Saline County, Nebraska
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1952 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
25
Tornado reports
295
Hail reports
79
Floods since 1996
737
All events
0
Deaths
$156.8M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Saline County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 25 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.
See description below
A strong line of severe thunderstorms swept across Saline County, Nebraska, on the morning of August 9th, 2025, producing a swath of damaging straight-line winds, particularly impactful across the northern portion of the county. The damage swath extended from the area around Frie…
Heavy rainfall of 3 to 7 inches across the Big Blue River basin led to minor flooding along the river near Crete. The flooding was even more significant to the south of the river gauge near DeWitt where the entire town was inundated with flooding leading to evacuations. The Big B…
Extremely heavy rainfall of 5 to 10 inches fell along the Turkey Creek basin. This allowed for the creek to swell into moderate flood levels. Flooding along the Creek resulted in numerous rural road closures and significant low-land flooding. The combination of the Turkey Creek a…
Baseball-size hail was reported on the east side of Friend. The hail covered the ground and produced moderate damage to trees and vehicles. Crop damage in some fields was up to 70 percent. Power was out in Friend for several hours. Many homes received roof damage. Some windows we…
Flash Flood Flash Flood
During the late evening hours of June 5, 2026, severe thunderstorms producing heavy rainfall triggered flash flooding across southeastern Saline County. Consecutive rounds of thunderstorms generated intense rainfall rates of 2.5 to 3.5 inches per hour, rapidly driving total estim…
Funnel Cloud Funnel Cloud
Trained spotter report of a funnel cloud 4 miles east of Swanton.
Hail Hail
Emergency management report of hail measured up to 1.00 inch in diameter.
Hail Hail
Trained spotter report of hail measured up to 1.00 inch in diameter.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 60 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 66 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Emergency management shared photos of damage to a farm. Damage included a destroyed sheet metal outbuilding, overturned irrigation pivot, crop damage, and down trees in the area. Time is estimated from radar. Wind gusts were estimated at 70 mph.
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) drought conditions covered around 8 percent of Saline County at the beginning of June, but conditions improved steadily throughout the month. Severe drought coverage was reduced to zero early in the month, and moderate (D1) drought was completely eliminated by mid-mon…
Hail Hail
Trained spotter report of hail measured up to 1.75 inches in diameter.
Hail Hail
Trained spotter report of hail estimated up to 1 inch in diameter with a mix of pea and quarter sized hail.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Storm chaser report of a large tree down in Friend, NE. Wind speeds estimated at 60 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Storm chaser report of large trees and limbs down in the road. Time estimated with radar. Wind speeds estimated at 60 mph.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
On the evening of May 16, 2026, repeated rounds of heavy rainfall triggered flash flooding across central Saline county. Broadcast media reported water over US Highway 15. The surge was driven by an intense downpour with rainfall rates of 1.00 to 2.00 inches per hour, resulting i…
Hail Hail
Trained spotter report of hail measured up to 1.00 inch in diameter.
Hail Hail
Law enforcement report of hail estimated up to 1.00 inch in diameter.
Hail Hail
Trained spotter report of hail measured up to 2.50 inches in diameter.
Hail Hail
Emergency management report of hail measured up to 1.50 inch in diameter.
Hail Hail
Public report of hail measured up to 2.00 inches in diameter with lots of hail on the ground.
Hail Hail
Public report of hail estimated up to 1.75 inches in diameter. Report received via mPING.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 66 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 73 mph.
Hail Hail
Delayed public social media report and photo of quarter sized hail stones. Time estimated based on radar.
