Lightning TrackerLincoln storms: live alerts, hail & tornado history
Live watches and warnings for Lincoln, NE, the 48-hour thunderstorm outlook, and every hail, damaging-wind and tornado report within 25 miles since 2016.
Live alerts for Lincoln, NE
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Storm outlook, next 48 hours
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Severe weather in Lincoln by the numbers
Lincoln gets regular severe thunderstorms: since 2016, spotters and emergency managers have filed 521 severe-weather reports within 25 miles of the city — 222 hail reports, 272 damaging-wind reports and 27 tornado reports. On average that is 10.8 days a year with at least one report.
Storm season here peaks in May, June, July, when 68% of all reports were filed.
In the last 12 months there were 24 hail reports, 33 wind reports and 3 tornado reports around Lincoln; the largest hail was 2.50″ (tennis ball) on Jun 10, 2026.
Latest storm reports near Lincoln
| Date | Report | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 14, 2026 | Damaging wind | 13 mi N · Lancaster Co. |
| Sep 2, 2026 | Damaging wind | 18 mi N · Saunders Co. |
| Aug 19, 2026 | Damaging wind | 3 mi NW · Lancaster Co. |
| Aug 17, 2026 | Damaging wind | 6 mi NW · Lancaster Co. |
| Aug 17, 2026 | Hail 1.00″ | 19 mi SW · Saline Co. |
| Jul 27, 2026 | Damaging wind | 2 mi W · Lancaster Co. |
| Jul 8, 2026 | Damaging wind | 4 mi SE · Lancaster Co. |
| Jul 3, 2026 | Hail 1.75″ | 7 mi S · Lancaster Co. |
| Jun 10, 2026 | Damaging wind | 2 mi NW · Lancaster Co. |
| Jun 10, 2026 | Hail 1.00″ | 4 mi SE · Lancaster Co. |
One line per day and type — the closest report that day. Distance and direction from the city centre. The latest SPC reports are preliminary until NOAA finalises them.
Storm reports by year
Storm season in Lincoln
All hail, wind and tornado reports within 25 miles, 2016–2026, by month.
Hail in Lincoln
Lincoln averages 5.5 days a year with hail reported nearby. The biggest stone on record since 2016 was 5.00 inches — about the size of a grapefruit — reported 6 miles from the city centre on May 9, 2016. Hail of 1 inch (quarter size) or larger is what makes a thunderstorm severe; see the hail size chart.
Tornadoes near Lincoln
There have been 27 tornado reports within 25 miles of Lincoln since 2016; the strongest was rated EF3 (Apr 26, 2024, 5 miles from the city centre). A tornado warning means a tornado is occurring or imminent — take shelter immediately.
Storm alerts for Lincoln on your iPhone
Lightning Tracker shows storm risk around you, live severe-weather alerts and how close the storm is — free on the App Store.
Storm trackers near Lincoln
Questions about storms in Lincoln
Does Lincoln get a lot of severe storms?
Lincoln averages 10.8 days a year with at least one hail, damaging-wind or tornado report within 25 miles, based on NOAA Storm Prediction Center reports 2016–2025.
When is storm season in Lincoln?
Most severe-weather reports around Lincoln come in May, June, July.
What is the biggest hail recorded near Lincoln?
5.00 inches (grapefruit size) on May 9, 2016, 6 miles from the city centre.
Have tornadoes hit near Lincoln?
Yes — 27 tornado reports within 25 miles since 2016, the strongest rated EF3 on Apr 26, 2024.
How do I get storm alerts for Lincoln?
The live panel on this page shows every active National Weather Service watch and warning for Lincoln, NE. For alerts on your phone, Lightning Tracker for iPhone shows storm risk and warnings for your location.
How this page works: storm reports are NOAA Storm Prediction Center local storm reports (final database 2016–2025, preliminary daily reports after that) within 25 miles of Lincoln, NE. They are reports of hail, damaging wind and tornadoes — not lightning strike counts, which no free public dataset provides at city level. Live alerts come from the National Weather Service API, the outlook from Open-Meteo forecast models. Updated Oct 6, 2026.