Burwell, NE Hail Storm – June 2025

What Happened

A severe hail storm moved through the Burwell, Nebraska area on June 2, 2025, with peak hail up to 1.75 inches and a long run of radar and spotter confirmation through the evening. The first high-confidence alert came at 4:56 PM CDT with 1.5-inch hail, followed by a 5:03 PM CDT update that verified 1.75-inch hail by radar and spotter report.

The storm stayed active into the night. Additional alerts came at 5:06 PM CDT, 5:23 PM CDT, 5:46 PM CDT, and 5:54 PM CDT, with hail estimates ranging from 1 to 1.5 inches. More verified hail alerts followed at 6:12 PM CDT, 6:26 PM CDT, 6:59 PM CDT, and 7:26 PM CDT. Later radar-derived alerts continued at 8:00 PM CDT, 8:22 PM CDT, 8:47 PM CDT, 9:25 PM CDT, 10:25 PM CDT, and 11:41 PM CDT, showing a storm complex that kept cycling hail production well after sunset.

Field reports came in during the same period. Around 10:20 PM CDT, a report described a large tree snapped in half. Another report at 10:20 PM CDT noted several downed tree limbs about 6 inches in diameter. At 10:25 PM CDT, an image showed a fallen tree with hail under 1 inch and shingle damage. A separate 10:25 PM CDT report described a carport covering blown onto a mobile home. At 10:27 PM CDT, social media photos documented tree damage in Kearney. At 10:40 PM CDT, a fire chief reported power poles down in Kennesaw.

Late-night rainfall totals also climbed. At 11:18 PM CDT, a social media report from Hazard noted 3.25 inches of rain. By 11:59 PM CDT, personal weather stations reported 2.68 inches and 2.14 inches of storm-total rainfall as of midnight.

Damage Assessment

The field reports point to a storm that produced more than hail alone. Trees came down, limbs broke, and utility infrastructure failed in multiple spots. The reports from Kearney and Kennesaw show tree damage and downed power poles. The report from a mobile home site shows wind-driven impact to a carport covering. The shingle damage report came in with hail under 1 inch, which suggests roof impact even where stones were not at the peak size reported earlier in the storm.

Rainfall totals added another layer of impact. The 3.25-inch report from Hazard and the 2.68-inch and 2.14-inch personal weather station totals point to a wet storm period with repeated heavy bursts. That kind of rainfall can complicate roof checks, gutter inspections, and yard cleanup after the hail passes.

Radar and spotter confidence stayed high across the event. The storm produced multiple verified hail reports at 1.25, 1.5, and 1.75 inches, then continued sending 1-inch and 1.25-inch hail signatures into the late evening. The spread of reports suggests a broad hail-producing system, not a single short-lived core.

What Contractors Should Know

This was not a one-address event. The report set covers Burwell, Kearney, Kennesaw, Hazard, and surrounding points along the storm path. Contractors should expect scattered claims rather than a single compact loss area. Tree strikes, roof hits, and detached accessory damage all appear in the record.