Hail in Lancaster County, Nebraska

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 baseballs was driven by 50 mph winds. 148 out of 200 houses and businesses in town were heavily damaged with almost every north facing window broken out. Siding damage was also extensive. In Lancaster county, crop losses included around 20 percent of 10 thousand acres of corn, 30 percent of 6 thousand acres of soybeans and 10 percent of 2 thousand acres of sorghum. From southern Lancaster county into extreme northern Gage and northwest Johnson counties a total of 34 thousand acres of corn, 36 thousand acres of soybeans and 14 thousand acres of sorghum were heavily damaged. The Farm Service Agency estimated that the damaged fields in Gage county amounted to 36 thousand acres with losses around 65 percent for corn and soybeans and 45 percent for sorghum.

Numerous reports giant hail from the southeast side of the city of Lincoln include a measured 5 inch stone near 96th and Pine Streets. The hail did a tremendous amount of damage to homes, vehicles, and a golf course. Hail was noted to have come through roofs and walls of homes in the area.

Hail up to golf ball-size fell across parts of the Lincoln area from the second supercell thunderstorm that tracked over the city this evening. Many of the larger hail reports from this storm came from the western and northern sections, including the Highlands area, 141st and Davey, 27th and I-80, 14th and I-80, 56th and Highway 2 and Coddington and West A Streets.