Power Outage in Fairfield, NE

Some tree branches were downed in Fairfield, with power outages also reported.

Widespread wind gusts of 70 to 85 MPH occurred along this path. A 85 MPH wind gust was measured by a mesonet station located 2 miles west-northwest of Fairfield, and a 70 MPH wind gusts was measured by a mesonet station located 2 miles north-northeast of Deweese. Building damage was reported in the Glenvil and Fairfield areas, with the COOP building in Fairfield losing an entire wall. Numerous trees and power lines were down across the Glenvil, Fairfield and Deweese areas. Several area pivots were damaged, and a grain bin collapse occurred in Fairfield. There was considerable crop damage in the area, including at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center located west of Clay Center, where several buildings were also damaged.

This tornado was reported initially as a multi-vortex tornado for several miles before taking on a more traditional look south of Saronville, where it was described as a wedge tornado. Based upon reports and video, it appears the entire mesocyclone of the storm was near ground level southwest of Sutton. It was one of the strongest tornado of the day in south central Nebraska, rated an EF3 with the peak wind estimated to be 150 MPH. Rear flank downdraft winds resulted in damage on the south side of the tornado track and in addition to the damage to Sutton itself, areas east of Clay Center, southwest of Sutton through northwest of Grafton were affected. Power poles and trees were damaged or snapped, irrigation pivots were overturned, and a few homes and outbuildings suffered damage.||Damage from this tornado was first noted north of Fairfield, where large tree limbs were knocked down and power poles broken. The tornado shifted mainly east across Highway 14 south of Clay Center, with additional tree damage as well as irrigation pivots overturned. It then started to move to the northeast, crossing Highway 41 east of Clay Center and Highway 6 a few miles west of Sutton, but powerful rear flank downdraft winds of 100 mph hammered Sutton and areas south-southwest of town, causing widespread property damage. Moving in between Saronville and Sutton, the tornado then started a more east-northeast path, crossing Road 6 north of Sutton before dissipating approximately 5 miles northeast of town.||As the tornado approached and crossed Highway 6 it intensified to it strongest point. Damage peaked a few miles north of Sutton, where the EF-3 rating was assigned, resulting from the destruction of a home. Elsewhere along the path, a few other homes sustained less significant damage than the one north of Sutton, and a number of other outbuildings and grain bins were also damaged or destroyed. Many trees were damaged, destroyed or contained debris (mainly from destroyed grain bins), irrigation pivots were overturned and power poles broken.

Wind gusts were estimated at 70 MPH, with power outages reported across the area. Numerous reports of tree damage in Fairfield, including a large tree which was uprooted and fell onto a vehicle, crushing the front end. A tree branch approximately 4 to 6 inches in diameter fell onto a house, putting a hole into the roof.

This tornado started south of Fairfield, where a roof was blown off of a barn and power lines were downed. This tornado then moved to the northwest, coming to an end just west of Fairfield, destroying three outbuildings and causing damage to two homes along its path.