Four tornadoes were recorded by the National Weather Service Saturday, July 6, with two of them touching down in Clay County.
The severe weather started in western Nebraska, with the first tornado—estimated to be an EF-1—hitting Minden around 3:48 p.m. It had a 200-yard path width, and traveled for 2.21 miles and had 90 mph winds.
The second tornado (EF-1) hit southwest of Norman at about 4:03 p.m. This one had a 50yard path width, 100 mph winds, and was on the ground for 4.34 miles An hour later, around 4:53 p.m., the third tornado—an EF-0—touched down between Hastings and Inland and traveled for .88 miles. It had an estimated maximum wind of 85 mph and a path width of 100 yards.
The final tornado (EF-1) hit southeast of Sutton around 5:32 p.m., traveling 1.83 miles into Fillmore County and had a 400-yard path width. It had winds of 110 mph.
The NWS issued a severe thunderstorm watch for all of Clay County around 12:30 p.m., Saturday, with spotters being called out at 4:30 p.m.
Thirty minutes later, the county was put under a tornado warning and sirens across the county were activated.
What the NWS is calling the Inland Tornado was a multi-vortex tornado confirmed by a storm chaser video. It touched down in a cornfield along Highway 6 and produced intermittent minor tree damage.
Damage southeast of Sutton along roads Road 315 and Z included snapped power poles, uprooted trees, and destroyed small grain bins. A farmhouse along this road had minor siding damage but was otherwise untouched.
Additionally, several fields had severe crop damage, likely due to a combination of hail and straight-line wind gusts, according to the NWS.
Trees throughout the county were damaged and laying in roadways and yards, and various pivots were overturned in fields.
Flooding was also an issue in the county. Nearly 3 inches was reported by NeRain, with the most being reported near Clay Center with 2.55 inches.
NeRain also reported pea-sized hail, broken shingles, and trees everywhere.
