Tornadoes charge through Plains, Midwest, ripping apart homes in Nebraska
A tornado emergency was declared Sunday evening for Hebron, Nebraska, as violent storms swept across the central U.S.
Drone footage recorded in St. Paul, Nebraska, shows the devastation caused by a tornado on May 17.
Dozens of tornadoes tore across parts of the Plains and Midwest Sunday during a severe weather outbreak, leaving behind damaged homes, flipped vehicles and widespread storm reports from Kansas to Iowa.
More than 25 possible tornadoes were reported across Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota and Iowa Sunday, according to preliminary reports from NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center. Some of the worst damage was reported in Hall and Howard counties in Nebraska. Another tornado was reported in Hebron, Nebraska, where the National Weather Service issued a rare tornado emergency around 7 p.m. local time.
Tornado damage in St. Paul, Nebraska, seen the day after severe thunderstorms, on May 18, 2026. (Image: Brandon Clement/CorClips)
AccuWeather Extreme Meteorologist Dr. Reed Timmer intercepted several tornadoes in Nebraska, including near St. Paul and St. Libory.
Video recorded in Saint Libory, Nebraska, shows a tornado spinning through the area on May 17.
In Palmer, Nebraska, AccuWeather Storm Chaser Aaron Rigsby captured video of an impressive tornado on the ground as it moved across the area and caused damage.
Storm Chaser Brandon Clement captured drone video of damage in St. Paul, where a reported tornado flipped vehicles and destroyed homes.
In addition to the tornado activity, hundreds of reports of damaging hail and wind were filed with NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center.
AccuWeather’s Tony Laubach measured hailstones more than 2 inches in diameter in Stanton, Iowa.
AccuWeather’s Tony Laubach captures severe weather on May 16 in and around Stanton, Iowa, with hail up to 2 inches wide, blinding wind and rain, downed tree limbs and a brief rainbow.
Nebraska’s damaging tornadoes came as another round of dangerous severe weather was forecast for Monday.
"Considering there were about two dozen tornadoes on Sunday, Monday is expected to be even more active," AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said. "There could be at least two dozen tornadoes from Monday afternoon through Monday night, with the potential for 40 to 50."
AccuWeather will be live on YouTube Monday starting at 4 p.m. EDT for another day of severe weather, with footage from storm chasers and expert analysis from meteorologist Geoff Cornish.
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