As a cold front sliced across south-central Nebraska, a supercell thunderstorm developed along the front and moved southeast across Nuckolls and Thayer counties. The supercell became a prolific tornado producing storm with almost a dozen tornadoes having been reported. With rainfall from the thunderstorm limited to a small area, the tornadoes were visible throughout the region by spotters, storm chasers and the public. At one point, three tornadoes were on the ground at one time in southwest Thayer county, one of which severely damaged two farmsteads.

Hail in CLAY, NEBRASKA
From 24-MAY-04 13:54:00 to 24-MAY-04 13:54:00 (CST)
Location: CLAY CENTER
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Hail in CLAY, NEBRASKA
From 24-MAY-04 13:59:00 to 24-MAY-04 13:59:00 (CST)
Location: CLAY CENTER
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Hail in THAYER, NEBRASKA
From 24-MAY-04 14:37:00 to 24-MAY-04 14:37:00 (CST)
Location: DESHLER
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 25K
Crop damage: 100K
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Tornado in NUCKOLLS, NEBRASKA
From 24-MAY-04 14:41:00 to 24-MAY-04 14:41:00 (CST)
Location: NORA
Tornado F-scale: F0
Property damage: 1K
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: UTILITY COMPANY

A brief tornado was reported by the local power company.  A couple of power poles were snapped.

Hail in THAYER, NEBRASKA
From 24-MAY-04 15:59:00 to 24-MAY-04 15:59:00 (CST)
Location: HUBBELL
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 150K
Crop damage: 250K
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Tornado in NUCKOLLS, NEBRASKA
From 24-MAY-04 14:05:00 to 24-MAY-04 14:10:00 (CST)
Location: NELSON
Tornado F-scale: F0
Property damage: 45K
Crop damage: 10K
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY

A tornado set down south of Deweese and hit one farmstead on its 2 mile path. A shed and grain bin were damaged. Power poles were broken in the small tornadoes path.

Tornado in NUCKOLLS, NEBRASKA
From 24-MAY-04 14:52:00 to 24-MAY-04 14:52:00 (CST)
Location: RUSKIN
Tornado F-scale: F0
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Ruskin spotters reported a tornado north of town.

Tornado in NUCKOLLS, NEBRASKA
From 24-MAY-04 14:58:00 to 24-MAY-04 15:08:00 (CST)
Location: RUSKIN
Tornado F-scale: F1
Property damage: 100K
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY

A tornado south of Ruskin destroyed 5 grain bins and broke several power poles.  The damage was strewn over about 2 miles.

Tornado in NUCKOLLS, NEBRASKA
From 24-MAY-04 14:35:00 to 24-MAY-04 14:35:00 (CST)
Location: OAK
Tornado F-scale: F0
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Storm spotters reported a brief tornado southwest of Oak.

Tornado in THAYER, NEBRASKA
From 24-MAY-04 15:29:00 to 24-MAY-04 15:29:00 (CST)
Location: BYRON
Tornado F-scale: F0
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

One final, brief tornado set down in south-central Nebraska east of Byron.  The supercell thunderstorm then moved into Kansas.

Hail in THAYER, NEBRASKA
From 24-MAY-04 15:49:00 to 24-MAY-04 15:49:00 (CST)
Location: HEBRON
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Tornado in NUCKOLLS, NEBRASKA
From 24-MAY-04 15:16:00 to 24-MAY-04 15:16:00 (CST)
Location: HARDY
Tornado F-scale: F0
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

A brief tornado near Hardy.

Hail in THAYER, NEBRASKA
From 24-MAY-04 15:22:00 to 24-MAY-04 15:22:00 (CST)
Location: DESHLER
Magnitude: 3.00 
Property damage: 150K
Crop damage: 250K
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Tornado in NUCKOLLS, NEBRASKA
From 24-MAY-04 14:20:00 to 24-MAY-04 14:20:00 (CST)
Location: NELSON
Tornado F-scale: F0
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

A tornado was reported by spotters just northwest of Nelson and moving southeast at the time.

Tornado in NUCKOLLS, NEBRASKA
From 24-MAY-04 14:28:00 to 24-MAY-04 14:28:00 (CST)
Location: NELSON
Tornado F-scale: F0
Property damage: 0
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

A tornado was reported just east of Nelson along the Elk Creek.

Tornado in THAYER, NEBRASKA
From 24-MAY-04 15:02:00 to 24-MAY-04 15:12:00 (CST)
Location: DESHLER
Tornado F-scale: F0
Property damage: 25K
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY

A tornado damaged a shed and several trees on it two mile path in southwest Thayer county.

Tornado in THAYER, NEBRASKA
From 24-MAY-04 15:06:00 to 24-MAY-04 15:20:00 (CST)
Location: DESHLER
Tornado F-scale: F1
Property damage: 500K
Crop damage: 100K
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY

A tornado damaged two farmsteads north of Byron. At one point, the tornado was up to one-quarter mile wide with a very clear path across a cornfield. At the first farm, the roof was torn from the house along with significant damage to the garage. It was a total loss. A machine shed was also ripped apart. At a second farm, damage as confined to metal buildings, grain bins and farm machinery. At one point, this was the largest of three tornadoes on the ground on the ground at one time.