A strong upper level trough and associated cold front pushed across the region during the afternoon and evening of March 22.  The upper level system caused low pressure to deepen over eastern Nebraska/northeast Kansas with a warm front extending northeast from the low into east central Nebraska and southwest Iowa.  By mid afternoon, ahead of the cold front and south of the warm front, temperatures climbed into the upper 70s to lower 80s and dew point temperatures reached the upper 50s.  The instability and shear near the low and warm front created a favorable environment for supercell development, a few of which produced damaging hail and at least 3 tornadoes in the area.

Hail in DOUGLAS, NEBRASKA
From 22-MAR-11 15:30:00 to 22-MAR-11 15:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: BENNINGTON
Magnitude: 2.50 
Reported by: Public

Hail that was near tennis ball-size was reported near Bennington.  The hail was from the same supercell that produced the damaging hail in the Valley area a few minutes earlier.

Hail in WASHINGTON, NEBRASKA
From 22-MAR-11 15:30:00 to 22-MAR-11 15:40:00 (CST-6)
Location: WASHINGTON
Magnitude: 1.50 
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail up to 1.5 inches in diameter fell from around the Washington area to the southwest side of Blair.  The larger hail stones were mainly around the Washington area which caused extensive vehicle and roof, siding and window damage around Washington.

Hail in THURSTON, NEBRASKA
From 22-MAR-11 15:31:00 to 22-MAR-11 15:31:00 (CST-6)
Location: PENDER
Magnitude: 1.75 
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Hail up to golf ball-size was reported in Pender by emergency management.  The hail blanketed the ground and caused minor damage to some vehicles.

Hail in WASHINGTON, NEBRASKA
From 22-MAR-11 15:39:00 to 22-MAR-11 15:39:00 (CST-6)
Location: FT CALHOUN BIL LO AR
Magnitude: 1.25 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A spotter reported half dollar-size hail near Ft. Calhoun.

Thunderstorm Wind in OTOE, NEBRASKA
From 22-MAR-11 15:00:00 to 22-MAR-11 15:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: LORTON
Magnitude: 55.00 EG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at over 60 mph ripped all of the vinyl siding off the side of a house southeast of Syracuse and two large sliding doors on a shed were blown off of their tracks.  The winds were also accompanied by hail up to dime-size.

Tornado in BURT, NEBRASKA
From 22-MAR-11 15:40:00 to 22-MAR-11 15:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: CRAIG
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Property damage: 1.10M
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

A NWS storm survey team assessed that a tornado touched down around 5 miles south-southwest of Craig and lifted about 4 miles south-southwest of town causing damage up to weak EF1 intensity.  An outbuilding and large storage bins were damaged, blown over or completely destroyed.  A storage shed garage door was also blown out.  Damage to the bins alone was estimated at close to $1 million.  Telephone poles were bent, two center pivots were flipped and a tree was topped along the path which was estimated at close to 2.5 miles long and around 75 yards wide.

Thunderstorm Wind in OTOE, NEBRASKA
From 22-MAR-11 14:45:00 to 22-MAR-11 14:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: BURR
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Thunderstorm wind gusts were estimated at 60 mph by a spotter near Burr along with half inch hail.

Hail in OTOE, NEBRASKA
From 22-MAR-11 15:00:00 to 22-MAR-11 15:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: LORTON
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Hail up to dime-size was accompanied by thunderstorm winds that were estimated at a little over 60 mph.

Hail in WAYNE, NEBRASKA
From 22-MAR-11 14:32:00 to 22-MAR-11 14:38:00 (CST-6)
Location: WAYNE
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail lasted for several minutes in Wayne and a bit east of town.  The hail was mostly pea-size, but a few hailstones reached around quarter-size.

Hail in LANCASTER, NEBRASKA
From 22-MAR-11 14:30:00 to 22-MAR-11 14:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: MALCOLM
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Hail up to quarter-size was reported near Malcolm.

Hail in LANCASTER, NEBRASKA
From 22-MAR-11 14:35:00 to 22-MAR-11 14:35:00 (CST-6)
Location: AGNEW
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Hail in DOUGLAS, NEBRASKA
From 22-MAR-11 15:13:00 to 22-MAR-11 15:18:00 (CST-6)
Location: VALLEY
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 250.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Hail up to golf ball-size fell for around 5 minutes in the Valley area including at the NWS office near town.  The hail was driven by winds estimated at least at 50 mph and caused extensive vehicle and property damage at the NWS office and to homes around a golf course near town.  The damage to the Vehicles alone at the NWS was over $100,000.  Damage to property and vehicles near the golf course and to homes in Valley was probably well in excess of $100,000.