Power Outage in Wayne, NE

Spotters reported a couple of inches of snow, with considerable blowing snow with reduced visibility. Winds gusted as high as 40 mph during the event. There was also one a couple tenths of ice accumulation during the event, which made travel especially hazardous with multiple car accidents. Power outages occurred.

This tornado developed as the Pilger tornado was beginning to enter the rope stage. The Pilger tornado rotated around the south side of this developing tornado before completely dissipating. As this tornado moved north, along and to the east of State Highway 16 it grew in size and intensity. The tornado impacted numerous farmsteads along its path in eastern Wayne County producing varying degrees of damage, but the tornado was particularly violent in a two mile stretch between 853rd and 855th Roads where 4 houses were completely destroyed down to the foundation. The tornado also destroyed outbuildings, power poles, and debarked trees in these locations as well. The tornado became wrapped in rain as it moved to the east of Wakefield. The tornado entered Dixon County about 2.25 miles east of Wakefield.

Freezing rain fell across the area for a while during the evening of March 9th followed by plunging temperatures and gusty North winds as an arctic air mass plunged into the region. Although most ice accumulations were under 1/4 inch, the combination of ice and wind gusts of 40 mph or more caused scattered power outages and closed a few schools and roads in the area.

Freezing rain accumulated between 1/4 and 1/2 of an inch over much of the county. The icing downed tree limbs and caused scattered power outages.

Freezing rain accumulated between 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch in some locations on trees, power lines, vehicles and other untreated objects. The weight of the ice, and a mix of light sleet or snow that fell for a while Sunday, caused tree and power line damage knocking power to parts of the county.

High winds in the wake of departing thunderstorms lasted for around 2 hours from Wayne to near the Sholes area. The winds were estimated to have gusted to around 60 mph and downed large tree limbs and power lines in this area and an open machine shed near Sholes was heavily damaged.

Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 60 mph downed power lines in town.

Thunderstorm winds estimated at around 65 mph knocked the power out for some residents in Wayne. The winds also downed many large tree branches and uprooted several trees in town. A roof was also ripped off of a metal building in town by the winds.