Platte County, Nebraska
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1953 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
36
Tornado reports
239
Hail reports
58
Floods since 1996
739
All events
4
Deaths
$19.7M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Platte County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 36 in all. Zoom in and the paths widen to their surveyed width.
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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 reduced visibility to near 0 across portions of Platte County. The Platte County Sheriff's Office and Nebraska State Patrol reported fog was present at a vehicle vs. pedestrian accident along Highway 81 west of Columbus at approximately 6:30 AM CST on December 24th. A n…
This is for flooding along the Shell Creek. The river gage near Columbus, operated by the USGS, peaked at 22.21 feet at 7:30 am on March 14th. Major flood stage is 22 feet. Preliminary data shows that this peak is the 2nd highest on record. US Highway 81 was flooded over from hig…
This is for flooding along the Loup River. The river gage at Columbus, operated by the Nebraska DNR, peaked at 19.39 feet at 5 am on March 15th. Major flood stage is 20 feet. Preliminary this peak is the 2nd highest on record. This flooding caused substantial damage to the area, …
A prolonged winter storm/blizzard hit the area closing many roads and highways and bringing most traffic to a standstill for a few days. Snowfall from the storm began Christmas Eve morning and lasted well into the 26th with substantial blowing and drifting snow and occasional per…
Two farm houses destroyed. Six farm houses severely damaged. One house blown off foundation. Bar destroyed. Center pivots overturned. Severe crop damage.
Freezing rain accumulated between 1/4 inch and 1 inch in some locations on trees, power lines, vehicles and other untreated objects. The areas most hard hit in Platte county were to the west through north of Columbus. The weight of the ice, and a mix of light sleet that fell for …
Numerous hailstones 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches with some as large as 2 3/4 inches did damage to over 1500 cars as well as to many roofs and gutters.
Hail Hail
Public report of hail measured up to 1.00 inch in diameter.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 71 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Nebraska mesonet station measured wind gust of 64 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 64 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 60 mph.
Hail Hail
Public report of hail estimated up to 1.25 inches in diameter, received via social media.
Hail Hail
Public report of hail estimated up to 2.00 inches in diameter, received via social media.
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) drought conditions were present across portions of Platte County at the beginning of the month, but conditions improved steadily throughout May. Severe drought coverage was reduced to zero by the end of the month, leaving the entire county in moderate (D1) drought. Th…
Drought Drought
Extreme (D3) drought conditions were present across Platte County at the beginning of the month, but conditions improved steadily throughout April. Extreme drought coverage was removed completely by the end of the month, while the coverage of severe (D2) drought shrank from nearl…
Drought Drought
A D2 (Severe) drought was introduced across the northern portion of the county on March 3, overspreading the remainder of the county on March 17. A D3 (Extreme) drought was introduced across the southern portion of the county on March 31. The cooperative observer near Humphrey, N…
Winter Storm Winter Storm
The office received snowfall reports of 4 to 7 inches from the trained spotters and the public, with the heaviest amounts estimated along the southeastern edge of the county. Measured wind gusts of 23 to 29 mph, combined with the heavy snowfall, reduced visibility to around one-h…
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
KOLU AWOS measured wind chill temperature as low as 30 degrees below zero.
High Wind High Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 58 mph near Columbus, NE.
High Wind High Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 61 mph near Monroe, NE.
High Wind High Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 58 mph near Cornlea, NE.
High Wind High Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 62 mph near Monroe, NE. Personal weather station measured wind gust of 61 mph near Humphrey, NE.
Hail Hail
Public report of hail estimated up to 0.75 inches in diameter. Report received via mPING.
Hail Hail
Public report of hail estimated up to penny sized.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
KOLU AWOS measured heat index up to 111 degrees with a minimum heat index of 70 degrees through the period. Personal weather station measured heat index of 113, 116 and 118 degrees.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Public report received via social media of wind gusts estimated at 60 mph on the northwest side of Columbus, NE.
Hail Hail
Report of hail estimated up to 1.50 in. in diameter. Report received via mPING.
Hail Hail
Report of hail estimated up to 1.25 in. in diameter. Report received via mPING.
Hail Hail
Trained spotter of hail estimated up to 0.88 in. in diameter.
Hail Hail
Report of hail estimated up to 1 in. in diameter. Report received via mPING.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
During the evening of July 7th, heavy rainfall moved through northwest Platte county with rainfall rates of 1.5-3 inches per hour at times with an estimated 3-4 inches of total rainfall. This led to flash flooding with emergency management reporting water over the roadway 1.5 mil…
Flood Flood
During the afternoon of June 25th into the morning of June 26th, several rounds of moderate to heavy rain moved through Platte County with rainfall rates of at least 1 inch per hour at times. This led to flooding in southwestern portions of the county, with emergency management r…
Flash Flood Flash Flood
During the afternoon of June 25th into the morning of June 26th, several rounds of moderate to heavy rain moved through Platte County with rainfall rates of at least 1 inch per hour at times. This led to flooding in southwestern portions of the county, with emergency management r…
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
KOLU AWOS measured heat index up to 104 degrees with a minimum heat index of 78 degrees through the period. Personal weather station measured heat index of 110 and 114 degrees.
