Early damage reports indicate tornado hit Bellevue, weather official says; storm cleanup begins...

Source: Omaha World Herald

By Joe Dejka and Katy Glover

Preliminary damage assessments are indicating a tornado touched down in south Bellevue on Friday, meteorologist David Pearson said Saturday.

He added that while the National Weather Service has not made an official declaration, surveys of the damaged areas near Platteview Road between Highway 75 and 27th Street led to that preliminary finding.

Metro area residents spent Saturday assessing damage — and starting to clean up — from strong winds that downed trees and power lines and, in some pockets, ripped into homes as the storm system roared through the region Friday night.

Pearson said he has heard unofficial reports of winds up to 100 mph in Fremont and in Omaha near 173rd and F Streets.

Updated 5 min ago FULL story at link below photo.





Read more: http://www.omaha.com/weather/about-without-power-after-storms-roll-through-omaha-area-roofs/article_82eae136-52f8-11e7-849c-6723a3fae5b4.html

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Our daughters house has damage. About 100 yards to the south the bad damage begins. The storm came from the north and really the (at this point probable) tornado just missed them. I'm glad I called to tell them the sirens were going off. They didn't know. The high voltage lines started sparking during my call. They when to the basement. Some basements in the area flooded while people were seeking shelter in them.

Our neighbor works at Offutt Air Force Base. He doesn't know when he will be able to go back to work. See the story. Base officials ask that only mission-essential personnel come to the base at this point; full access will return when roads are cleared.