Several strong to severe thunderstorms, some that eventually merged into a compact mesoscale convective system (MCS), rumbled southeastward across various parts of South Central Nebraska mainly between 6:30-11:30 p.m. CDT on this Saturday evening, prompting assorted reports of large hail (up to baseball size) and damaging winds (estimated up to 80 MPH) and disrupting activities at a handful of local county fairs. The most prominent narrow swath of severe activity cut through the heart of the 24-county area, focusing within 10 miles either side of a line extending from Ord-Cairo-Hastings-Davenport as an initially isolated supercell merged with a separate cluster of severe storms to its west, forming the aforementioned MCS. During it's more supercellular phase near/north of the Highway 92 corridor (mainly 6:30-8:30 p.m. CDT), a combo of both damaging winds and large hail occurred, featuring measured gusts as high as 74 MPH at Ord airport and hail ranging from golf ball to baseball size particularly within western Howard and far northwestern Hall counties. In Howard County, a stripe of significant damage to crops and windows/siding was noted from around Farwell to west of Dannebrog. As this MCS reached areas near/south of Interstate 80 (primarily 9-11 p.m. CDT) the hail threat waned but damaging winds continued, evidenced by a measured 58 MPH gust at Hastings airport and unofficial mesonet-measured gusts of 67 MPH near Nelson and 62 MPH near Davenport. Within Clay County, tree branches were downed in several communities including Trumbull, Deweese, Fairfield and Edgar. Shortly before this storm complex exited the local area to the southeast between 11:00-11:30 p.m. CDT, wind intensity ramped down to slightly sub-severe levels within southern/eastern Thayer County. Although far from the only outdoor event interruption of the evening within South Central Nebraska, one of the more noteworthy ones associated with this MCS involved the Adams County Fairfest in Hastings, where an ongoing Nelly concert was cut short and an evacuation of the grounds was successfully initiated shortly before the storm struck. Although rain totals of 1-2 inches were common within the heart of the MCS track (overall highest inF Clay County), any flooding was of the very short term/nuisance variety. To the west of the aforementioned primary swath of severe weather, a few separate and smaller-scale areas of strong to severe storms impacted portions of primarily Furnas, Buffalo and Dawson counties mainly between 7-9 p.m. CDT. In Furnas County, a relatively small but intense supercell roamed northern and eastern parts of the county, with estimated 80 MPH winds destroying an outbuilding and grain bin at a farmstead between Holbrook and Arapahoe. Meanwhile, other semi-discrete convection within parts of Buffalo/Dawson counties yielded a few wind reports including a mesonet-measured 64 MPH gust near Kearney and a slightly sub-severe 54 MPH speed near Lexington. The eastern reaches of this activity eventually merged with the primary MCS as it charged across the I-80 corridor and into the Hastings area.
Finishing with some details regarding the evolution and meteorology behind this event, the initial development of isolated to scattered thunderstorms during the mid-late afternoon hours occurred in separate areas slightly off to  the north and also west of South Central Nebraska, with this early activity gradually increasing in both coverage/intensity as it evolved into the local area. In the mid-upper levels, forcing was fairly weak, featuring only subtle shortwave energy working into the region in west-northwest flow, directed around the northeastern periphery of a large-scale ridge centered over the Four Corners region. At the surface, there were also no significant features of note locally, with most of South Central Nebraska simply reporting 5-15 MPH east-southeasterly breezes during the afternoon. However, the initial storm development off to the north and west of the area appeared to be tied to weak convergence along a pair of subtle boundaries. Despite the aforementioned weak forcing and also weak mid level lapse rates, the environment featured plentiful low level moisture/instability and seasonably-decent deep layer wind shear of 30-40 knots. Ahead of the incoming storms, late afternoon temperatures in the upper 80s-low 90s (F) and dewpoints in the upper 60s-mid 70s promoted mixed-layer CAPE 2000-3000 J/kg.

Thunderstorm Wind in VALLEY, NEBRASKA
From 16-JUL-22 17:51:00 to 16-JUL-22 17:51:00 (CST-6)
Location: (ODX)SHARP FLD ORD
Magnitude: 51.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

A wind gust of 59 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located three miles west-northwest of Ord.

Thunderstorm Wind in VALLEY, NEBRASKA
From 16-JUL-22 17:54:00 to 16-JUL-22 17:54:00 (CST-6)
Location: (ODX)SHARP FLD ORD
Magnitude: 64.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

A wind gust of 74 MPH was measured by the Ord Airport ASOS.

Thunderstorm Wind in FURNAS, NEBRASKA
From 16-JUL-22 18:35:00 to 16-JUL-22 18:40:00 (CST-6)
Location: HOLBROOK
Magnitude: 70.00 EG
Property damage: 250.00K
Crop damage: 2.00M
Reported by: Storm Chaser

Wind gusts were estimated to be near 60 MPH in Holbrook, where a few large tree limbs were downed. A few miles east of Holbrook, gusts likely closer to 80 MPH caused damage at a farmstead. An outbuilding and grain bin were destroyed, and the roof of a two-car garage was damaged. Hail up to the size of half dollars also occurred.

