JournalStar.com

Sightings prompt brief Lancaster County tornado warning

By the Lincoln Journal Star
Tuesday, Jul 08, 2008 - 08:06:43 pm CDT
There was no thunderstorm warning issued in Lancaster County as its emergency manager headed for the door Tuesday. But before Doug Ahlberg could leave for home, caller after caller phoned in reports of a tornado near 162nd Street and Old Cheney Road at 5:48 p.m.

“We weren’t even in a watch,” he said.

Based on the five quick calls, including the first one from a trained spotter, Ahlberg sounded the sirens in southeast Lancaster County and alerted the National Weather Service. A tornado warning was issued until 6:15 p.m., but no damage was reported following the brief scare.

“It was a very thin-roped tornado,” Ahlberg said. The tornado did not appear to have touched down, he said.