Seward storm history
Storm events recorded in Seward, Nebraska between 1950 and 2025.
584
Total events
38
Tornadoes
204
Hail
30
Floods
4
Deaths
$66.6M
Property damage
Most significant events
Strongest tornadoes, deadliest events, and biggest damage in this county. Up to 50 shown.
A slow moving tornado tracked from south of Seward to just east of town with a total track length of 8 miles. The tornado was caught on film by several chasers. The tornado destroyed an entire farmstead and a propane and anhydrous ammonia tank farm and machine shed. Several vehic…
This tornado crossed into Seward county from York county and was the most intense tornado during this outbreak with a track of around 14 miles in Seward county. The tornado moved just north of the city of Cordova crossing State Highway 76A. Here the tornado impacted several rural…
Snowfall of 6 to 8 inches fell over much of Seward county, including a little over 8 inches in Utica. One person was killed on I80 during the evening of the 8th when their vehicle hit a patch of ice causing it to swerve into another vehicle and then slid off the road where it rol…
High gradient winds up to 50 mph whipped blinding dust across interstate 80 just east of the Beaver Crossing interchange west of Lincoln. Visibilities, which were suddenly reduced to zero in the blowing dust, caused a 10-vehicle pileup that killed 2 people and injured 8 others. T…
A damaging wind event tracked across Seward County, Nebraska, on the morning of August 9th, 2025, impacting areas from the southwest to the eastern portion of the county. The storm produced a number of strong, measured wind gusts, with the highest recorded being 82 miles per hour…
High Wind High Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 58 mph near Staplehurst, NE.
High Wind High Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 59 mph near Staplehurst, NE. A public report was also received of non-thunderstorm wind damage near Seward, NE with decent sized tree limbs down due to strong winds.
High Wind High Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 58 mph near Staplehurst, NE.
High Wind High Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 58 mph near Staplehurst, NE.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Public report received via social media of power poles down near Tamora, NE.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Trained spotter report of an uprooted tree. Time estimated from radar.
Hail Hail
Public report of hail estimated at 1 inch in diameter.
Hail Hail
Delayed public report of hail measured at 1 inch in diameter. Time estimated via radar.
Flood Flood
On the morning of September 1, 2025, thunderstorms brought heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding concerns to portions of eastern Nebraska, including southern Seward County. Radar estimates for the event indicated total rainfall amounts ranging from 3 to 6 inches. These estimates…
Flood Flood
On the morning of September 1, 2025, intense thunderstorms generated heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding concerns across portions of eastern Nebraska, specifically Seward County. Radar estimated total rainfall for the event ranged from 3 to 6 inches. These assessments were str…
Hail Hail
Public report of hail measured at 1.25 inches in diameter.
Hail Hail
Public report of hail estimated at 1 inch in diameter.
Hail Hail
Trained spotter report of hail measured at 1 inch in diameter.
Hail Hail
Trained spotter report of hail measured at 0.88 inches in diameter.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 73 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Public report relayed via social media images of large trees down, one impacting a roof. Time estimated from radar. Winds gusted to an estimated 70-80 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 76 mph.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Personal weather station measured heat index of 115, 116 and 117 degrees.
Drought Drought
D2 (severe) drought conditions at the beginning of the month saw significant improvement and were eliminated by July 22nd. By the end of the month, conditions had improved to D1 (moderate) drought. Observers at Seward and Seward 4.7 NE recorded 5.59 and 4.81 inches of precipitati…
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Personal weather station measured heat index of 106 and 107 degrees.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Personal weather station measured gust of 61 mph, likely associated with the passing of an outflow boundary.
Drought Drought
D2 (severe) drought conditions persisted across the county through the month, with rainfall generally below average. Observers at Seward, Gresham 6.2 E, and Utica 0.1 SSE recorded 2.73, 4.13, and 3.55 inches of precipitation for the month, respectively. These values were 1.97, 0.…
Drought Drought
Toward the middle of the month, a D2 (severe) drought was introduced across the majority of Seward county. Through the remainder of the month, conditions improved enough to trim back the D2 drought to the northwest corner of the county. The cooperative observer at Seward recorded…
Hail Hail
Public report of hail estimated up to 2 in diameter.