Hail in FURNAS, NEBRASKA
From 16-JUL-22 18:35:00 to 16-JUL-22 18:40:00 (CST-6)
Location: HOLBROOK
Magnitude: 1.25 
Property damage: 250.00K
Crop damage: 2.00M
Reported by: Storm Chaser

Hail up to the size of half dollars was accompanied by wind gusts in the area ranging between 60-80 MPH. Wind gusts were estimated to be near 60 MPH in Holbrook, where a few large tree limbs were downed. A few miles east of Holbrook, gusts likely closer to 80 MPH caused damage at a farmstead. An outbuilding and grain bin were destroyed, and the roof of a two-car garage was damaged.

Thunderstorm Wind in SHERMAN, NEBRASKA
From 16-JUL-22 19:04:00 to 16-JUL-22 19:04:00 (CST-6)
Location: SHERMAN RES
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Wind gusts were estimated to be near 60 MPH.

Hail in HOWARD, NEBRASKA
From 16-JUL-22 19:07:00 to 16-JUL-22 19:17:00 (CST-6)
Location: ELBA
Magnitude: 2.75 
Property damage: 500.00K
Crop damage: 5.00M
Reported by: Social Media

Hail up to the size of baseballs was reported. A CoCoRaHS observer noted in comments that crops and trees were damaged and did not look good.

Hail in FURNAS, NEBRASKA
From 16-JUL-22 19:12:00 to 16-JUL-22 19:12:00 (CST-6)
Location: BEAVER CITY
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Hail in HOWARD, NEBRASKA
From 16-JUL-22 19:25:00 to 16-JUL-22 19:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: FARWELL
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 1.00M
Crop damage: 30.00M
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Hail up to the size of golf balls was reported in Farwell by an NWS Employee. Emergency management later reported that a swath approximately three miles wide running from the Farwell area to west of Dannebrog suffered widespread crop damage and broken windows and siding.

Thunderstorm Wind in BUFFALO, NEBRASKA
From 16-JUL-22 19:51:00 to 16-JUL-22 19:51:00 (CST-6)
Location: KEARNEY
Magnitude: 56.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

A wind gust of 64 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located three miles southwest of Kearney.

Hail in HALL, NEBRASKA
From 16-JUL-22 19:52:00 to 16-JUL-22 19:52:00 (CST-6)
Location: CAIRO
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: CoCoRaHS

Thunderstorm Wind in HALL, NEBRASKA
From 16-JUL-22 19:54:00 to 16-JUL-22 19:54:00 (CST-6)
Location: CAIRO
Magnitude: 61.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Storm Chaser

Wind gusts were estimated to be near 70 MPH.

Thunderstorm Wind in ADAMS, NEBRASKA
From 16-JUL-22 20:24:00 to 16-JUL-22 20:24:00 (CST-6)
Location: (HSI)HASTINGS ARPT
Magnitude: 50.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

A wind gust of 58 MPH was measured by the Hastings Airport ASOS.

Thunderstorm Wind in CLAY, NEBRASKA
From 16-JUL-22 20:26:00 to 16-JUL-22 20:26:00 (CST-6)
Location: TRUMBULL
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Some tree branches were downed in Trumbull, with power outages also reported.

Thunderstorm Wind in ADAMS, NEBRASKA
From 16-JUL-22 20:37:00 to 16-JUL-22 20:37:00 (CST-6)
Location: PAULINE
Magnitude: 56.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Wind gusts were estimated to be near 65 MPH.

Thunderstorm Wind in ADAMS, NEBRASKA
From 16-JUL-22 20:46:00 to 16-JUL-22 20:46:00 (CST-6)
Location: HASTINGS
Magnitude: 50.00 MG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

A wind gust of 58 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located on the north side of Hastings. A CoCoRaHS observer in the same area reported that winds blew over trash cans, a BBQ grill, and downed small tree branches.

Thunderstorm Wind in CLAY, NEBRASKA
From 16-JUL-22 20:49:00 to 16-JUL-22 20:49:00 (CST-6)
Location: FAIRFIELD
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Some tree branches were downed in Fairfield, with power outages also reported.

Thunderstorm Wind in CLAY, NEBRASKA
From 16-JUL-22 20:49:00 to 16-JUL-22 20:49:00 (CST-6)
Location: DEWEESE
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Some tree branches were downed in Deweese, with power outages also reported.

Thunderstorm Wind in CLAY, NEBRASKA
From 16-JUL-22 21:01:00 to 16-JUL-22 21:01:00 (CST-6)
Location: EDGAR
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Some tree branches were downed in Edgar, with power outages also reported.

Thunderstorm Wind in NUCKOLLS, NEBRASKA
From 16-JUL-22 21:04:00 to 16-JUL-22 21:04:00 (CST-6)
Location: NELSON
Magnitude: 58.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

A wind gust of 67 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located one mile north of Nelson.

Thunderstorm Wind in THAYER, NEBRASKA
From 16-JUL-22 21:39:00 to 16-JUL-22 21:39:00 (CST-6)
Location: DAVENPORT
Magnitude: 54.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

A wind gust of 62 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located one mile south-southeast Davenport.