Lancaster storm history
Storm events recorded in Lancaster, Nebraska between 1950 and 2025.
1,161
Total events
52
Tornadoes
481
Hail
61
Floods
6
Deaths
$221.0M
Property damage
Most significant events
Strongest tornadoes, deadliest events, and biggest damage in this county. Up to 50 shown.
See description below.
This tornado touched down on the northeast side of Lincoln near the intersection of Havelock Ave and 84th Street causing damage to a business and a large transmission line south of Havelock Ave. The tornado moved northeast through agricultural fields, snapping power poles and lar…
Estimated wind gusts to 59 mph as a cold front moved through. Two children were playing on a bounce toy at a pumpkin patch on the north side of Lincoln, NE when it was tossed by the wind. 1 child was injured with a broken arm. Another child received extensive injuries after being…
Area automated observations indicated winds of 35 to 40 mph were common from late morning and into 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. …
Snowfall of 2 to 4 inches fell along Interstate 80 creating slick roads and poor visibilities. This lead to an semi truck rear-ending a car which had slowed down due to traffic. The collision killed a 2-year-old boy who was properly restrained in the back seat of the car. The dri…
A prolonged period of light to moderate snow fell over the county with snow totals between 6 and 8 inches. Lincoln reported 6.7 inches and Raymond 7.6 inches for two of the highest amounts received. The snow fell over a 36 hour period and caused several accidents, including one o…
Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 40 to 50 mph caused a boat carrying 3 people to capsize during a fishing tournament at Wagon Train Lake near Hickman. One man drowned.
A maximum heat index of 114 degrees was observed the afternoon of the 15th. There were 8 hospitalizations from heat-related illness reported in Lancaster County as well.
A max heat index of 111 was observed by the Lincoln ASOS. 13 heat related hospitalizations were reported in Lancaster 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 40 degrees, observed in Hallam on the evening of th…
A severe thunderstorm moved through the northwest portion of Lancaster County, Nebraska, generating a swath of very strong winds on the morning of August 9th, 2025. The most intense wind report was an estimated gust of 100 mph from an emergency manager in Malcolm at 03:58 CST, wh…
Widespread severe wind gusts and straight line wind damage was observed across the entirety of Lancaster County with a line of severe thunderstorms that moved through the afternoon of July 31st. The highest measured wind gust was 92 miles per hour, recorded 1 mile southwest of De…
Numerous reports from a variety of sources of flash flooding in the southeast part of the city of Lincoln. Rainfall reports of 3.5 to over 5 inches of rainfall were received. This along with areas of several inches accumulation of hail led to widespread street flooding in the are…
Record rainfall of 5 to 10 inches fell across Lancaster County, and the Salt Creek basin on the evening of the 6th into the early morning of the 7th. This led to significant flooding along the creek, from near Roca north through the Lincoln metro area. The flooding resulted in nu…
Heavy rain caused flash flooding which caused extensive damage to basements and businesses and closed numerous county roads, mostly south of Lincoln, and especially along Salt Creek. Gravel was washed from roads and cropland was also flooded. It was estimated that resurfacing gra…
A very destructive hailstorm was centered on Firth Nebraska. The path of destruction was 6 to 8 miles wide and 20 to 30 miles long beginning near Sprague in Lancaster county and continuing to near Sterling in extreme northwest Johnson county. In Firth, hail up to the size of base…
High Wind High Wind
Mesonet measured wind gust of 63 mph. Personal weather station measured wind gust of 59 mph in Lincoln, NE.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Snow squall conditions impacted the county between 11:30 AM and 12:15 PM CST. KOAX radar indicated a robust convective band with high reflectivity moving rapidly through the area. During the passage of this band, the KLNK ASOS recorded a minimum visibility of 1/4 mile (0.25 mi) i…
High Wind High Wind
KLNK ASOS measured wind gust of 61 mph near Lincoln, NE. Personal weather station measured wind gust of 58 mph near Lincoln, NE.
High Wind High Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 59 mph near Hickman, NE and Malcolm, NE.
High Wind High Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 62 mph near Lincoln, NE and 60 mph near Greenwood, NE.
Hail Hail
Public report of hail estimated at 1 inch in diameter.