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) drought conditions persisted across Saline County through the month of May, though improvements in areal coverage were observed. The coverage of severe drought shrank from 24 percent at the beginning of the month down to around 8 percent by the end of the month. The c…
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) drought conditions persisted across Saline County through the month of April, though significant improvements in areal coverage were observed. The coverage of severe drought shrank from around 71 percent at the beginning of the month down to 24 percent by the end of t…
Drought Drought
A D2 (Severe) drought was introduced across northwestern portion of the county on March 24, expanding over the northern majority of the county of March 31. The mesonet station near Milford, Nebraska recorded 0.18 inches of precipitation for the month, which was 1.39 inches below …
High Wind High Wind
No observations within the county. Estimated maximum wind gusts of 58-60 mph based on surrounding observations.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Emergency management report of trees and power lines down.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Mesonet measured wind gust of 59 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Public report received via social media of a large tree branch down on a house near Friend, NE.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Flash flooding struck portions of southeast Nebraska, including northern Saline County, on the morning of September 1, 2025, due to intense thunderstorms. Radar data indicated peak rainfall rates of 2'3 inches per hour, leading to estimated totals ranging from 3 to 6 inches. Thes…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Delayed report from emergency management of roof damage to several structures in Dorchester, NE. Time estimated from radar. Wind speeds were estimated at 80 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Delayed report from emergency management of damage to power lines and pivots flipped south of Dorchester. Time estimated from radar. Wind speeds were estimated at 80 mph.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Personal weather station measured heat index of 116 and 118 degrees.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Personal weather station measured heat index of 105 and 109 degrees.
Funnel Cloud Funnel Cloud
Public caller reported a funnel cloud to the their south from Highway 7 near Friend, Nebraska.
Blizzard Blizzard
US Highway 6, and highway 15 in Saline County closed due to blizzard conditions. Several highways, including 15, 74, 41, and others closed in Saline County due to blizzard. Snowfall amounts generally in the 3 to 8 range with wind gusts measured up to 58 mph.
High Wind High Wind
Mesonet station CW7409 measured gust of 58 mph. Personal weather station measured gust of 58 mph.
High Wind High Wind
Public report of a measured 61 mph wind gust from a Kestrel.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Wind chill got as low as -38 in the county.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Interpolation of nearby observations suggests wind chills got as low as -30 in the county.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
A max afternoon heat index of 115 degrees was measured by a mesonet site in Friend.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A 63 miles per hour wind gust was measured by a personal weather station.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 25 | 0 |
| 2025 | 16 | 0 |
| 2024 | 17 | 1 |
| 2023 | 12 | 0 |
| 2022 | 12 | 0 |
| 2021 | 10 | 1 |
| 2020 | 14 | 0 |
| 2019 | 12 | 0 |
| 2018 | 13 | 3 |
| 2017 | 20 | 0 |
| 2016 | 18 | 0 |
| 2015 | 19 | 0 |
| 2014 | 27 | 1 |
| 2013 | 27 | 0 |
| 2012 | 18 | 0 |
| 2011 | 26 | 0 |
| 2010 | 28 | 0 |
| 2009 | 26 | 0 |
| 2008 | 41 | 0 |
| 2007 | 33 | 1 |
| 2006 | 29 | 0 |
| 2005 | 28 | 0 |
| 2004 | 46 | 1 |
| 2003 | 8 | 0 |
| 2002 | 21 | 1 |
| 2001 | 33 | 0 |
| 2000 | 16 | 0 |
| 1999 | 18 | 0 |
| 1998 | 20 | 1 |
| 1997 | 14 | 0 |
| 1996 | 17 | 0 |
| 1995 | 1 | 0 |
| 1994 | 7 | 0 |
| 1992 | 3 | 2 |
| 1991 | 3 | 0 |
| 1989 | 1 | 1 |
| 1987 | 1 | 1 |
| 1986 | 2 | 0 |
| 1985 | 2 | 0 |
| 1982 | 5 | 1 |
| 1981 | 6 | 0 |
| 1980 | 4 | 0 |
| 1979 | 3 | 0 |
| 1978 | 1 | 1 |
| 1977 | 2 | 1 |
| 1976 | 1 | 0 |
| 1975 | 4 | 3 |
| 1974 | 3 | 0 |
| 1973 | 2 | 0 |
| 1969 | 1 | 0 |
| 1968 | 3 | 0 |
| 1966 | 2 | 0 |
| 1965 | 2 | 0 |
| 1964 | 3 | 2 |
| 1963 | 1 | 0 |
| 1961 | 1 | 0 |
| 1960 | 2 | 0 |
| 1959 | 1 | 0 |
| 1958 | 1 | 1 |
| 1957 | 2 | 1 |
| 1956 | 2 | 0 |
| 1952 | 1 | 1 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Saline County, measured to its path.
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