Harlan 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.
26
Tornado reports
191
Hail reports
10
Floods since 1996
542
All events
0
Deaths
$13.1M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Harlan County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 26 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.
The line of thunderstorms with damaging wind gusts up near 80 MPH continued into Harlan County. Damage was reported in the Alma, Republican City and Harlan County Dam areas. Large tree limbs near 8 to 12 inches in diameter were downed. On the south side of Harlan County Lake near…
Drought Drought
High Wind High Wind
Sustained speeds near 40 MPH and wind gusts exceeding 50 MPH were common throughout the day. Peak measured wind gusts included the following; 67 MPH, measured by a mesonet station located seven miles west-southwest of Ragan; 65 MPH, measured by a mesonet station located six miles…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A wind gust of 61 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located three miles west of Republican City.
Drought Drought
Dust Storm Dust Storm
The combination of a passing synoptic cold front and an outflow boundary from convection well to the north produced wind gusts over 50 MPH at times. These wind gusts along with the dry conditions across the area resulted in widespread blowing dust, at times dropping visibility to…
Blizzard Blizzard
Snowfall amounts ranged anywhere from 3 to 7 inches. The highest reported totals included 5.0 inches from Harlan County Lake and Stamford, as well as 4.0 inches from Orleans. This snow, combined with the strong northerly winds, resulted in widespread white-out conditions.
High Wind High Wind
Wind gusts anywhere from 55 to near 70 MPH were common across the area. The peak measured wind gust for the county was 64 MPH, measured by a mesonet station located six miles west-southwest of Ragan.
High Wind High Wind
The peak measured wind gust was 60 MPH, recorded by mesonet stations located four miles southeast of Huntley and six miles west-southwest of Ragan.
High Wind High Wind
A wind gust of 59 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located four miles west-southwest of Huntley.
High Wind High Wind
A wind gust of 66 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located six miles east-southeast of Oxford.
High Wind High Wind
A wind gust of 62 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located seven miles south-southwest of Alma.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Snowfall totals across the county were generally in the 2 to 6 inch range, with the highest reported total of 6.6 inches from the NWS Cooperative Observer located one mile west of Orleans.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Snowfall totals across the county generally ranged from 1 to 4 inches, with the highest totals located across northern portions of the county.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Snowfall totals across the county were generally in the 2 to 5 inch range, with the highest reported total of 4.6 inches from the NWS Cooperative Observer located one mile west of Orleans.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Storm total amounts generally in the 1 to 4 inch range were reported across the county.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Wind gusts estimated to be near 70 MPH caused damage to irrigation piping and a power pole in the area.
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A wind gust of 59 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located seven miles south-southeast of Stamford.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A wind gust of 64 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located one mile east-southeast of Harlan County Dam.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A wind gust of 58 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located three miles north-northwest of Alma.
Tornado EF0 Tornado
This weak and somewhat intermittent tornado touched down near the intersection of Highway 183 and Highway 4, then moved northeast. Damage was limited to trees, pivots, and a a few power poles along its roughly seven mile track. The estimated peak wind was 85 MPH. The tornado lift…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A wind gust of 59 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located six miles west of Huntley.
High Wind High Wind
A wind gust of 62 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located three miles north-northwest of Alma, in stratiform rain well behind the main line of thunderstorms.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A wind gust of 65 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located three miles north-northwest of Alma.
High Wind High Wind
A wind gust of 60 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located seven mile southwest of Alma and by several mesonets in the Huntley area. A wind gust of 58 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located six miles east-southeast of Oxford.
High Wind High Wind
A wind gust of 61 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located six miles east-northeast of Oxford.
Blizzard Blizzard
Measured and estimated snowfall totals ranged from 2 to 5 inches.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Snowfall amounts ranged from 1 to 3 inches across the county.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Wind chill values of -30 to -45 were common, based on area observations.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Snow amounts of 1 to 3 inches fell across the county. A total of 2.0 inches was measured by the NWS Cooperative Observer located one mile west of Orleans. A social media report of an estimated 1 to 2 inches came from the Alma area.
Blizzard Blizzard
Snowfall amounts ranged from 3 to 6 inches across the county, partially based off totals from surrounding counties. Local totals included 5.3 inches, reported by the NWS Cooperative Observer located one miles west of Orleans, and 5.0 inches, reported by the NWS Cooperative Observ…
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Snowfall amounts of mainly 3-6 inches blanketed the county. A total of 6.0 inches was reported by the NWS Cooperative Observer located at the Harlan County Dam and 5.5 inches was reported by the NWS Cooperative Observer near Orleans.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
A snowfall total of 5.0 inches was reported via Facebook from Republican City.
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A wind gust of 59 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located two miles north-northeast of Huntley.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A wind gust of 73 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located five miles south-southwest of Atlanta.
Heat Heat
Drought Drought
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A wind gust of 67 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located four miles northwest of Huntley.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Wind gusts estimated to be near 65 MPH resulted in tree damage in Alma, including several large downed limbs.
Drought Drought
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A cluster of thunderstorms sliding east just north of the Nebraska-Kansas state line produced widespread severe weather across central and southern portions of Harlan County. Hail generally up to the size of golf balls was reported across this area, though isolated larger hail al…
Hail Hail
A cluster of thunderstorms sliding east just north of the Nebraska-Kansas state line produced widespread severe weather across central and southern portions of Harlan County. Hail generally up to the size of golf balls was reported across this area, though isolated larger hail al…
Drought Drought
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 14 | 0 |
| 2024 | 16 | 1 |
| 2023 | 28 | 0 |
| 2022 | 33 | 3 |
| 2021 | 25 | 0 |
| 2020 | 15 | 0 |
| 2019 | 22 | 0 |
| 2018 | 17 | 1 |
| 2017 | 10 | 0 |
| 2016 | 7 | 0 |
| 2015 | 10 | 2 |
| 2014 | 19 | 0 |
| 2013 | 17 | 0 |
| 2012 | 25 | 1 |
| 2011 | 28 | 1 |
| 2010 | 24 | 0 |
| 2009 | 10 | 0 |
| 2008 | 11 | 0 |
| 2007 | 14 | 0 |
| 2006 | 8 | 0 |
| 2005 | 15 | 0 |
| 2004 | 12 | 3 |
| 2003 | 6 | 0 |
| 2002 | 11 | 0 |
| 2001 | 16 | 0 |
| 2000 | 17 | 0 |
| 1999 | 14 | 1 |
| 1998 | 8 | 0 |
| 1997 | 13 | 0 |
| 1996 | 10 | 0 |
| 1995 | 3 | 0 |
| 1993 | 2 | 1 |
| 1992 | 3 | 0 |
| 1991 | 3 | 2 |
| 1990 | 8 | 2 |
| 1989 | 4 | 2 |
| 1988 | 1 | 0 |
| 1986 | 1 | 0 |
| 1985 | 2 | 0 |
| 1984 | 1 | 0 |
| 1983 | 1 | 0 |
| 1982 | 2 | 2 |
| 1981 | 2 | 0 |
| 1980 | 6 | 1 |
| 1979 | 2 | 0 |
| 1977 | 6 | 0 |
| 1974 | 3 | 1 |
| 1973 | 2 | 0 |
| 1972 | 1 | 0 |
| 1971 | 2 | 0 |
| 1970 | 2 | 1 |
| 1969 | 1 | 0 |
| 1965 | 1 | 1 |
| 1962 | 1 | 0 |
| 1960 | 2 | 0 |
| 1956 | 1 | 0 |
| 1955 | 2 | 0 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Harlan County, measured to its path.
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