An increasing low level jet brought moist and unstable air into eastern Nebraska during the early morning hours of July 5th.  Slow moving severe thunderstorms developed as a result an hour or so before sunsrise.  The activity gradually weakened after mid morning as warmer air aloft spread over the region capping the atmosphere and shutting down the precipitation.  Besides producing pockets of large hail over the area, localized rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches were reported in a few hours time which caused isolated flash flooding and river flooding.

Hail in JEFFERSON, NEBRASKA
From 05-JUL-08 04:30:00 to 05-JUL-08 04:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: HEDRIX
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in SALINE, NEBRASKA
From 05-JUL-08 07:15:00 to 05-JUL-08 07:15:00 (CST-6)
Location: TOBIAS
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Hail up to nickel-size was reported.

Hail in DODGE, NEBRASKA
From 05-JUL-08 07:35:00 to 05-JUL-08 07:55:00 (CST-6)
Location: WEBSTER
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Hail up to penny-size fell for 15 to 20 minutes around 10 miles northwest through north of North Bend.  The hail was from the second storm in an hour or so to produce hail 3/4 inch in diameter or larger.

Hail in JEFFERSON, NEBRASKA
From 05-JUL-08 07:45:00 to 05-JUL-08 07:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: POWELL
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Hail up to 1 inch in diameter was reported northwest of Fairbury.  The storm also dropped very heavy rain with amounts around 4 inches reported.

Hail in JEFFERSON, NEBRASKA
From 05-JUL-08 05:20:00 to 05-JUL-08 05:35:00 (CST-6)
Location: POWELL
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Hail up to golfball-size fell for about 15 minutes.

Hail in COLFAX, NEBRASKA
From 05-JUL-08 06:12:00 to 05-JUL-08 06:12:00 (CST-6)
Location: HOWELLS
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in SALINE, NEBRASKA
From 05-JUL-08 06:31:00 to 05-JUL-08 06:31:00 (CST-6)
Location: FRIEND
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in COLFAX, NEBRASKA
From 05-JUL-08 06:45:00 to 05-JUL-08 06:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: HOWELLS
Magnitude: 1.50 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

The storms also dropped around 4 inches of rain in the area.

Hail in DODGE, NEBRASKA
From 05-JUL-08 06:58:00 to 05-JUL-08 06:58:00 (CST-6)
Location: WEBSTER
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Flash Flood in JEFFERSON, NEBRASKA
From 05-JUL-08 08:10:00 to 05-JUL-08 10:10:00 (CST-6)
Location: FAIRBURY
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Rainfall of 2 to over 4 inches was reported in the Fairbury area from slow moving thunderstorms that repeatedly moved across the area for a several hour period.  The heavy rain caused flash flooding near the Crystal Springs Campground prompting some campers to be moved.  The flash flooding also caused a county road to be closed briefly just north of Fairbury.

Flash Flood in DODGE, NEBRASKA
From 05-JUL-08 08:50:00 to 05-JUL-08 10:50:00 (CST-6)
Location: WEBSTER
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Over 4 inches of rain was reported northwest of North Bend from heavy rain producing thunderstorms that hit the area between about 5 and 10 am CDT.  The heavy rain caused considerable field flooding with some of the water flowing over county roads in the area, possibly from Silver Creek.  The water also flooded across Highway 79 between County Roads J and K for a while.

Hail in PLATTE, NEBRASKA
From 05-JUL-08 03:56:00 to 05-JUL-08 03:56:00 (CST-6)
Location: COLUMBUS
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Hail in SEWARD, NEBRASKA
From 05-JUL-08 04:07:00 to 05-JUL-08 04:07:00 (CST-6)
Location: MILFORD
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Hail up to golfball-size caused damage to property and crops in the Milford area.  At least one house had considerable siding damage and a church had a few windows broken out.

Hail in DODGE, NEBRASKA
From 05-JUL-08 08:10:00 to 05-JUL-08 08:20:00 (CST-6)
Location: WEBSTER
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Hail up to 1 inch in diameter caused considerable crop damage in a 2 to 3 mile wide strip from near the Colfax county line to near and southeast of Webster, which is north of North Bend on Highway 79.

Flash Flood in SALINE, NEBRASKA
From 05-JUL-08 08:38:00 to 05-JUL-08 09:38:00 (CST-6)
Location: FRIEND
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Slow moving thunderstorms dropped rainfall that was unofficially measured at 6 inches just south of Friend.  The heavy rain caused flash flooding across a few county roads in the area.

Flood in SALINE, NEBRASKA
From 06-JUL-08 17:15:00 to 07-JUL-08 21:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: DE WITT
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Rainfall of at least 2 to 4 inches fell over part of the Turkey Creek basin near Wilber during the morning hours of July 5th.  The heavy rain caused Turkey Creek near Wilber to flood for a little over a day beginning on July 6th.  The creek near Wilber reached a crest of around 15 feet, flood stage is 11 feet, around 1015am CDT on July 7th.  The creek near Wilber was above flood stage from around 615pm on the 6th until 1030pm on the 7th.  The flooding affected mainly river bottom-lands, but some crops and a few county roads were flooded for a while.

Hail in BURT, NEBRASKA
From 05-JUL-08 08:26:00 to 05-JUL-08 08:26:00 (CST-6)
Location: LYONS
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Penny to nickel-size hail was reported near Lyons.