An intense upper level low pressure system tracked from eastern Colorado into southeast South Dakota from March 23rd into March 24th.  This caused a surface low pressure system to move from western Nebraska into southeast South Dakota during that time.  As the low tracked northeast, a dry-line moved into eastern Nebraska during the afternoon of March 23rd.  With surface temperatures in the 60s and 70s, and dewpoint temperatures in the 50s, ample instability was in place to allow a line of severe thunderstorms to develop as the dry-line punched eastward.  Several fast moving low-topped supercell thunderstorms were embedded in the line, and one cell produced cyclic tornadoes from southeast of Lincoln into western Iowa.  The storms in the line were moving north northeast at 50 to 60 mph.  In addition to the severe weather, strong southerly gradient winds prevailed ahead of the low pressure.  In some cases the winds gusted between 50 and 65 mph for several hours across parts of eastern Nebraska.

Thunderstorm Wind in CASS, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 16:10:00 to 23-MAR-09 16:20:00 (CST-6)
Location: MURDOCK
Magnitude: 85.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

Scattered wind damage from a low-topped supercell thunderstorm that earlier produced 5 tornadoes to the south, was reported west through southwest of the South Bend area.  Due to the tree and farm outbuilding damage noted, a NWS Storm Survey estimated that wind speeds were between 90 and 100 mph.

Hail in SALINE, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 14:48:00 to 23-MAR-09 14:48:00 (CST-6)
Location: DORCHESTER
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Golf ball-size hail caused siding damage to at least 20 homes in the Dorchester area.

Hail in DOUGLAS, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 17:16:00 to 23-MAR-09 17:16:00 (CST-6)
Location: BOYS TOWN
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Reported near 132nd and Fort Streets.  From the second storm that rolled across the Omaha metro area this evening.

Thunderstorm Wind in DOUGLAS, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 17:52:00 to 23-MAR-09 17:52:00 (CST-6)
Location: (OMA)EPPLEY FLD OMAH
Magnitude: 59.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

A southerly thunderstorm wind gust was measured at 68 mph by the Asos at Omaha-Eppley airfield just behind a departing line of thunderstorms.

Hail in SARPY, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 16:20:00 to 23-MAR-09 16:24:00 (CST-6)
Location: GRETNA
Magnitude: 1.50 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Employee

Hail 3/4 to 1.5 inches in diameter was reported from around Gretna northeast to the Chalco area.  There was also a rotating wall cloud reported in the Chalco area from this storm.

Hail in SARPY, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 17:02:00 to 23-MAR-09 17:02:00 (CST-6)
Location: CHALCO
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Employee

From the second severe storm to pass across the region this evening.

Hail in WASHINGTON, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 17:13:00 to 23-MAR-09 17:13:00 (CST-6)
Location: WASHINGTON
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in RICHARDSON, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 17:20:00 to 23-MAR-09 17:20:00 (CST-6)
Location: STRAUSSVILLE
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Thunderstorm Wind in LANCASTER, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 16:10:00 to 23-MAR-09 16:10:00 (CST-6)
Location: PANAMA
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Thunderstorm winds estimated at close to 60 mph blew the walls out of a machine shed.

Hail in GAGE, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 15:05:00 to 23-MAR-09 15:05:00 (CST-6)
Location: BEATRICE
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in BUTLER, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 15:07:00 to 23-MAR-09 15:07:00 (CST-6)
Location: DAVID CITY
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Hail in LANCASTER, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 15:26:00 to 23-MAR-09 15:41:00 (CST-6)
Location: WALTON
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

Hail up to 1 inch in diameter was reported just south and just east of Lincoln.  The hail fell from the supercell thunderstorm that produced several tornadoes southeast through east of town.

Hail in SALINE, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 14:26:00 to 23-MAR-09 14:26:00 (CST-6)
Location: FRIEND
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Hail in PLATTE, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 14:36:00 to 23-MAR-09 14:36:00 (CST-6)
Location: COLUMBUS
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Hail in BUTLER, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 15:05:00 to 23-MAR-09 15:05:00 (CST-6)
Location: BRAINARD
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Hail in DOUGLAS, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 16:20:00 to 23-MAR-09 16:42:00 (CST-6)
Location: OMAHA MILLARD ARPT
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A supercell thunderstorm that produced several tornadoes southwest of town and at least one tornado northeast of town dropped hail across much of the Omaha metro area.  Across Omaha most of the hail was 1/2 inch in diameter or less, and it drifted several inches deep in some locations.  However, some larger hailstones were observed, mostly across the western sections of town.  Golf ball-size hail was reported near 144th and Ida, a few 1.25 inch stones fell near 150th and Blondo and 1 inch hail was observed near 168th and Harrison Streets.

