Phelps County, Nebraska
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1956 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
36
Tornado reports
225
Hail reports
13
Floods since 1996
695
All events
1
Deaths
$32.4M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Phelps County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 35 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.
Hail ranging in size from quarters to two inches in diameter was reported across Holdrege.
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; 62 MPH, measured by a mesonet station located two miles east of Holdrege; 60 and 58 MPH, measured by the Holdrege Airport AWOS; 58 MPH, me…
Drought Drought
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A wind gust of 61 MPH was measured by the Holdrege Airport AWOS.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A wind gust of 68 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located eight miles south-southwest of Overton.
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…
Drought Drought
Blizzard Blizzard
Snowfall amounts ranged from around 3 inches in western portions of the county to near 7 inches in the east. The highest reported totals included 6 to 7 inches in the Holdrege area. 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 66 MPH, measured by the Holdrege Airport AWOS.
High Wind High Wind
The peak measured wind gust was 63 MPH, recorded by the Holdrege Airport AWOS.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Snowfall totals across the county were generally in the 2 to 6 inch range, with the highest reported total of 6.2 inches from a CoCoRaHS observer located two miles west-southwest of Holdrege.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Some of the coldest wind chills of the event were recorded across the county, including -45 degrees by a Nebraska Mesonet station located six miles southeast of Overton and -40 degrees by a Nebraska Mesonet station located five miles north of Holdrege.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Snowfall totals across the county generally ranged from 1 to 3 inches.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Snowfall totals across the county were generally in the 2 to 4 inch range, with the highest reported total of 3.0 inches from the NWS Cooperative Observer in Holdrege.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Storm total amounts generally in the 2 to 4 inch range were reported across the county.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Wind gusts estimated to be near 65 MPH resulted in downed tree limbs in the area, including one limb closer to 10 inches in diameter.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A wind gust of 58 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located five miles south-southwest of Elm Creek.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Wind gusts were estimated to be near 75 MPH, and was accompanied by hail as large as half dollars. At least one irrigation pivot was flipped, and severe crop damage was reported.
Hail Hail
Wind gusts were estimated to be near 75 MPH, and was accompanied by hail as large as half dollars. At least one irrigation pivot was flipped, and severe crop damage was reported.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Wind gusts were estimated to be as high as 70 MPH. Tree and power pole damage was reported four miles east-southeast of Holdrege. Measured gusts included: 64 MPH, by the Holdrege Airport AWOS; 63 MPH, by a mesonet station located six miles north of Holdrege; 59 MPH, by a mesonet …
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A wind gust of 60 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located five miles east-northeast of Loomis.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Quarter to golf ball size hail was reported.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A wind gust of 62 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located five miles south-southeast of Odessa.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A wind gust of 66 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located five miles north-northwest of Holdrege. Downed tree limbs were reported seven miles north of Holdrege.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A wind gust of 61 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located six miles west-northwest of Atlanta.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Peak wind gusts were estimated to be around 70 MPH, with measured gusts of 66 MPH from a mesonet station located three miles south-southwest of Holdrege and 60 MPH from the Holdrege Airport AWOS. The strongest winds were south-southwest of Holdrege, where a number of irrigation p…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A wind gust of 66 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located eight miles south of Elm Creek.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A wind gust of 60 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located five miles north-northwest of Holdrege. Minor tree damage was reported in Holdrege.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Wind gusts of 66 MPH were measured by mesonet stations located two and three miles north-northwest of Wilcox.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Wind gusts estimated to be near 85 MPH resulted in a swath of damage running from approximately 5-6 miles north of Funk to approximately 3-4 miles south-southeast of Funk. Emergency management reported numerous flipped irrigation pivots and several damaged or snapped power poles …
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Wind gusts were estimated to be near 60 MPH.
Tornado EF1 Tornado
An EF1 tornado tracked catty-corner from southwest to northeast across Holdrege. Much of the damage was noted in trees throughout town. Some large trees were uprooted or snapped. A handful of garages sustained damage. The tornado winds initially damaged the garage door, after whi…
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A wind gust of 67 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located five miles north-northwest of Holdrege.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A wind gust of 58 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located seven miles north of Loomis.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A wind gust of 60 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located eight miles south of Elm Creek.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A wind gust of 62 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located five miles south-southeast of Odessa.
Tornado EF1 Tornado
A brief tornado touched down near G Road just west of Atlanta. Damage rated as EF1 occurred at this location, primarily to the roof of a home. Resident witnessed the circulation move northeast into an adjacent field. Damage and debris ceased about one-half mile northeast, just so…
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…
Tornado EF1 Tornado
A ground survey of the damage, in conjunction with radar and Sentinel satellite imagery, indicate a tornado touched down just north of the golf course on the north side of Holdrege, then moved east and northeast. The majority of the damage occurred shortly after the tornado touch…
Tornado EF1 Tornado
This tornado developed very close to, or over, the fairgrounds area, then moved north. The most concentrated area of damage occurred between 4th Street and 6th Avenue, between Sherman Street and Lincoln Street, which included snapped wooden poles, an overturned pivot, and varying…
High Wind High Wind
A wind gust of 59 MPH was measured by the Holdrege Airport AWOS.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 12 | 0 |
| 2024 | 42 | 5 |
| 2023 | 26 | 1 |
| 2022 | 28 | 0 |
| 2021 | 19 | 0 |
| 2020 | 16 | 0 |
| 2019 | 30 | 0 |
| 2018 | 22 | 2 |
| 2017 | 18 | 0 |
| 2016 | 16 | 1 |
| 2015 | 2 | 0 |
| 2014 | 14 | 0 |
| 2013 | 29 | 0 |
| 2012 | 27 | 0 |
| 2011 | 39 | 1 |
| 2010 | 23 | 0 |
| 2009 | 11 | 0 |
| 2008 | 11 | 3 |
| 2007 | 15 | 0 |
| 2006 | 20 | 0 |
| 2005 | 20 | 1 |
| 2004 | 13 | 0 |
| 2003 | 18 | 0 |
| 2002 | 14 | 0 |
| 2001 | 14 | 0 |
| 2000 | 27 | 1 |
| 1999 | 28 | 1 |
| 1998 | 16 | 1 |
| 1997 | 13 | 0 |
| 1996 | 12 | 0 |
| 1995 | 1 | 0 |
| 1994 | 6 | 4 |
| 1993 | 5 | 0 |
| 1992 | 8 | 0 |
| 1991 | 4 | 1 |
| 1989 | 4 | 3 |
| 1988 | 3 | 1 |
| 1986 | 1 | 0 |
| 1985 | 5 | 2 |
| 1983 | 4 | 0 |
| 1982 | 2 | 0 |
| 1981 | 4 | 0 |
| 1979 | 10 | 0 |
| 1978 | 5 | 0 |
| 1977 | 2 | 1 |
| 1976 | 1 | 0 |
| 1975 | 2 | 0 |
| 1974 | 4 | 1 |
| 1973 | 3 | 0 |
| 1970 | 5 | 0 |
| 1969 | 2 | 1 |
| 1967 | 2 | 0 |
| 1965 | 1 | 0 |
| 1964 | 1 | 0 |
| 1962 | 5 | 1 |
| 1960 | 2 | 2 |
| 1959 | 4 | 0 |
| 1958 | 1 | 1 |
| 1956 | 1 | 1 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Phelps County, measured to its path.
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