Power Outage in Ceresco, NE

A tornado developed just north of the Jack Sinn Memorial Wildlife Management area, producing damage to farm buildings and then moving off toward the northeast, and eventually the north northeast as observed by a storm chaser. The tornado caused damage to several barns and outbuildings along the track, including complete destruction of barns near Road 11 and Road F. The tornado also overturned several pivot irrigation systems and snapped wooden power poles at multiple locations, including numerous poles along Highway 92 which prompted a multi-day closure of the highway. The tornado also impacted the University of Nebraska Farm where a video was taken of the small fast-moving tornado and several buildings sustained damage. The tornado ended 1 mile northwest of Yutan where a farm outbuilding was blown for a significant distance and trees were damage. Significant downburst winds on the east flank of the tornado circulation were evident on radar and damage to pivot irrigation systems and other structures throughout the duration of the tornado.

Report from mping of 3 inch tree limbs broken; power poles broken.

Three inch diameter tree limbs were broken along with power poles snapped 3 miles east of Ceresco.

A second tornado spun up while the first tornado to its south was dissipating. This tornado affected mainly the northern end of Ceresco downing trees and power lines and causing some building damage. This tornado could have also possibly traveled farther east, but the survey was limited due to downed power lines.

This tornado started around 5 miles west and 1 mile south of Ceresco. West of town a barn was destroyed along with farm outbuildings. There was also substantial tree damage in the area and the metal panels of a farm building were strewn around power poles and across a field. Considerable tree and building damage occurred in the town of Ceresco, including the roof taken off of a restaurant/bar. Four homes in town were declared uninhabitable due to storm damage and another 71 sustained some sort of damage. In addition around 30 homes outside of town were damaged. Storm debris was scattered across Highway 77 which prompted its closure that continued well into the next day. The tornado probably traveled farther east of town than a mile as a local newspaper later reported that farm outbuilding and tree damage consistent with tornado damage was noted at several farmsteads 4 to 6 miles east of Ceresco. However, downed power lines limited the eastward extent of the NWS storm survey. Power was knocked out across much of town for several days with at least 225 power poles destroyed or severely damaged.

Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at around 60 mph caused some tree and power line damage in Ceresco.

Thunderstorm winds downed trees and power lines around Ceresco. The winds were caused by the same thunderstorm complex that caused the extensive tree damage around Wahoo.