We’re no strangers to tornadoes here in Nebraska; many of us are seasoned armchair meteorologists and spend every tornado season analyzing weather patterns. But there are a few storms that really stand out in our history. The tornado that ripped through southeastern Nebraska in 2004 was one of the largest and most destructive on record.

On May 22, 2004, the sky was so dark it was almost like night. Strong storms were moving across Nebraska from southwest to northeast and picking up steam as they went.
Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons


By the time the storms neared Daykin, there was strong rotation that rapidly turned into an enormous tornado. It varied in strength as it moved northeast, but it reached F4 status several times. The winds reached speeds of up to 200 MPH.



These videos show the terrifying, incredible power of this natural disaster. At its peak, the Hallam tornado reached a whopping 2.5 miles across. Until a 2014 storm in Oklahoma, the Hallam storm was the widest tornado on record.
The town of Hallam was hit the hardest, hence the tornado's title. It was all but leveled after the storm left a wide swath of destruction in its path.
By Hanyou23 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Overall, the storm caused more than $160 million in damages. The aftermath was far more serious than just monetary losses, though.
By Bob McMillan (This image is from the FEMA Photo Library.) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
One person was killed and 37 were injured. Most of the town's homes were destroyed and the rest were damaged. And this little town of just a few hundred lost 70 residents who chose to move away rather than rebuild after the storm.

This incredible tornado remains the second-widest ever recorded, and it left several communities picking up the pieces for many years.

Do you remember where you were when the massive tornado struck in 2004? Share your stories in the comments section.

For more of Nebraska’s most serious disasters, read this article from the archives.

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