Blizzard Blizzard
Interstate 80, Highway 15, 34, and others in Seward County all closed due to blizzard conditions. Snowfall amounts generally in the 5 to 9 range with wind gusts estimated in the 60-75 mph range.
High Wind High Wind
Social media post showing large tree limbs down, including one on top of a truck. 74 mph gust east of Seward/Lancaster line. 58 mph gust south of the Seward/Saline line.
High Wind High Wind
Personal weather station measured 53 mph wind gust. Surrounding conditions support High Wind Warning.
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
Wind chill got as low as -31 in the county.
High Wind High Wind
Several hours of high winds were observed during the afternoon hours. The strongest observed wind gust in the county was 63 miles per hour, observed by a personal weather station at 2:53 pm CDT.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Peak afternoon heat indices ranging from 110 to 113 degrees were measured from mesonet stations in Seward and Milford.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A 58 miles per hour wind gust was recorded by a mesonet station.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Water was reported over roads along the Lower Oak Creek upstream from Branched Oak Lake.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A 63 miles per hour wind gust was measured by a personal weather station.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Law enforcement reported a semi that had flipped along Interstate 80 near the Utica exit.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The office received a public report of branches down and trees snapped just south of Utica, Nebraska.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A 66 miles per hour wind gust was measured by NDOT station E0651.
Tornado EF0 Tornado
This tornado was a very brief spin-up causing minor damage to a center pivot. The peak winds in this tornado were estimated to be at 70 miles per hour. The maximum width was measured to be 20 yards with an estimated width also at 20 yards.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Snow squall conditions impacted the county the afternoon of the 18th, followed by several hours of continued blowing and drifting snow. Snow moved into the county from the west just before noon on the 18th. Low visibilities of 1 to 2 miles due to falling and blowing snow rapidly …
Events by year
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 30 | 0 |
| 2024 | 13 | 1 |
| 2023 | 14 | 0 |
| 2022 | 22 | 1 |
| 2021 | 5 | 1 |
| 2020 | 16 | 0 |
| 2019 | 11 | 0 |
| 2018 | 10 | 0 |
| 2017 | 11 | 0 |
| 2016 | 6 | 0 |
| 2015 | 12 | 0 |
| 2014 | 27 | 5 |
| 2013 | 12 | 0 |
| 2012 | 25 | 1 |
| 2011 | 28 | 0 |
| 2010 | 17 | 0 |
| 2009 | 21 | 0 |
| 2008 | 29 | 2 |
| 2007 | 22 | 0 |
| 2006 | 15 | 0 |
| 2005 | 18 | 0 |
| 2004 | 10 | 0 |
| 2003 | 5 | 0 |
| 2002 | 12 | 1 |
| 2001 | 17 | 1 |
| 2000 | 18 | 1 |
| 1999 | 14 | 0 |
| 1998 | 18 | 1 |
| 1997 | 11 | 1 |
| 1996 | 22 | 1 |
| 1995 | 6 | 0 |
| 1994 | 6 | 0 |
| 1992 | 8 | 3 |
| 1991 | 5 | 1 |
| 1990 | 3 | 1 |
| 1989 | 1 | 0 |
| 1988 | 1 | 0 |
| 1987 | 1 | 0 |
| 1986 | 5 | 1 |
| 1985 | 4 | 1 |
| 1984 | 5 | 0 |
| 1983 | 4 | 0 |
| 1982 | 2 | 0 |
| 1981 | 6 | 2 |
| 1980 | 1 | 0 |
| 1978 | 1 | 0 |
| 1975 | 4 | 1 |
| 1974 | 5 | 0 |
| 1973 | 1 | 0 |
| 1968 | 1 | 0 |
| 1967 | 1 | 1 |
| 1966 | 1 | 0 |
| 1964 | 2 | 2 |
| 1963 | 2 | 1 |
| 1962 | 1 | 1 |
| 1961 | 3 | 0 |
| 1959 | 2 | 0 |
| 1958 | 5 | 2 |
| 1957 | 3 | 2 |
| 1956 | 1 | 0 |
| 1953 | 2 | 2 |