Power Outage in Wahoo, NE

Numerous ice reports from the public and power outages. Maximum of 0.25 inches of radial ice reported.

OPPD estimated that 22 customers were without power between Mead and Yutan. Winds of 40 to 60 across the area.

Intense winds and heavy snowfall occurred in Saunders County. Power lines were snapped east of Mead. Emergency crews responded to stranded motorists in the blizzard.

Periods of freezing rain produced ice accumulations around a quarter of an inch. This resulted in some tree damage, as well as isolated power outages.

Area automated observations indicated winds of 35 to 40 mph were common from late morning and into the afternoon hours on the 10th. The combination of the winds and heavy falling snow resulted in considerable blowing and drifting snow and very low visibilities for several hours. These conditions conditions led to scattered power outages across the county. There were also several accidents reported in the county including two injury accidents on state highways.

Based on surface observations from AWOS the area experienced wind speeds of up to 40 mph. The strong winds combined with falling and blowing snow to reduce visibilities to less than a quarter of a mile, especially in open areas. Due to the heavy wet nature of the snow, the winds also caused power outages across the County. The area hardest hit appeared to be near Ceresco where some power was out for 2 days. Shelters were set up for those that did not have heat.

Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at around 65 mph downed trees and a few power lines in the Wahoo area.

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.

Freezing rain accumulated around 1/4 of an inch over much of the county. The icing downed tree limbs and caused scattered power outages, however much of the ice began melting by late morning as temperatures climbed above freezing.

Thunderstorm winds estimated at around 60 mph blew a large tree limb onto a power line in town.

A small cluster of severe thunderstorms tracked across Saunders county from just north of Wahoo south toward Valparaiso then east into Douglas county near Valley. The storms produced wind gusts estimated at over 70 mph which downed numerous trees and power lines and snapped power poles from just north through east of Wahoo through Wahoo itself then south to 3 miles north of Valparaiso. Tree damage was quite extensive in Wahoo where enough debris clogged city streets that city crews used bulldozers to clear them. OPPD estimated that around 3000 customers lost power for a time because of the storm.

Thunderstorm wind gust snapped a power pole just east of Wahoo.