A wicked severe thunderstorm ripped across Buffalo and Kearney counties, dumping hail larger than softballs and causing about 100 million dollars in damage in those two counties.  As the severe storm rolled across Buffalo county, it moved southeast along Highway 40 through Amherst, near Riverdale and eventually into the city of Kearney.  In excess of 6000 structures will require roof, window, and siding repairs.  In some cases, hail stones penetrated the shingles, sheeting, and interior ceiling drywall.  One person reported an 8 inch diameter hole in their roof.  Another home owner sustained $60,000 in damage.  One more home owner reported hail stones landing on the living room couch, after falling through the roof.  Over 3000 automobiles were severely damaged. One local auto dealership experienced damage to 297 cars on the lot.  Hundreds of windows were lost on the campus of the University of Nebraska-Kearney.  Eight police cruisers were damaged.  Fifteen (15) people were treated for minor abrasions and released from the local hospital.  Several hailstones measured 5 inches in diameter throughout the county, and there were unconfirmed reports of melon sized hail near Amherst.In Kearney county, extensive damage was noted in the Minden area.  Four and a half (4.5) inch diameter hail was reported in the city.  The most extensive damage occurred at the indoor greenhouse facility which grows tomatoes.  The glass structure was no match for the softball size hailstones.  2500 pains of glass were broken, including about 60 percent of the roof panes.  Shards of glass penetrated the tomatoes and forced the expulsion of the product for safety reasons.  Crop damage was widespread throughout the county as over 22,000 acres of corn, soybeans and alfalfa were severely damaged or destroyed.  The storm continued south and produced more crop and property damage in parts of Webster and Franklin counties.

Hail in YORK, NEBRASKA
From 12-JUN-02 16:40:00 to 12-JUN-02 16:40:00 (CST)
Location: GRESHAM
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 200K
Crop damage: 1M
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Heavy Rain in THAYER, NEBRASKA
From 12-JUN-02 14:30:00 to 12-JUN-02 15:30:00 (CST)
Location: HEBRON
Property damage: 25K
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

The town of Hebron received 3.36 inches of rain in one hour resulting in minor street flooding.

Funnel Cloud in THAYER, NEBRASKA
From 12-JUN-02 14:42:00 to 12-JUN-02 14:42:00 (CST)
Location: DESHLER
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in BUFFALO, NEBRASKA
From 12-JUN-02 19:40:00 to 12-JUN-02 19:40:00 (CST)
Location: KEARNEY
Magnitude: 5.00 
Property damage: 50M
Crop damage: 2M
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

All injuries were minor

Hail in BUFFALO, NEBRASKA
From 12-JUN-02 19:30:00 to 12-JUN-02 19:30:00 (CST)
Location: RIVERDALE
Magnitude: 5.00 
Property damage: 10M
Crop damage: 3M
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Hail in FRANKLIN, NEBRASKA
From 12-JUN-02 20:30:00 to 12-JUN-02 20:30:00 (CST)
Location: RIVERTON
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 50K
Crop damage: 1M
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Hail in WEBSTER, NEBRASKA
From 12-JUN-02 20:19:00 to 12-JUN-02 20:19:00 (CST)
Location: BLUE HILL
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 50K
Crop damage: 500K
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Hail in NUCKOLLS, NEBRASKA
From 12-JUN-02 20:50:00 to 12-JUN-02 20:50:00 (CST)
Location: BOSTWICK
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Hail in POLK, NEBRASKA
From 12-JUN-02 16:42:00 to 12-JUN-02 16:42:00 (CST)
Location: STROMSBURG
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 100K
Crop damage: 500K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in NUCKOLLS, NEBRASKA
From 12-JUN-02 14:10:00 to 12-JUN-02 14:10:00 (CST)
Location: NELSON
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Hail in KEARNEY, NEBRASKA
From 12-JUN-02 11:45:00 to 12-JUN-02 11:45:00 (CST)
Location: NEWARK
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 250K
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Hail in WEBSTER, NEBRASKA
From 12-JUN-02 20:40:00 to 12-JUN-02 20:40:00 (CST)
Location: GUIDE ROCK
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 50K
Crop damage: 500K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in POLK, NEBRASKA
From 12-JUN-02 16:37:00 to 12-JUN-02 16:37:00 (CST)
Location: POLK
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 50K
Crop damage: 500K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in BUFFALO, NEBRASKA
From 12-JUN-02 19:20:00 to 12-JUN-02 19:20:00 (CST)
Location: AMHERST
Magnitude: 5.00 
Property damage: 10M
Crop damage: 3M
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Hail in FRANKLIN, NEBRASKA
From 12-JUN-02 20:29:00 to 12-JUN-02 20:29:00 (CST)
Location: CAMPBELL
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 50K
Crop damage: 500K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in KEARNEY, NEBRASKA
From 12-JUN-02 20:05:00 to 12-JUN-02 20:05:00 (CST)
Location: MINDEN
Magnitude: 4.50 
Property damage: 20M
Crop damage: 3M
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO

Hail in ADAMS, NEBRASKA
From 12-JUN-02 20:10:00 to 12-JUN-02 20:10:00 (CST)
Location: HOLSTEIN
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO

Hail in KEARNEY, NEBRASKA
From 12-JUN-02 11:25:00 to 12-JUN-02 11:25:00 (CST)
Location: AXTELL
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 250K
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Hail in MERRICK, NEBRASKA
From 12-JUN-02 16:13:00 to 12-JUN-02 16:13:00 (CST)
Location: CLARKS
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 50K
Crop damage: 500K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in YORK, NEBRASKA
From 12-JUN-02 17:00:00 to 12-JUN-02 17:00:00 (CST)
Location: YORK
Magnitude: 3.50 
Property damage: 100K
Crop damage: 1M
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Hail in KEARNEY, NEBRASKA
From 12-JUN-02 19:45:00 to 12-JUN-02 19:45:00 (CST)
Location: MINDEN
Magnitude: 2.75 
Property damage: 5M
Crop damage: 2M
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in BUFFALO, NEBRASKA
From 12-JUN-02 19:05:00 to 12-JUN-02 19:10:00 (CST)
Location: MILLER
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 50K
Crop damage: 1M
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER