Eleven tornadoes confirmed in Nebraska Sandhills on one historic day

ASHBY, Neb. - The National Weather Service has now confirmed that 11 tornadoes touched down in the Nebraska Sandhills on April 27. Among the most significant was the tornado that destroyed a home and derailed a train near Ashby. According to the National Weather Service, that tornado was the widest ever surveyed in the North Platte National Weather Service coverage area.

“It is rare to see something this wide this far northwest in the Sandhills,” said Shawn Jacobs, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

In fact, it’s only the seventh tornado in Nebraska history to exceed a mile in width.

Jacobs surveyed the damage in person.

“We’ve seen solid EF2 damage, with winds at least in excess of 125 miles per hour,” he said. “We take a look at the entire path.”

Preliminary ratings show that the three largest of the 11 tornadoes have been classified as EF2. That includes the tornado near Ashby and two others that touched down near Merritt Reservoir in Cherry County.

For a closer look at all of the confirmed tornadoes and their paths, visit the National Weather Service website.