Nebraska’s Easter Sunday Disaster: The Tornado Outbreak of 1913 That Leveled Omaha

Nebraska has seen some pretty terrifying and destructive tornadoes over the years, but none were deadlier than those that struck on Easter Sunday, March 23, 1913. Known as some of the worst in the state's history, these tornadoes killed 103 people in Omaha—a record at the time—and caused millions of dollars of damage and more deaths in eastern Nebraska.

When the 1913 tornadoes in Nebraska struck, there were no weather radars and no TV meteorologists to tell people to take cover. The day dawned warm and sunny, which was a welcome break from the chilly spring weather.

By 5 p.m., this lovely day turned into a blustering nightmare. A huge storm system formed numerous tornadoes that would rip across several villages and towns in Nebraska and even into Iowa.

The deadliest tornado began in Sarpy County and then swept through north Omaha, leveling buildings and wiping out homes.

These pictures show the devastation caused by the massive tornado in Omaha. Although the Fujita Scale, the method used to measure tornado intensity, didn't exist at the time, the Easter Sunday tornadoes were later classified as F-4s, just one step below the most severe category.

In Omaha alone, as many as 2000 homes and buildings were leveled. A pool hall in north Omaha was not only destroyed but had a gas line broken in the tornado, causing the building to ignite, killing 25 people inside.

The utter devastation of this deadly outbreak has never been matched in Nebraska.

The damages climbed to $10 million, which is more than $338 million in 2026.

It's hard to pinpoint exactly how many people were killed in the tornado outbreak, partly because there were seven tornadoes that ripped through both Nebraska and Iowa from the same storm system. Additionally, methods of reporting and transmitting information were much less sophisticated in 1913, and some facts were changed, lost, or muddled from one outlet to the next. Records estimate at least 168 people were killed across Nebraska from the storm.

What we do know is that these tornadoes were some of the worst in Nebraska history. The one that struck Omaha in particular was incredibly intense and extremely destructive, but as a testament to the spirit of the people of Nebraska, life went on. The next day, cleanup and rebuilding efforts began in earnest, and the city rose from the rubble.

The devastating tornadoes of Easter Sunday 1913 left hundreds of people dead, injured, and homeless. It's one of Nebraska's greatest tragedies, and one that will hopefully never be matched. One reason the event was so deadly was the lack of forecasting and advanced warning systems. Fortunately, with today's technology of television and internet warnings, as well as specialized weather radios, we have a way to prepare even for the most destructive tornadoes.