NEBRASKA CITY, Neb. —
Some Nebraskans got their first taste of severe weather season Saturday with storms south of the metro in the Nebraska City area.
Otoe County Emergency Management officials confirmed a tornado touched down near Dunbar. One family saw it spin through a field right across from their home.
“I walked outside and was like the sky around us is completely blue, but right above us is black,” said Samantha Richardson, who lives near Dunbar.
The Richardsons were cooking in their kitchen when they said their phones went off, alerting them of the storms. Shortly later, they could see the tornado from their front door.
“It was just like dirt stirring up, there wasn’t anything flying through the air,” Dawn Richardson said. “It was just like black and you could tell it was just kind of stirring up the soil.”
After receiving multiple reports, Otoe County Emergency Management officials confirmed the tornado passed through at least two different places. As of Saturday night, officials reported no damage.
Valerie Werth caught the tornado on camera near her home in Syracuse.
“I looked out and across the street and over my neighbor’s house,” Werth said. “I saw a funnel coming down so I turned and ran for my camera.”
Werth drove to a nearby field to get a better view, where she captured photos of the tornado spinning and dirt flying in the distance.
“It didn’t really go up, it just stopped and dust was still just twirling,” Werth said.
Otoe County Emergency Management officials stopped searching for damage Saturday evening. They said a local law enforcement officer is expected to survey the area Sunday morning using a drone.
by Taylor Barth
Updated: 10:27 AM CDT Apr 16, 2017
