A powerful upper level low pressure system plowing into an unstable airmass triggered widespread severe weather across south-central Nebraska during the late afternoon and evening hours.  As many as nine tornadoes were confirmed and many reports of hail were received.The tornado damage was confined to an area located north and east of Grand Island, which included Merrick, Nance, Polk, Greeley, and Hamilton counties.  The tornadoes got going west of Marquette.  One twister set down in Hamilton county and crossed the Platte River southeast of Chapman.  Damage to outbuildings was of most significance.  Other tornadoes were reported in the Marquette area, with one tornado on the ground for 12 miles from south of Marquette to southeast of Hordville.  This tornado was rated an F1 and produced minor structural damage to buildings and grain bins at several farms.  Power lines were lost and several trees were blown over.  Numerous center pivot irrigation systems were damaged.Just before 6 pm CDT, the most damaging tornado of the day developed near the Polk and Hamilton county line, and proceeded northeast across western Polk county, leaving a path of destruction in its wake.  Storm chaser reports indicated this tornado frequently became multi-vortex in nature and produced a wide swath of damage.  Three miles north of Polk, a home was completely ripped from its foundation and blown into some nearby trees.  The tornado was rated an F3 at this point.  Along its 18 mile path, the tornado damaged over 20 center pivots, and nearly every farmstead in the path of the tornado sustained damage to the home, outbuildings, machinery or grain bins.  This tornado lifted southwest of Silver Creek.Just prior to the F3 tornado in Polk county, an F2 tornado was ripping up a farmstead in northern Merrick county.  This tornado was responsible for tearing the roof from a home, destroying two large metal outbuildings and damage to a half-dozen vehicles.  The tornado moved north and destroyed a barn on the Nance and Merrick county line, but narrowly missed the home.  Window and siding damage was noted at the home.Later that evening, one final tornado was reported.  This tornado moved from south of Silver Creek to northeast of Silver Creek just before sunset.  The tornado clipped the southeast side of town, resulting in damage to the post office, several cars, trees, and 13 residences in town.  Fortunately, most of the damage was minor.

Tornado in HAMILTON, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 16:30:00 to 09-OCT-01 16:34:00 (CST)
Location: MARQUETTE
Tornado F-scale: F0
Property damage: 15K
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Small weak tornado crossed over Marquette but caused little damage in town.

Hail in CLAY, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 16:45:00 to 09-OCT-01 16:45:00 (CST)
Location: EDGAR
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Hail in MERRICK, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 16:45:00 to 09-OCT-01 16:45:00 (CST)
Location: CENTRAL CITY
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in NANCE, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 17:10:00 to 09-OCT-01 17:10:00 (CST)
Location: FULLERTON
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Tornado in POLK, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 17:25:00 to 09-OCT-01 17:30:00 (CST)
Location: SWEDEHOME
Tornado F-scale: F1
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 50K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Tornado crossed from Polk County into Merrick County.

Tornado in HAMILTON, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 16:12:00 to 09-OCT-01 16:15:00 (CST)
Location: MARQUETTE
Tornado F-scale: F1
Property damage: 25K
Crop damage: 25K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Tornado crossed from Hamilton County into Merrick County.

Tornado in MERRICK, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 16:15:00 to 09-OCT-01 16:18:00 (CST)
Location: CHAPMAN
Tornado F-scale: F1
Property damage: 25K
Crop damage: 25K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Tornado entered Merrick County from Hamilton County.

Tornado in MERRICK, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 16:17:00 to 09-OCT-01 16:23:00 (CST)
Location: CENTRAL CITY
Tornado F-scale: F2
Property damage: 300K
Crop damage: 25K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Tornado crossed from Merrick County into Nance County.

Tornado in NANCE, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 16:23:00 to 09-OCT-01 16:28:00 (CST)
Location: FULLERTON
Tornado F-scale: F1
Property damage: 75K
Crop damage: 25K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Tornado entered Nance County from Merrick County.

Tornado in NANCE, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 16:32:00 to 09-OCT-01 16:32:00 (CST)
Location: FULLERTON
Tornado F-scale: F0
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Brief touchdown of a weak tornado south of Fullerton.

Tornado in HAMILTON, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 16:35:00 to 09-OCT-01 16:49:00 (CST)
Location: MARQUETTE
Tornado F-scale: F1
Property damage: 400K
Crop damage: 250K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Tornado crossed from Hamilton County into Polk County.

Tornado in POLK, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 16:49:00 to 09-OCT-01 16:50:00 (CST)
Location: POLK
Tornado F-scale: F0
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 50K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Tornado was briefly in Polk County coming from Hamilton County.

Tornado in MERRICK, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 17:30:00 to 09-OCT-01 17:38:00 (CST)
Location: SILVER CREEK
Tornado F-scale: F1
Property damage: 100K
Crop damage: 50K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Tornado entered Merrick County from Polk County.

Hail in KEARNEY, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 19:10:00 to 09-OCT-01 19:10:00 (CST)
Location: MINDEN
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in FRANKLIN, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 19:45:00 to 09-OCT-01 19:45:00 (CST)
Location: FRANKLIN
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Hail in ADAMS, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 20:05:00 to 09-OCT-01 20:05:00 (CST)
Location: PROSSER
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Hail in ADAMS, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 20:35:00 to 09-OCT-01 20:35:00 (CST)
Location: HASTINGS
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Hail in FRANKLIN, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 20:35:00 to 09-OCT-01 20:35:00 (CST)
Location: FRANKLIN
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Tornado in HAMILTON, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 16:50:00 to 09-OCT-01 16:55:00 (CST)
Location: HORDVILLE
Tornado F-scale: F1
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 50K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Tornado crossed from Hamilton County into Polk County.

Tornado in POLK, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 16:55:00 to 09-OCT-01 17:20:00 (CST)
Location: POLK
Tornado F-scale: F3
Property damage: 1.8M
Crop damage: 800K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

A strong tornado entered Polk County from Hamilton County.

Hail in HOWARD, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 15:40:00 to 09-OCT-01 15:40:00 (CST)
Location: ELBA
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 10K
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Funnel Cloud in HOWARD, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 15:49:00 to 09-OCT-01 15:49:00 (CST)
Location: CUSHING
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in GREELEY, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 15:50:00 to 09-OCT-01 15:50:00 (CST)
Location: GREELEY
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Hail in MERRICK, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 15:50:00 to 09-OCT-01 15:50:00 (CST)
Location: CENTRAL CITY
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in MERRICK, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 15:55:00 to 09-OCT-01 15:55:00 (CST)
Location: ARCHER
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 25K
Crop damage: 100K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in HAMILTON, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 16:00:00 to 09-OCT-01 16:00:00 (CST)
Location: MARQUETTE
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Tornado in GREELEY, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 16:08:00 to 09-OCT-01 16:12:00 (CST)
Location: WOLBACH
Tornado F-scale: F0
Property damage: 10K
Crop damage: 30K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Tornado crossed from Greeley County into Nance County

Tornado in NANCE, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 16:12:00 to 09-OCT-01 16:18:00 (CST)
Location: NORTH STAR
Tornado F-scale: F0
Property damage: 50K
Crop damage: 30K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Tornado entered Nance County from Greeley County.  The tornado then exited Nance County and entered Boone County.

Tornado in NANCE, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 16:55:00 to 09-OCT-01 16:55:00 (CST)
Location: FULLERTON
Tornado F-scale: F0
Property damage: 5K
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

A brief tornado that caused some minor damage.

Hail in POLK, NEBRASKA
From 09-OCT-01 17:00:00 to 09-OCT-01 17:00:00 (CST)
Location: POLK
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC