Episode narrative: An upper level ridge was centered from the Four Corners Region to Arkansas. South central and central Nebraska were on the northern edge of this ridge. A weak upper trough extended over much of the Midwest. Temperatures were generally in the 70s during the early morning hours of July 29th across central and south central Nebraska. Dewpoint temperatures were generally in the mid 60s to lower 70s. Most unstable CAPE values were over 3,000 J/kg and the effective shear was around 40 knots. Surface winds were out of the north to northeast and winds at 500 millibars were out of the northwest. 

A complex of thunderstorms developed and strengthened over the Nebraska Sandhills during the early morning hours of July 29th and moved southeast. These storms began impacting the area just after 4:30 AM CDT in Valley County with wind gusts of 66 to 81 mph which caused tree damage. This complex of storms continued to move southeast across central and south central Nebraska and impacted Dawson, Phelps, Howard, Hall, Adams, Hamilton, Clay, and Fillmore Counties with severe wind gusts. These wind gusts ranged from 58 mph to 72 mph and resulted in tree and power pole damage. The final report of severe winds was at 7:30 AM CDT in Fillmore County. The most significant event was a brief tornado that had developed within the line/complex of storms in Clay County just before 7 AM CDT. The tornado moved from northwest to southeast across the town of Sutton. This tornado resulted in damage to trees, small outbuildings, homes, buildings, garages, a golf course, and a corn field. The tornado was rated as an EF-1 with winds up to 110 mph.

Tornado event in CLAY County, NEBRASKA
Start: 29-JUL-23 05:53:00
End: 29-JUL-23 05:56:00
Direct deaths: 0
Property damage: 750.00K
Event narrative: A brief tornado developed within a long-lived line of thunderstorms just prior to 7 AM CDT on July 29th. This tornado moved from northwest to southeast across the town of Sutton. The first visible damage occurred as the tornado developed on the northwest edge of Sutton. Tree damage was the most obvious damage in this area, with several large branches snapped. Some small outbuildings were also overturned and damaged, along with minor damage to homes, including windows, doors and siding. Roofing damage was limited in the early portions of the path. Most notable damage occurred in the downtown area of Sutton, where a steel roof was peeled off of a downtown building and lofted about one block to the south. There was also damage to brickwork on buildings, presumably as this roof was dragged across the top of adjacent buildings. This is where the estimated peak wind speeds of 110 MPH occurred. The tornado then continued southeast, snapping several trees across the southeast half of town. An old garage was also swept off of its foundation and blown into a nearby home and garage, causing significant damage to those buildings. Finally the tornado passed onto the golf course on the southeast edge of town. A maintenance building was severely damaged and several healthy trees were snapped. From here, the tornado passed into a corn field, producing a small path of crop damage. The tornado appeared to have lifted less than one-half mile southeast of Sutton.