Hail in LANCASTER, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 16:20:00 to 23-MAR-09 16:20:00 (CST-6)
Location: LINCOLN
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Golf ball size hail was reported around 5 miles south of the southern part of Lincoln.

High Wind in JEFFERSON, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 10:50:00 to 23-MAR-09 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 56.00 MG
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Sustained winds of 35 to 40 mph with gusts of 60 to 65 mph prevailed over the county from late morning through early evening.  Several weather recording stations reported wind gusts of 60 to 65 mph including one maintained by emergency management which recorded a 65 mph wind gust at 258 pm CDT.  The strong winds downed trees and large limbs, power lines, caused some building damage in Fairbury and nearby Endicott and created very poor visibilities in blowing dust.  The winds also flipped 2 semis.  One semi was overturned southwest of Fairbury around 240 pm CDT and the other was blown over 1/2 mile east of Jansen on Highway 136 around 320 pm.  The second resulted in minor injuries to the driver.

High Wind in OTOE, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 13:00:00 to 23-MAR-09 17:00:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 55.00 EG
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

Wind gusts estimated at 60 to 65 mph tipped over 3 semi-trailer on Highway 2 from around 4 pm until 5 pm CDT.  The winds also destroyed a garage and snapped several pine trees near Palmyra around 630 pm.  The winds were from gradient south or southwest winds that blew in advance of and behind a line of thunderstorms that developed west of region and moved across the region.  The semis were tipped generally in advance of the storms, while the garage and tree damage occurred with the line 10 or 20 miles to the east.

High Wind in GAGE, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 13:30:00 to 23-MAR-09 16:00:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 35.00 MS
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Sustained winds of 35 to 40 mph with gusts of 50 to 55 mph prevailed over the county much of the afternoon of the 23rd.  One home weather station in Beatrice recorded sustained winds of 40 mph for several hours.

High Wind in SEWARD, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 13:00:00 to 23-MAR-09 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 56.00 MG
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

Sustained winds of 35 to 40 mph with gusts of 60 to 65 mph prevailed over the county much of the afternoon of the 23rd.  A dept. of Roads sensor near Milford measured a 64 mph wind gust at 312 pm CDT.  The strong winds caused scattered tree, building and fence damage in the county.

High Wind in JOHNSON, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 13:00:00 to 23-MAR-09 17:00:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

Wind gusts estimated at close to 60 mph blew a storage shed located at the Tecumseh Livestock Auction into a power pole along Calhoun Street.  This caused power to be lost for around 45 minutes for about half the residents of Tecumseh, with a few customers without power for a day or two.  The winds were from gradient south winds that blew in advance of thunderstorms that developed west of region.  When the damage occurred, the line of thunderstorms was still about 20 to 30 miles to the west and moving north northeast.

High Wind in BOONE, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 11:00:00 to 23-MAR-09 13:00:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 35.00 ES
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Gradient south winds of 35 to 40 mph with gusts to 50 to 55 mph prevailed for several hours across Boone county.  The winds severely damaged a barn 8 miles west of Albion and another one 11 miles west of town.

High Wind in SALINE, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 12:42:00 to 23-MAR-09 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 54.00 MG
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

A dept. of roads sensor near Wilber measured sustained winds of 40 mph with gusts of 50 to 55 mph much of the afternoon of the 23rd.  The emergency manager in Wilber reported that a wind gust of 62 mph was measured by his home equipment.  The wind caused scattered tree and building damage in the county.  A semi trailer was also overturned near Dorchester.

Tornado in CASS, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 15:59:00 to 23-MAR-09 16:08:00 (CST-6)
Location: ALVO
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Property damage: 1.00M
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

This is the fifth and last of 5 cyclic tornadoes that a low-topped supercell thunderstorm produced at it tracked southeast through east of the Lincoln area.  This tornado touched down in Alvo and tracked a little over 10 miles north northeast before lifting just west of South Bend.  The tornado knocked down power poles and transmission lines, snapped trees and damaged houses and destroyed farm out buildings along its path.  One of the downed power lines fell on a car trapping its occupant for several hours.  Several cars were crushed by fallen trees in the Alvo area.  From the 3 confirmed tornadoes that hit the county, plus any associated wind damage, emergency management estimated that 30 homes had minor damage with 4 sustaining major damage and 60 to 80 farm outbuildings were damaged with the total damage approaching $1 million.

Thunderstorm Wind in GAGE, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 15:26:00 to 23-MAR-09 15:26:00 (CST-6)
Location: CLATONIA
Magnitude: 55.00 EG
Property damage: 0.50K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at over 60 mph damaged a metal outbuilding south of Claytonia.

Tornado in LANCASTER, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 15:31:00 to 23-MAR-09 15:33:00 (CST-6)
Location: HICKMAN
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

This is the first of 5 cyclic tornadoes that a low-topped supercell thunderstorm produced at it tracked southeast through east of the Lincoln.  The first tornado touched down around 4 miles south of Hickman uprooting some trees and causing farm outbuilding and other tree damage along its path.

