degrees with a minimum heat index of 73 degrees through the period. Personal weather station measured heat index of 116, 117 and 118…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 68 mph along the outflow boundary of a thunderstorm.
Events by year
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 71 | 1 |
| 2024 | 53 | 2 |
| 2023 | 63 | 0 |
| 2022 | 29 | 0 |
| 2021 | 49 | 0 |
| 2020 | 20 | 0 |
| 2019 | 35 | 0 |
| 2018 | 32 | 0 |
| 2017 | 55 | 0 |
| 2016 | 30 | 3 |
| 2015 | 9 | 0 |
| 2014 | 46 | 2 |
| 2013 | 16 | 0 |
| 2012 | 30 | 0 |
| 2011 | 46 | 0 |
| 2010 | 56 | 0 |
| 2009 | 14 | 0 |
| 2008 | 41 | 3 |
| 2007 | 27 | 0 |
| 2006 | 20 | 0 |
| 2005 | 40 | 0 |
| 2004 | 39 | 0 |
| 2003 | 15 | 0 |
| 2002 | 20 | 0 |
| 2001 | 28 | 0 |
| 2000 | 25 | 0 |
| 1999 | 15 | 0 |
| 1998 | 43 | 0 |
| 1997 | 13 | 0 |
| 1996 | 28 | 0 |
| 1995 | 12 | 0 |
| 1994 | 7 | 0 |
| 1993 | 2 | 0 |
| 1992 | 4 | 0 |
| 1991 | 13 | 1 |
| 1990 | 11 | 0 |
| 1989 | 7 | 0 |
| 1988 | 10 | 1 |
| 1987 | 9 | 0 |
| 1986 | 13 | 0 |
| 1985 | 9 | 0 |
| 1984 | 2 | 0 |
| 1983 | 9 | 0 |
| 1982 | 7 | 0 |
| 1981 | 4 | 0 |
| 1980 | 21 | 0 |
| 1979 | 7 | 0 |
| 1978 | 8 | 0 |
| 1977 | 3 | 0 |
| 1976 | 13 | 1 |
| 1975 | 6 | 2 |
| 1974 | 6 | 0 |
| 1973 | 5 | 0 |
| 1972 | 5 | 1 |
| 1971 | 3 | 1 |
| 1970 | 4 | 0 |
| 1968 | 5 | 2 |
| 1967 | 3 | 1 |
| 1966 | 3 | 0 |
| 1965 | 4 | 0 |
| 1964 | 3 | 0 |
| 1962 | 1 | 0 |
| 1960 | 1 | 0 |
| 1957 | 1 | 1 |
| 1956 | 3 | 1 |