Omaha, Nebraska – Strong storms sweeping across southwest Iowa and southeast Nebraska tonight could bring damaging winds, large hail, and the potential for isolated tornadoes, prompting a Severe Thunderstorm Watch through 2 a.m. Friday.
According to the National Weather Service Omaha/Valley office, this new alert replaces the earlier Tornado Watch for overlapping areas, including Omaha, Lincoln, and parts of western Iowa. The highest threat includes gusts up to 75 mph and hail as large as 2 inches, particularly along the I-80 and I-29 corridors.
Communities such as Des Moines, Atlantic, Shenandoah, and Creston should prepare for fast-moving storms capable of downing trees and power lines. With over 2.3 million people potentially affected, residents are urged to secure outdoor items, stay indoors during warnings, and charge devices ahead of any outages.
Storms are expected to exit most of southeast Nebraska, including Lincoln and Beatrice, by midnight. However, south-central Iowa, including Ames and Indianola, may see strong activity into the early morning hours.
Severe alerts remain in effect until 2 a.m., with further warnings possible if storms redevelop. Stay weather-aware overnight.
