Power Outage in Harrisburg, NE

Power poles were knocked down causing wide spread power outages.

A short-lived tornado touched down east of Highway 71 southeast of Harrisburg, NE. A calving barn was moved about 10 yards from its original location. One horse was killed with several other horses injured. Several power poles were broken. A grain bin was pushed off its foundation, landing east into grove of trees. Pole barn rolled with only a few walls left standing (DI 1, DOD 7).

Estimated wind gusts of 60 mph caused power outages across north and central portions of the county.

Heavy snow and wind gusts to 45 mph created blizzard conditions with near zero visibilities. Power outages were reported at Harrisburg.

A storm survey team from the National Weather Service in Cheyenne rated the June 22 2013 Banner County Nebraska tornado as a EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale with maximum three second wind gusts of 100 mph. The tornado, which developed from a high precipitation supercell thunderstorm, touched down about 17 miles west-northwest of Harrisburg Nebraska. The tornado moved to the east-southeast for several miles before dissipating about 10 miles northwest of Harrisburg. A total of eight structures were damaged with at least one outbuilding destroyed. The outbuilding was supported by large wooden planks about six inches thick...most of which were snapped at the center. The roof was removed from a three stall garage but all of the walls remained intact. A two-story hone was damaged by flying debris, with a 2 X 4 inch plank driven through the second floor wall by the tornadic winds. Sheet metal and wooden boards from damaged outbuildings were found 50 to 100 yards to the northwest in a shelter belt. Multiple other structures suffered roof damage with sections of sheet metal peeled off. Six power poles were snapped near the touchdown site with another damaged east of Stegall Road. Several six to 12 inch diameter hardwood trees were also snapped. Center pivots were either flipped or twisted in multiple directions along the tornado's path.

Tornado moved SSE across parts of eastern Banner county, remaining over open country. Some power lines, power transmission towers and poles blown down as well as trees uprooted. Damage to irrigation pivots also reported.

Strong winds and snow combined to produce near-blizzard conditions over much of the southern Nebraska Panhandle, resulting in power outages and many road closures.Interstate 80 was closed over all the panhandle with all roads out of Kimball and Sidney, NE, also closed. Many power poles were knocked down. Snow amounts of 6 to 8 inches were common.

Severe thunderstorm moved across Banner County knocking down several power poles resulting in widespread power outages to area residents.