Sunday evening, June 15, 2025, the National Weather Service in Cheyenne issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for multiple counties in the Nebraska Panhandle, following the rapid development of a powerful storm system.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Scotts Bluff, Kimball, Morrill and Banner counties
As of 5:17 PM MDT, meteorologists detected a strong thunderstorm cell near Harrisburg, about 21 miles north of Kimball, traveling northeast at 35 mph. The warning remained in effect until 6:00 PM MDT, with radar indicating hazardous conditions.
Threats and expected impacts
Radar data revealed the presence of winds reaching 60 mph (96 km/h) and hailstones approximately 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter. These conditions are capable of causing significant damage, particularly to vehicles, roofing structures, trees, and external facades.
Communities directly in the storm’s path include:
Gering, Bridgeport, Bayard, Minatare, Melbeta, McGrew, as well as Harrisburg, Redington, and the surrounding recreational areas such as Lake Minatare State Recreation Area, Bridgeport State Recreation Area, Chimney Rock National Historic Site, and Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area.
Other affected zones include Scottsbluff Airport, Morrill County Fairgrounds, Northport, Wrights Gap, South Bayard Junction, and Moomaw Corner.
Radar-tracked storm movement
The storm was identified at coordinates near 41.54°N, 103.70°W, moving with a bearing of 239° at a speed of 32 knots (approximately 37 mph or 60 km/h). This trajectory placed several rural communities and transportation corridors under imminent threat from both high-velocity wind gusts and localized hail showers.
Safety recommendations from meteorologists
Weather authorities emphasized seeking shelter indoors, particularly in interior rooms on the lowest level of a building. These storms are capable of breaking windows, stripping shingles, and uprooting trees.
Meteorologists continue monitoring the system closely as it advances across the Panhandle, potentially expanding into new warning areas as it intensifies or fragments into secondary cells.
