SIDNEY, Neb. - A powerful line of severe thunderstorms swept across the southern Nebraska Panhandle and northeastern Colorado Wednesday evening, delivering wind gusts as high as 75 miles per hour, large hail, tree damage, property loss and widespread power outages.

Winds gusting between 60 and 70 mph were reported across multiple counties, with the most intense gust of 75 mph recorded near Lewellen in Garden County, 79 mph in rural Chase County and 71 mph in Ogallala. Sidney recorded a 62 mph wind gust at the airport, while 63 mph gusts were observed west of Lodgepole and near Brownson. Kimball measured a 64 mph gust, and Gering reported 60 mph.

In Colorado, winds reached 70 mph near Brush, 66 mph near Pawnee Pass and just under 60 mph in Holyoke and Fort Morgan.

A wall of dust developed across stretches of Interstate 76 and Interstate 80, significantly reducing visibility for drivers during the peak of the storm.

Damage reports quickly followed. In Holyoke, law enforcement confirmed trees were toppled onto at least two homes. Tree damage was also reported in Brush, including one tree that fell on a house. In Sidney, an empty swimming pool was blown onto a roof, and the Kimball ACE Hardware greenhouse was destroyed. Multiple four-inch tree limbs were down from trees when the storm hit Ogallala. A pair of downed trees blocked East Road V and East Road T north of the North Platte River Bridge in Ogallala. 

Hail accompanied several of the stronger cells. Trained spotters in Scotts Bluff County observed half-dollar to golf ball-sized hail just after 5 p.m. near the Scottsbluff area. Additional golf ball-sized hail reports came in from the North Platte area, including Burwell and Garfield counties.

Power outages were widespread. Wheat Belt Public Power District reported broken poles and active outages west of Sidney, near Bridgeport, and around Lisco. In Alliance, city officials acknowledged outages and urged residents not to call the non-emergency police line, as crews worked to restore electricity.

Multiple landspout tornadoes were also reported near Hershey in Lincoln County, with photos and spotter confirmation received shortly after 7 p.m.

The severe weather prompted numerous warnings throughout the afternoon and evening, including severe thunderstorm warnings with hazards of damaging winds and hail across at least ten counties in Nebraska and Colorado.

No injuries have been reported as of Wednesday night.