In the afternoon hours of April 26, 2024, a large and violent

tornado A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with the surface of Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. It is often referred to as a twister, whirlwind or cyclone, although the ...

moved through the

Omaha metropolitan area Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...

, striking the communities of

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, Elkhorn,

Bennington Bennington is a New England town, town in Bennington County, Vermont, United States. It is one of two shire towns (county seats) of the county, the other being Manchester (town), Vermont, Manchester. As of the 2020 United States Census, US Cens ...

, and

Blair Blair is a Scots-English-language name of Scottish Gaelic origin. The surname is derived from any of the numerous places in Scotland called ''Blair'', derived from the Scottish Gaelic ''blàr'', meaning "plain", "meadow" or " field", frequently ...

Nebraska Nebraska ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Ka ...

, resulting in four injuries. The

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA ) is an American scientific and regulatory agency charged with Weather forecasting, forecasting weather, monitoring oceanic and atmospheric conditions, Hydrography, charting the seas, ...

‘s finalized damage survey and analysis by county: * * * The tornado was part of a destructive tornado outbreak that occurred across the

Midwestern The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...

, Southern, and High Plains regions of the United States between April 25 and 28, and was the first of two violent tornadoes that occurred during the outbreak. The tornado reached peak intensity in the

Omaha Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...

neighborhood of Elkhorn and south of the city of Blair, leading the

National Weather Service The National Weather Service (NWS) is an Government agency, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that is tasked with providing weather forecasts, warnings of hazardous weather, and other weathe ...

in Omaha, Nebraska to assign a rating of low-end EF4 on the

Enhanced Fujita scale The Enhanced Fujita scale (abbreviated EF-Scale) is a scale that rates tornado intensity based on the severity of the damage a tornado causes. It is used in the United States and France, among other countries. The EF scale is also unofficially ...

, with maximum wind speeds estimated at . Initially rated as a high-end EF3, post-analysis revealed that the tornado was slightly stronger and was thus upgraded to EF4 in July 2024. As a result, this tornado was the first violent tornado of the

2024 The year saw the list of ongoing armed conflicts, continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Myanmar civil war (2021–present), Myanmar civil war, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudane ...

season and the first of two EF4 tornadoes during the month of April, as well as being the first violent tornado in

since 2014 nearly a decade prior.

Meteorological synopsis

A significant severe weather event was predicted to occur on the afternoon of April 26. The event was first forecasted to occur on April 20, when a 15% risk area was issued across much of the south-central United States by the Storm Prediction Center for April 26. By April 23, the 15% area had been expanded tremendously, covering areas from the eastern Great Plains into the mid-Mississippi Valley. On April 24, the 15% risk area transitioned into slight risk area that covered the same area with all severe weather hazards expected. With an enhanced risk of severe weather in place, the Storm Prediction issued a tornado watch for eastern Oklahoma on the morning of April 26. Several hours later, on the afternoon of April 26, another tornado watch was implemented for northeastern Nebraska, which included the possibility for "a couple of intense tornadoes." The

supercell A supercell is a thunderstorm characterized by the presence of a mesocyclone, a deep, persistently rotating updraft. Due to this, these storms are sometimes referred to as rotating thunderstorms. Of the four classifications of thunderstorms (su ...

that produced the Elkhorn EF4 tornado initiated in

Republic County, Kansas Republic County is a county located in the state of Kansas, south from the Nebraska state line. Its county seat and largest city is Belleville. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 4,674. The county was named after the Repub ...

. It matured and continued northeast for a little over 35 miles (56 km), where the first tornado warning was issued for the supercell in

Jefferson County, Nebraska Jefferson County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 7,240. Its county seat is Fairbury. The county was named for Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States of America. ...

; no tornado was documented at that time. The supercell continued further northeast for about 45 miles (72 km), where it then produced an intense, photogenic tornado in northeastern

Lincoln, Nebraska Lincoln is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Nebraska. The city covers and had a population of 291,082 as of the 2020 census. It is the state's List of cities in Nebraska, second-most populous city a ...

, the first tornado from the supercell. The tornado continued northeast for 8.55 miles (13.76 km), before lifting north-northeast of Waverly. The tornado was rated as a high-end EF3 on the

, with wind speeds estimated at , reaching a peak width of along a path, remaining on the ground for 12 minutes. The supercell than produced two weak tornadoes near

Greenwood Green wood is unseasoned wood. Greenwood or Green wood may also refer to: People * Greenwood (surname) Settlements Australia * Greenwood, Queensland, a locality in the Toowoomba Region * Greenwood, Western Australia, a suburb of Perth ...

and Ashland before producing the violent tornado that struck Elkhorn.

