SIDNEY, Neb. - A powerful line of severe thunderstorms tore through the southern Nebraska Panhandle and northeastern Colorado Sunday afternoon, delivering hurricane-force wind gusts, large hail and scattered tornadoes.

The storms caused widespread damage to trees, property and power infrastructure, with numerous power outages and storm reports continuing into the evening.

In Scotts Bluff County, straight-line winds reached 71 miles per hour at the Scottsbluff Airport at 5:16 p.m. Multiple power poles were reported down in Scottsbluff, with the police department confirming outages and damage. A crosswalk sign was crushed by a tree at Avenue F and 14th Street, and more tree damage was reported near 1526 Avenue O. A businesses roof was also reported torn off in the high winds.

Cheyenne County saw significant impacts as well. Ping pong ball size hail was confirmed near Sidney, with a public report of 2-inch hail south of town. Hail damage at Hillside Golf Course closed the course Monday and possibly Tuesday while crews assessed damage. Portions of Forrest Street in Sidney lost power during the storm, with crews working to restore service. Near Potter, hail the size of quarters was reported at 4:00 p.m. One listener reported two to three inches of hail accumulation on roads and property a mile west of Sunol all the way to Lodgepole. 

In Kimball County, the airport recorded a 70 mph wind gust at 4:15 p.m., while other parts of western Nebraska — including Garden County — experienced gusts over 60 mph. A 61 mph gust was recorded north of Chappell at 5:39 p.m.

The storms did not spare northeastern Colorado. A gust of 70 mph was measured near Marks Butte in Sedgwick County, while additional storm reports from the National Weather Service in Boulder show hail up to 1.5 inches in Arapahoe Park and multiple tornadoes near Bennett and Manila Village. Wind gusts up to 70 mph were also reported near Watkins and Bennett.

Tornado warnings were issued for parts of Logan County and western Nebraska earlier in the evening, though no confirmed touchdowns have been reported yet.

The National Weather Service noted that damage across the region was consistent with straight-line winds, large hail and possibly embedded tornadoes. Emergency officials continue to assess the extent of damage across the affected counties.