Thunderstorm Wind in RICHARDSON, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 18:08:00 to 23-MAR-09 18:08:00 (CST-6)
Location: FALLS CITY
Magnitude: 51.00 EG
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

A thunderstorm wind gust was measured at 59 mph by Asos at the Falls City airport.  The winds caused damage to a hanger door.

Tornado in LANCASTER, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 15:41:00 to 23-MAR-09 15:48:00 (CST-6)
Location: BENNET
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

This is the third of 5 cyclic tornadoes that a low-topped supercell thunderstorm produced at it tracked southeast through east of the Lincoln area.  This tornado touched down around 2.5 miles west of Bennet, in Lancaster county, tracked northeast clipping the far northwest corner of Otoe county and then lifted around 1.5 miles into the southwest corner of Cass county. In Lancaster county the tornado uprooted trees and caused farm outbuilding damage. In Cass county the tornado destroyed a garage and tossed the debris into a occupied car injuring 5 people.  The total path length was around 11 miles.

Tornado in CASS, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 15:52:00 to 23-MAR-09 15:57:00 (CST-6)
Location: EAGLE
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

This is the fourth of 5 cyclic tornadoes that a low-topped supercell thunderstorm produced at it tracked southeast through east of the Lincoln area.  This tornado touched down on the southwest side of Eagle and caused tree and some building damage along its path before lifting around 1 mile south of Alvo.  Three people sustained minor injures near Alvo when a tree fell onto a truck they were in.

High Wind in LANCASTER, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 13:30:00 to 23-MAR-09 16:00:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 51.00 MG
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

The Asos at the Lincoln airport recorded sustained winds of 35 to 40 mph with gusts of 55 to 60 mph for several hours during the afternoon of the 23rd.  A peak gust of 60 mph was recorded at 248 pm CDT.

Hail in SEWARD, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 14:50:00 to 23-MAR-09 14:50:00 (CST-6)
Location: STAPLEHURST
Magnitude: 4.25 
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Hail up to Softball size was reported in the Staplehurst area.

Hail in GAGE, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 15:13:00 to 23-MAR-09 15:25:00 (CST-6)
Location: CLATONIA
Magnitude: 1.75 
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Hail between 1 inch and golf ball-size was reported from 1 mile south of Clatonia to 1 mile south of Cortland.

Tornado in KNOX, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 15:15:00 to 23-MAR-09 15:16:00 (CST-6)
Location: SANTEE
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Employee

A tornado apparently touched down on the Nebraska side of the Missouri River south of Springfield, SD.  The tornado caused some tree damage in the area.

Tornado in LANCASTER, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 15:36:00 to 23-MAR-09 15:37:00 (CST-6)
Location: HOLLAND
Tornado F-scale: EF2
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

This is the second of 5 cyclic tornadoes that a low-topped supercell thunderstorm produced at it tracked southeast through east of the Lincoln area.  This tornado touched down around 2 miles east of Hickman and damaged a house in the area, destroyed some farm outbuildings, took the roof off of a barn and also caused tree damage.

Tornado in OTOE, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 15:48:00 to 23-MAR-09 15:49:00 (CST-6)
Location: PALMYRA
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

This is the third and longest tracked of 5 cyclic tornadoes that a low-topped supercell thunderstorm produced at it tracked southeast through east of the Lincoln.  This tornado touched down around 2.5 miles west of Bennet, in Lancaster county, tracked northeast clipping the far northwest corner of Otoe county and then lifted around 1.5 miles into the southwest corner of Cass county. In Otoe county the tornado caused tree and farm outbuilding damage.  In Cass county the tornado destroyed a garage and tossed the debris into a occupied car injuring 5 people.  The total path length was around 11 miles.

Thunderstorm Wind in RICHARDSON, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 17:30:00 to 23-MAR-09 17:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: SALEM
Magnitude: 60.00 EG
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 60 to 70 mph downed trees and snapped at least one power pole causing a power outage south of Salem.

Tornado in CASS, NEBRASKA
From 23-MAR-09 15:49:00 to 23-MAR-09 15:51:00 (CST-6)
Location: EAGLE
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

This is the third and longest tracked of 5 cyclic tornadoes that a low-topped supercell thunderstorm produced at it tracked southeast through east of the Lincoln area.  This tornado touched down around 2.5 miles west of Bennet, in Lancaster county, tracked northeast clipping the far northwest corner of Otoe county and then lifted around 1.5 miles into the southwest corner of Cass county. In Cass county the tornado destroyed a garage and tossed the debris into a occupied car injuring 5 people. Other tree and farm outbuilding damage was noted.  The total path length was around 11 miles.