Tornado summary

Douglas County

The tornado first touched down at 3:30 pm CDT south of West Q Road near the

Platte River The Platte River () is a major American river, in the state of Nebraska. It is about long; measured to its farthest source via its tributary, the North Platte River, it flows for over . The Platte River is a tributary of the Missouri River, w ...

and traveled northeastward, damaging trees and farmstead outbuildings at EF0-EF1 intensity. As the tornado crossed the intersection of Grover Street and South 252nd Street, it strengthened to mid-EF2 strength, where it ripped the roof off a home. The tornado maintained EF2 strength as it crossed

N-92 N92 may refer to: * Alawa language * , a submarine of the Royal Navy * Nebraska Highway 92, in the United States * Nokia N92, a mobile phone * Vaginal bleeding Vaginal bleeding is any expulsion of blood from the vagina. This bleeding may originat ...

, near the intersection of US 275, where it damaged numerous homes and hit an acreage. In the acreage, multiple center pivots were overturned. A grain silo also sustained EF2 damage in this area. Crossing US 275, the tornado struck several more acreages and damaged multiple homes and outbuildings at EF1 to EF2 intensity; The first of two tornado emergencies was issued for this tornado at that time as well; it would remain under this tag for essentially the rest of its existence. The tornado then weakened as it crossed 234th Street and L-28B, where it damaged a horse farm and a home at EF1 intensity. As the tornado crossed the

Elkhorn River The Elkhorn River is a river in northeastern Nebraska, United States, that originates in the eastern Sandhills and is one of the largest tributaries of the Platte River, flowing and joining the Platte just southwest of Omaha, approximately ...

southeast of

, it caused EF0 to EF1 damage to several trees and other center pivots.

Elkhorn and Bennington

As the tornado entered the Omaha neighborhood of Elkhorn around the intersection of 216th Street and N-64, it abruptly became violent, leveling a home. In the initial final report on the tornado released in mid-July 2024, this damage was rated high-end EF3 with winds of due to the walls of the structure not being particularly well-anchored. However, a reanalysis of this location later in the month revealed that a substantial portion of the home had been swept away and nearby trees were snapped with some debarking noted. Based on this, the damage rating at this location was upgraded to low-end EF4 with winds of . It was also concluded that the location may have been hit by a sub-vortex with a slightly longer vortex residence time noted here. The tornado also collapsed metal light poles near the Prospect Hill Cemetery, where several headstones were damaged. The tornado then damaged the Heritage Nursery Landscaping business before moving into the Ramblewood subdivision, where it was approximately in width. The tornado had weakened slightly but remained at high-end EF3 intensity as it struck the subdivision, where it damaged or destroyed numerous homes with winds up to . Many homes were left almost completely flattened, and other homes collapsed after being shifted off their foundations. Continuing northeast, the tornado again became violent as it struck multiple homes along Fowler Street and Larimore Avenue. Two homes along Larimore Avenue that were newly built and newly anchored with nails and anchor bolts to a sill plate were leveled and swept away. Damage at these two homes was initially rated mid-range EF3 but was upped to low-end EF4 in the reanalysis. Other homes in this area were also leveled or had some or all of their exterior walls knocked down, a metal building system was heavily damaged, and some trees were snapped. The tornado then crossed Fort Street and struck another subdivision at EF3 strength, damaging several new homes, including one home that had all of its exterior walls knocked down and a newly built home that was leveled. Exiting the subdivision, the tornado grew to almost a mile-wide and crossed N-31, snapped numerous wooden and steel power poles and trees. The tornado then narrowed to a half-mile wide and weakened to EF1 strength as it continued northeastward, snapping trees and damaging the roofs of outbuildings and homes. The tornado then reached EF2 intensity again southwest of

unroofing homes and snapping trees in a residential area. Continuing northeastward, the tornado intensified further to high-end EF2 intensity as it struck a development along Newport Landing Lake to the west of Bennington. Homes in this area suffered extensive damage with roofs removed and exterior walls knocked down, and power poles and trees were snapped. After crossing the lake and N-36, the tornado continued to snap trees and power lines and damage outbuildings at EF1 intensity before moving into Washington County.

