Storms pack high winds early Wednesday, more severe storms possible Thursday

BEATRICE – Strong gusts from thunderstorm winds was the main feature of severe storms that rolled across southeast Nebraska into Kansas and Missouri, early on Wednesday.  More severe weather could be on the way, Thursday.

Emergency Management in Jefferson County, Nebraska reported a wind gust of 75-miles-per-hour in Fairbury and 72 miles-per-hour near Harbine.  The Beatrice Municipal Airport recorded a storm wind gust of 66 miles per hour.  Wind gusts of 60-mile-per-hour or higher were reported at Milford, Chester, Western and Nemaha, Nebraska.

Several counties across Nebraska and Kansas were under storm warnings early Wednesday, for a line of thunderstorms that moved southeast at a rapid rate.

Tuesday night, there were at least five observer reports of tornadoes or funnel clouds, south and west of Norfolk.   Areas around Omaha were hit with large hail.   One observer reported hail the size of baseballs, at LaVista.  There were numerous reports of damaging hail, including a report of near grapefruit sized hail near Papillion and large hail at Bellevue, including a report of golf ball sized hail at Offutt Air Force Base.

As the storms moved through northeast Kansas, some tree damage and power lines were reported down in the communities of Marysville and Frankfort, in Marshall County. Winds were estimated at up to 70-miles-per-hour.  Farther south near Topeka in the town of Dover, significant tree damage was done by winds estimated at up to 80-miles-per-hour and power was out.