Hail Hail
Trained spotter report of hail measured up to 1.75 inches in diameter.
Drought Drought
D2 (severe) drought conditions at the beginning of the month saw significant improvement, with conditions improving to D0 (abnormally dry) by the end of the month. The observer at Columbus 3 NE recorded 6.95 inches of precipitation for the month, which was 2.26 inches above avera…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Emergency management report of a semi truck blow over east of Tarnov.
Hail Hail
Public report of hail estimated up to 1 in diameter.
Hail Hail
Public report of hail measured up to 1.25 in diameter.
Hail Hail
Public report of hail measured up to 3 in diameter.
Hail Hail
Public report of hail estimated up to 1.75 in diameter.
Hail Hail
Public report of hail measured up to 1 in diameter.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Personal weather station wind gust measured at 58 mph.
High Wind High Wind
Personal weather station measured gust of 70 mph 2 S Columbus. Personal weather station measured gust of 62 mph 3 WSW Richland. Personal weather station measured gust of 59 mph 5 NNE Saint Edward.
Drought Drought
D2 (severe) drought conditions persisted across the western half of the county through the month. The cooperative observer at Columbus 3 NE recorded 4.51 inches of precipitation for the month. This value was 0.06 inches above average.
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) drought conditions persisted across the northwestern corner of Platte county in April. The cooperative observer at Columbus 3NE recorded 1.82 inches of precipitation for the month. This was 1.11 inches below average.
Blizzard Blizzard
AWOS hit true blizzard criteria, Highway 91 closed across Platte and Colfax Counties due to blizzard conditions. Snowfall amounts generally in the 3 to 8 range with wind gusts measured up to 52 mph.
High Wind High Wind
KOLU AWOS measured sustained wind speeds of over 40 mph from 0956Z to 1108Z.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 13 | 0 |
| 2025 | 36 | 0 |
| 2024 | 26 | 5 |
| 2023 | 37 | 1 |
| 2022 | 23 | 0 |
| 2021 | 21 | 2 |
| 2020 | 13 | 0 |
| 2019 | 16 | 0 |
| 2018 | 35 | 0 |
| 2017 | 28 | 0 |
| 2016 | 8 | 0 |
| 2015 | 12 | 0 |
| 2014 | 16 | 0 |
| 2013 | 17 | 0 |
| 2012 | 24 | 1 |
| 2011 | 28 | 0 |
| 2010 | 21 | 0 |
| 2009 | 19 | 0 |
| 2008 | 22 | 0 |
| 2007 | 26 | 0 |
| 2006 | 18 | 0 |
| 2005 | 15 | 0 |
| 2004 | 20 | 0 |
| 2003 | 34 | 2 |
| 2002 | 15 | 0 |
| 2001 | 8 | 1 |
| 2000 | 20 | 2 |
| 1999 | 17 | 0 |
| 1998 | 17 | 2 |
| 1997 | 18 | 0 |
| 1996 | 24 | 1 |
| 1995 | 2 | 0 |
| 1994 | 3 | 0 |
| 1992 | 2 | 0 |
| 1991 | 4 | 0 |
| 1990 | 5 | 3 |
| 1989 | 3 | 0 |
| 1988 | 1 | 0 |
| 1987 | 4 | 1 |
| 1986 | 5 | 1 |
| 1985 | 2 | 0 |
| 1984 | 3 | 1 |
| 1983 | 1 | 0 |
| 1982 | 6 | 0 |
| 1981 | 2 | 0 |
| 1980 | 9 | 1 |
| 1979 | 2 | 0 |
| 1977 | 5 | 0 |
| 1976 | 2 | 0 |
| 1975 | 2 | 0 |
| 1974 | 3 | 1 |
| 1973 | 3 | 1 |
| 1971 | 1 | 1 |
| 1970 | 3 | 0 |
| 1969 | 3 | 3 |
| 1968 | 2 | 0 |
| 1967 | 1 | 1 |
| 1965 | 3 | 1 |
| 1964 | 1 | 0 |
| 1962 | 4 | 0 |
| 1957 | 2 | 2 |
| 1956 | 1 | 0 |
| 1954 | 1 | 1 |
| 1953 | 1 | 1 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Platte County, measured to its path.
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