A few clusters of strong to severe thunderstorms rumbled southeastward across South Central Nebraska between the evening hours of Wednesday the 2nd and the pre-dawn hours of Thursday the 3rd, resulting in a handful of hail and damaging wind reports. A few of the more noteworthy reports included: golf ball size hail and estimated 60 MPH winds along Highway 21 north of Lexington; estimated 60 MPH winds downing a 5-inch diameter tree branch near Pauline in southeastern Adams County.
Breaking down event evolution/timing, there were two primary clusters of strong to severe storms, both of which entered the local area between 9:30-10:30 p.m. CDT. The western one peaked in intensity over Dawson County and gradually weakened as it dropped south of the Interstate 80 corridor. The other, and longer-lasting storm cluster started over Valley County but did not peak in intensity until reaching Hall and Adams counties between 11:30 p.m-1:00 a.m. CDT, during which time the dominant storm assumed supercell characteristics. Convection weakened below severe limits after 1 a.m. CDT but expanded in coverage mainly within areas south of Interstate 80 and east of Highway 281, eventually departing the majority of South Central Nebraska by 4 a.m. CDT. Rainfall-wise, most areas affected by these storm clusters received between 0.50-1.50...not enough to promote flooding issues.
In the mid-upper levels, South Central Nebraska resided under northwesterly flow aloft, to the south of a moderately strong shortwave trough tracking mainly through the Dakotas. Despite minimal large-scale forcing along the southern periphery of this disturbance and also the loss of daytime heating, there was sufficient convergence and instability along an invading cold front to spark a few nocturnal severe storms. Late evening mesoscale parameters featured 1000-2000 J/kg most-unstable CAPE and around 35 knots of effective deep layer wind shear.

Hail in VALLEY, NEBRASKA
From 02-AUG-17 21:02:00 to 02-AUG-17 21:07:00 (CST-6)
Location: ELYRIA
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in DAWSON, NEBRASKA
From 02-AUG-17 21:34:00 to 02-AUG-17 21:34:00 (CST-6)
Location: LEXINGTON
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 1.00M
Crop damage: 2.00M
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Hail in HALL, NEBRASKA
From 02-AUG-17 23:02:00 to 02-AUG-17 23:05:00 (CST-6)
Location: CAIRO
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 250.00K
Crop damage: 2.00M
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Quarter size hail was accompanied by 60 MPH winds.

Hail in ADAMS, NEBRASKA
From 02-AUG-17 23:33:00 to 02-AUG-17 23:33:00 (CST-6)
Location: KENESAW
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Thunderstorm Wind in ADAMS, NEBRASKA
From 02-AUG-17 23:35:00 to 02-AUG-17 23:35:00 (CST-6)
Location: KENESAW
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Wind gusts estimated to be near 60 MPH downed some tree limbs approximately 3 inches in diameter.

Thunderstorm Wind in ADAMS, NEBRASKA
From 03-AUG-17 00:00:00 to 03-AUG-17 00:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: PAULINE
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Employee

Wind gusts estimated to be near 60 MPH downed a few tree limbs up to 5 inches in diameter.

Thunderstorm Wind in HALL, NEBRASKA
From 02-AUG-17 23:02:00 to 02-AUG-17 23:02:00 (CST-6)
Location: CAIRO
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 250.00K
Crop damage: 1.00M
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Wind gusts estimated to be near 60 MPH accompanied hail to the size of quarters.

Thunderstorm Wind in DAWSON, NEBRASKA
From 02-AUG-17 21:34:00 to 02-AUG-17 21:34:00 (CST-6)
Location: LEXINGTON
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 1.00M
Crop damage: 2.00M
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Wind gusts estimated to be near 60 MPH accompanied hail to the size of golf balls.