Tornadoes cause significant damage northeast of Lincoln, several injuries reported (2024)

Multiple tornados touched down Friday afternoon northeast of Lincoln and continued toward the Omaha area.

4:30 p.m. update

The Lancaster County Sheriff's Office said that the Garner Industries facility near U.S. 6 and North 98th Street had been hit by the tornado. The building collapsed and several people became trapped inside, the sheriff's office said.

About 70 people were inside the building when the tornado hit. Three people were transported to area hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries. The other employees were able to be evacuated safely.

4 p.m. update

Lincoln Electric System reported about 1,200 people without power as of 4 p.m. Most of them are in northeast Lincoln and the Waverly area, where there was a confirmed tornado touchdown. Norris Public Power listed about 720 people without power, all of them in the Waverly area.

3:30 p.m. update

Photos and videos showed tornados causing significant damage north and west of Waverly at about 3 p.m. Friday.

Significant damage was reported to multiple buildings along with at least one semi that had overturned at mile marker 409 of Interstate 80. Rail cars were also reportedly off the tracks in the area and power lines were down

At least one of the tornadoes was reportedly a half mile wide at one point. Waverly schools were not in session Friday because of the Arbor Day holiday.

As of 3:30 p.m., only far north Lancaster County remained in a tornado warning. There also was a severe thunderstorm warning issued for northern Lancaster County until 4 p.m.

A tornado also touched down briefly Friday afternoon in northwest Lincoln near the airport, according to emergency scanner traffic.

At about 2:45 p.m., spotters said a tornado had touched down close to the Kawasaki manufacturing facility at U.S. 34 and Northwest 27th Street.

It was unclear as of Friday afternoon if that tornado caused any damage.

2:30 p.m. update

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning for Lancaster County, including part of the city of Lincoln.

The warning also includes parts of Saline, Gage and Jefferson counties and goes until 3:45 p.m.

The Weather Service said a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located about 17 miles southwest of Lincoln at about 2:15 p.m. and radar indicated rotation. The storm is moving northeast at 40 miles per hour.

Lincoln Public Schools said students were sheltering in place at schools and would not be allowed to leave until the warnings expire.

There had been no reports of a tornado on the ground as of 2:20 p.m.

The Weather Service had issued a tornado watch for the eastern half of Nebraska until 7 p.m.

It said in a bulletin that severe weather is "likely" across the area. Potential hazards include large hail up to 3 inches in diameter, thunderstorms with wind gusts up to 70 miles per hour, flash flooding and a few strong tornadoes.

The bulletin said the time frame with the best chance for severe storms is 2-8 p.m., though a map the Weather Service posted on social media showed the best time for storms in the Lincoln area is 2-5 p.m.

Numerous severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings had already been issued in parts of Nebraska as of 1 p.m. Friday. There also were reports of tornadoes on the ground near Rockville in Sherman County and near Cotesfield in Howard County.

Lincoln saw storms Thursday night and Friday morning that were not severe and produced more than half an inch of rain. There also is the potential for severe weather in Southeast Nebraska on Saturday.