October Tornadoes

October Tornadoes

South Central Nebraska and North Central Kansas

(1950-2017)

Tornado Touchdowns	Tornado Tracks

Tornado Descriptions (EF2 and Greater)

F3/EF3:
- October 9, 2001
Hamilton/Polk Counties: Just before 6 pm CDT, the most damaging tornado of the day developed near the Polk/Hamilton county line, and tracked northeast across western Polk County, leaving a path of destructions in its wake. Storm chaser reports reveal that the tornado frequently became multi-vortex in nature. A home was completely ripped from its foundation and blown into nearby trees three miles north of Polk, NE. Along its 18 mile path it damaged 20 pivots, and every farm in its path sustained damage to homes, outbuildings and grain bins. The tornado lifted southwest of Silver Creek.
- October 29, 1956
Hamilton/Polk Counties: Just before 6 pm CDT, the most damaging tornado of the day developed near the Polk/Hamilton county line, and tracked northeast across western Polk County, leaving a path of destructions in its wake. Storm chaser reports reveal that the tornado frequently became multi-vortex in nature. A home was completely ripped from its foundation and blown into nearby trees three miles north of Polk, NE. Along its 18 mile path it damaged 20 pivots, and every farm in its path sustained damage to homes, outbuildings and grain bins. The tornado lifted southwest of Silver Creek.

F2/EF2
- October 9, 2001
Merrick County: A tornado ripped up a farmstead in northern Merrick county. It tore a roof from a home, destroyed two large metal outbuildings and damaged a half-dozen vhicles. The tornado moved north and destroyed a barn on the Nance and Merrick county line, and narrowly missed a home.
- October 31, 2000
Dawson County: A Halloween tornado moved across central and northern Dawson County and crossed into southern Custer County. The tornado, which was spawned by a large supercell thunderstorm, was on the ground in Dawson County for about 14 miles and had a max width of 200 yards. Most of the tornado's path was over open country, but one farm in northern Dawson County did receive extensive damage. Part of the roof of the house was blown away and a barn was flattened. Pivots and buildings along the path were damaged.
- October 16, 1998
Phelps County: An unusual October severe weather outbreak spawned a tornado which tore across parts of Phelps and western Buffalo Counties. The tornado set down a few miles southwest of Loomis, NE and rapidly moved northeast. Along its path in Phelps County, grain bins were damaged, power poles snapped and a roof was torn from a storage building. One farm northeast of Loomis sustained major damage. Both the house and barn were a total loss. Once the storm crossed the Platte River, the tornado hit a trailer house just west of Elm Creek, NE and deposited the shattered remains about 200 feet north of its original location. The tornado continued to move to the north and shortly dissipated.
- October 17, 1994
Phelps County: A tornado moved across the western and northern parts of Holdrege, NE. The roof of one business was removed. One residence was destroyed, and three others were damaged. At the golf course, the clubhouse roof damaged, while the maintenance building and two golf cart sheds were destroyed. Sixty golf carts were damaged.
- October 9, 1973
Hall County: A tornado went through Alda, NE on a path tracking from southwest to northeast. The tornado damaged 30 to 35 homes, and campers and mobile homes were destroyed. Damage was also done to trees, automobiles, businesses, and utilities were disrupted.