WEBSTER COUNTY, Nebr. (NTV) — Three tornadoes whipped through Nebraska on Sunday, November 27, splitting trees in half, damaging irrigation pivots, and even turning a shed on its head.
One of those tornadoes came through Webster County just after 4:30 p.m, landing next to a farm northeast of Red Cloud. That area was hit the hardest.
As the Orcutt family continues clean up, they say they’re thankful things didn’t turn out worse.
“If it would have been 10 feet to the north, we probably wouldn’t have a roof on our house,” said Judy Orcutt.
A stormy afternoon produced something Orcutt was never expecting to see.
“I had no idea it was a tornado, I thought it was just wind,” she said.
Orcutt was in her basement when the rain and thunder began to give way to a much louder noise, so she went to her window to see what was happening.
“Everything was just circulating back here, it was unbelievable,” said Orcutt.
A shed flipped on its head, fencing destroyed, and trees were uprooted.
“It appears it was on the ground for about 2.5 miles. Top wind speed of about 95 miles an hour,” said Michael Moritz, with the National Weather Service.
Despite the damage surrounding them, the Orcutts and their home came out unscathed.
“We’re safe, we’re OK. We didn’t have to pitch a tent last night. We’re safe and that’s the important part,” said Orcutt.
The only damage to their home was from a twig pushed into a window screen.
Two other tornadoes did touch down in Nebraska on Sunday, one south of Minden and another southeast of Lawrence.
According to the National Weather Service, there was minimal damage in those areas.
BY IFESINACHI EGBOSIMBA MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28TH 2016