Hail Hail
Emergency manager report of hail estimated at nickel to quarter-sized in diameter.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 66 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 60 mph.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
On the morning of August 10, 2025, heavy thunderstorms pushed through the Lincoln, Nebraska metropolitan area, triggering flash flooding across northwest Lincoln and north-central Lancaster County. Measured rainfall totaled 3.12 to 3.69 inches, with radar estimates confirming a s…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
KLNK ASOS reported a measured wind gust of 59 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 58 mph.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
KLNK ASOS measured heat index up to 110 degrees. Personal weather stations and mesonets measured heat index of 114, 116 and 118 degrees.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
KLNK ASOS measured heat index up to 113 degrees with a minimum heat index of 74 degrees through the period. Personal weather station measured heat index of 113, 117 and 119 degrees.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
KLNK ASOS measured wind gust of 64 mph along the outflow boundary of a thunderstorm.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 66 mph along the outflow boundary of a thunderstorm.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 61 mph along the outflow boundary of a thunderstorm.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 58 mph along the outflow boundary of a thunderstorm.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 60 mph along the outflow boundary of a thunderstorm.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
KLNK ASOS measured wind gust of 63 mph. The wind gust was behind the heaviest precipitation and associated with a wake low.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
KLNK ASOS measured heat index up to 107 degrees with a minimum heat index of 79 degrees through the period. Personal weather station measured heat index of 110, 111 and 114 degrees.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 63 mph.
Hail Hail
Public report received via social media of hail estimated up to 1 in diameter.
Hail Hail
Public report of hail estimated up to 1 in diameter.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Emergency management report of 2 to 3 inch in diameter tree branches down and shingle blown off outbuildings. Wind speed estimated from damage and time estimated from radar.
Drought Drought
Toward the middle of the month, a D2 (severe) drought was introduced into a majority of Lancaster county. Through the remainder of the month, conditions improved enough to remove the D2 drought from the county. The cooperative observer at Crete 4ESE recorded 2.88 inches of precip…
Hail Hail
Public report of hail estimated up to 2 in diameter.
Hail Hail
Trained spotter report of hail measured up to 2 in diameter.
Hail Hail
Public report of hail estimated up to 1 in diameter.
Events by year
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 41 | 0 |
| 2024 | 39 | 5 |
| 2023 | 37 | 1 |
| 2022 | 42 | 0 |
| 2021 | 15 | 1 |
| 2020 | 67 | 0 |
| 2019 | 46 | 2 |
| 2018 | 36 | 0 |
| 2017 | 32 | 1 |
| 2016 | 27 | 2 |
| 2015 | 34 | 2 |
| 2014 | 45 | 3 |
| 2013 | 25 | 1 |
| 2012 | 24 | 0 |
| 2011 | 34 | 0 |
| 2010 | 49 | 0 |
| 2009 | 28 | 3 |
| 2008 | 28 | 2 |
| 2007 | 29 | 0 |
| 2006 | 28 | 0 |
| 2005 | 28 | 0 |
| 2004 | 35 | 3 |
| 2003 | 23 | 0 |
| 2002 | 32 | 0 |
| 2001 | 28 | 1 |
| 2000 | 25 | 0 |
| 1999 | 17 | 0 |
| 1998 | 19 | 0 |
| 1997 | 17 | 4 |
| 1996 | 37 | 1 |
| 1995 | 9 | 0 |
| 1994 | 2 | 0 |
| 1992 | 6 | 1 |
| 1991 | 7 | 0 |
| 1990 | 4 | 0 |
| 1989 | 10 | 0 |
| 1988 | 2 | 0 |
| 1987 | 6 | 0 |
| 1986 | 9 | 0 |
| 1985 | 10 | 0 |
| 1984 | 6 | 1 |
| 1983 | 1 | 0 |
| 1982 | 10 | 1 |
| 1981 | 6 | 1 |
| 1980 | 5 | 0 |
| 1979 | 2 | 0 |
| 1978 | 6 | 0 |
| 1977 | 2 | 1 |
| 1976 | 3 | 0 |
| 1975 | 7 | 1 |
| 1974 | 3 | 0 |
| 1973 | 5 | 0 |
| 1972 | 1 | 1 |
| 1971 | 4 | 2 |
| 1970 | 4 | 0 |
| 1969 | 1 | 0 |
| 1968 | 4 | 0 |
| 1967 | 9 | 1 |
| 1966 | 4 | 0 |
| 1965 | 10 | 0 |
| 1964 | 5 | 1 |
| 1963 | 7 | 0 |
| 1962 | 4 | 0 |
| 1960 | 5 | 0 |
| 1959 | 4 | 1 |
| 1958 | 1 | 1 |
| 1957 | 4 | 2 |
| 1956 | 4 | 3 |
| 1955 | 1 | 1 |
| 1950 | 1 | 1 |