Washington County

The tornado regained EF2 strength upon entering the county, causing moderate to heavy damage to homes and damaging or destroying outbuildings well east of

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

. It further strengthened and briefly reached low-end EF3 intensity near the intersection of County Road 29 and County Road 40, where an unanchored home was shifted entirely off its foundation and destroyed with nearby trees snapped and debarked. A flatbed and horse-trailers on the property were rolled or lofted, and the machine shop and horse barns were destroyed, killing at least one horse and injuring several others. Another unanchored home was shifted off its foundation and partially collapsed, power poles were snapped, and more trees were uprooted or snapped. As it approached N-133, the tornado continued to cause mid-range to high-end EF2 damage, ripping the roofs off and knocking down the exterior walls of homes, damaging or destroying outbuildings, damaging at least one mobile home, snapping wooden power poles, and snapping or uprooting numerous trees. One home along County Road 36 was left with only interior walls standing, and the damage there was rated mid-range EF3. The tornado's width ranged from one-third to one-half-mile wide along this portion of its path. BlairNebraskaEF4tornadodamage

After crossing N-133, the tornado rapidly intensified and became violent for the third time as it impacted small neighborhoods to the south of

. Several homes were completely destroyed, including some that were swept away. These homes were either unanchored or poorly anchored and the damage was rated high-end EF3 with winds of . However, one of the swept-away homes received a low-end EF4 rating in the reanalysis. Other homes in the area were also unroofed with some or all of the exterior walls knocked down. Northeast of there, the tornado inflicted EF2 damage to homes before destroying another unanchored home at mid-range EF3 intensity and causing extensive tree damage. The tornado then weakened, causing EF0-EF1 damage to homes and trees as it approached

US 75 U.S. Route 75 is a north–south U.S. Highway that runs in the central United States. The highway's northern terminus is located at the Canadian border near Noyes, Minnesota, at a now-closed border crossing. From this point, the highway ...

. EF2 damage occurred as the tornado crossed US 75, where an unanchored home was shifted off its foundation and leveled, other homes suffered minor to heavy roof damage, trees and power poles were snapped, and several tank cars at Cargill Plant were derailed.

Iowa and dissipation

The tornado then weakened again and crossed the

Missouri River The Missouri River is a river in the Central United States, Central and Mountain states, Mountain West regions of the United States. The nation's longest, it rises in the eastern Centennial Mountains of the Bitterroot Range of the Rocky Moun ...

into Iowa, producing EF0 damage to trees as it moved northeastward. The tornado then crossed over

US 30 U.S. Route 30 or U.S. Highway 30 (US 30) is an east–west main route of the United States Numbered Highway System, with the highway traveling across the Northern U.S. With a length of , it is the third-longest U.S. Highway, afte ...

and moved across bottom-land/agricultural areas at EF0-EF1 intensity, snapping or uprooting many trees and tipping over center pivots. The tornado then turned east-northeast and dissipated south of Modale at 4:31 pm CDT after being on the ground for 61 minutes, traveling , and reaching a width of . Four people were injured.

Post-analysis upgrade

On April 29, 2024, the

Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...

released their preliminary damage survey results for the April 26 tornadoes. Initially, the Elkhorn tornado received a high-end EF3 rating, with wind speeds estimated at . A path width of and a path length of was determined as well. In the final report issued by the NCEI in mid-July, the track was shortened to while the width was widened to . However, in late July 2024, the National Weather Service completed substantial reanalysis of the Elkhorn tornado, including direct comparisons to other tornado damage of similar magnitude, forensic analysis, and careful evaluation of newly available high resolution aerial imagery immediately after the tornado occurred and prior to clean up. This new data suggested that a few small areas of low-end EF4 damage did occur in the Elkhorn tornado, with wind speeds estimated at . Although an increase of 5 mph from the previous EF rating, this upgraded the tornado from a high-end EF3, to a low-end EF4 on the

. An updated path length of was also determined, although the path width remained unchanged. The upgrade to EF4 made this the first violent tornado to occur in the state of

since June 16, 2014, as well as the first violent tornado of the

season, surpassing the Marietta, Oklahoma tornado that occurred the following day.

Aftermath

The tornado was rated as a low-end EF4 with wind speeds estimated at , reaching a peak width of along a path, remaining on the ground for 61 minutes. Four injuries occurred, with no fatalities. The same supercell would later produce four other weak tornadoes, including a large, high-end EF1 tornado east of

Pisgah, Iowa Pisgah is a city in Harrison County, Iowa, United States, along the Soldier River. The community is located in the midst of the Loess Hills. The population was 249 at the time of the 2020 census. History Pisgah was laid out in 1899. The town' ...

that severely damaged several homes. None of the other tornadoes would cause significant damage. A curfew was implemented in

Washington County, Nebraska Washington County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 20,865. Its county seat is Blair. Washington County is part of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area. In the Nebraska l ...

, from 10 pm to 6 am for several days after the tornado struck in order to prevent looting and sightseeing.

References

{{2024 tornado outbreaks Tornadoes in Nebraska Tornadoes of 2024 F4, EF4 and IF4 tornadoes