Severe Storms Dropped Heavy Rain, Hail, Produced Damaging Winds In SE Nebraska Thursday Morning

Heavy rain fell throughout the Lincoln area from strong thunderstorms that moved through Thursday morning, June 29, 2023. This picture is looking east down Cornhusker Highway from the KFOR studios. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Motz/KFOR News)

LINCOLN–(KFOR June 29)–Severe storms rumbled across portions of southeast Nebraska Thursday morning, leaving behind large hail, heavy rainfall and some reported wind damage.

In Jefferson County, hail from quarter to tennis ball size was reported just before 5am Thursday in the Fairbury area. No reports of any damage yet. Aside from the hail, storms also produced heavy rain over portions of Jefferson, Gage, Johnson and Pawnee counties.

Strong thunderstorms moved through the Lincoln area around 6:30am, producing heavy rain and creating low visibility for early commuters. Video below shows heavy rain falling outside the KFOR studios at 3800 Cornhusker Highway.

To the south, severe weather moved through portions of Gage, Johnson, Pawnee and Nemaha counties. Wind damage was reported southeast of Sterling in northern Johnson County around 7am Thursday, where one-inch tree limbs were broken and shingles blown off.

An unofficial wind gust of 59 mph was reported at a local weather station southeast of Auburn in Nemaha County.