What happened: a supercell that wouldn’t move
Tuesday evening turned chaotic for the small town of McCook, Nebraska when a powerful supercell thunderstorm effectively parked itself over the area. Radar showed the storm’s updraft staying in roughly the same spot for hours, allowing hail to grow to extraordinary sizes—some pieces measured over three inches, about the size of a baseball, and a few even larger. At the same time, straight‑line winds gusted past 70 mph, turning the hailstorm into a dual‑threat event that ripped roofs off sheds and knocked down trees.
FOX Weather’s Storm Tracker Brandon Copic arrived on the outskirts of town to find a car that looked like it had been through a demolition derby. The vehicle’s windshield was peppered with dozens of deep craters, the driver’s side window was shattered, the rear passenger window was missing, and both headlights were completely blown out. Copic summed it up: “The vehicle was just absolutely obliterated by hail. We definitely had hail at least softball size, potentially some larger, plus winds in excess of 70 mph.”
Aftermath: roads buried, parks flooded, and safety lessons
Snow plows, an odd sight in late summer, were dispatched to clear streets that had become a layer of glittering ice. The hail accumulated to depths that resembled a light snowfall, forcing crews to shovel it away before traffic could resume. Meanwhile, relentless rain added more than five inches of water overnight, causing flash flooding across the town. Barnett Park’s playground was underwater, with swings and slides half‑submerged, and several low‑lying neighborhoods reported water entering basements.
Local meteorologist Jessica Blum noted that the storm’s stationary nature also produced multiple funnel cloud sightings, though none touched down as tornadoes. The combination of massive hail, fierce wind, and heavy rain made this one of the most damaging severe‑weather events in southwestern Nebraska’s recent history.
Residents who survived the on‑road chaos shared a simple but effective tip: point the vehicle into the oncoming wind. The windshield is the strongest glass on most cars and is designed to take direct impact, so aligning it with the storm’s strongest force can reduce the chance of catastrophic side‑window damage.
- Stay indoors until the hail stops.
- If you must drive, reduce speed and keep your vehicle pointed into the wind.
- Cover any exposed windows with plywood or heavy blankets if a storm is forecast.
- After the storm, inspect roofs for missing shingles and clear out hail from gutters to prevent roof leaks.
Authorities are still assessing the total cost of repairs, but early estimates suggest that the damage runs into the millions of dollars, affecting homes, farms, and public infrastructure. Insurance adjusters are fielding calls from farmers whose barns have lost roofs, and city officials are coordinating with the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency to provide temporary shelters for those displaced by flooding.
The event also sparked a conversation about climate trends in the Great Plains. While supercells are a regular summer feature, the size of the hail and the persistence of the storm have prompted scientists to examine whether warmer air masses are fueling more intense updrafts. Researchers at the University of Nebraska warned that “the frequency of extreme hail events could rise as atmospheric moisture increases, making preparedness even more critical for rural communities.”
For now, McCook residents are cleaning up, repairing damaged property, and counting on community volunteers who have already organized hail‑removal crews and sandbag distribution. The storm may have left a glittering mess on the ground, but it also reminded the town of the power of nature and the importance of staying informed and safe during severe weather.