Nebraska highway buckles after another night of heavy rain
Nebraska 1 near Murray had to be closed after a section of the highway collapsed because of heavy rain.
By Matt Olberding
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MURRAY, Nebraska (Lincoln Journal Star) — Thunderstorms rumbled across eastern Nebraska on Tuesday morning, leaving heavy rain, flooding and even some road damage in their wake.
A flood warning was issued for more than a dozen counties in northeast Nebraska after as much as 7 inches of rain fell in some locations, according to the National Weather Service.
Osmond, located 30 miles northwest of Norfolk, reported 7 inches of rain, with 4-plus inches falling across a wide area, including Snyder, Plainview and Pilger in northeast Nebraska, to Valley, Gretna and Nebraska City to the south.
In extreme southwestern Nebraska, gusty winds associated with thunderstorms picked up gravel and busted windows in as many as five vehicles in Benkelman.
But the significant transportation issue was the damage to Nebraska 1 in the Cass County town of Murray.
Callers notified law enforcement at 4 a.m. that a section of the approach to a bridge under construction had collapsed.
Sheriff William Brueggemann said it appeared as though the ground below the pavement had washed away.
A detour route was posted including Nebraska 66 and U.S. 34. The Department of Transportation said contractors were already onsite and working on repairs.
Lincoln did not see as much rain, with 0.88 inches recorded at the airport as of 8 a.m., but the city was briefly in a severe thunderstorm warning as winds gusting to 60 mph were reported at 6:23 a.m.
Tuesday’s rain gave the city exactly 2 inches over the past three days. That was more than in the previous four weeks combined.
The rain that fell Sunday and Tuesday pushed Lincoln’s August precipitation total to 3.41 inches, slightly above the average of 3.32 inches.
The extended forecast calls for small rain chances Thursday through Saturday morning, with the best chance Thursday night. Temperatures are forecast to be around or slightly above average, with highs in the mid- to upper 80s Wednesday and Thursday before settling into the low 80s for the weekend.
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