Nebraska
Truckers prepare for high winds as storms take aim at Nebraska
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Despite a warm and sunny weekend, Old Man Winter hasn’t quite released his grip on Nebraska yet.
High winds and blizzard conditions are in the forecast this week.
Oof. This is going to be a LOT. T-storms early, then snow in the afternoon and evening. A whole lot of wind tossed in starting in western Nebraska AM Tuesday, moving into eastern Nebraska Tuesday afternoon. This one packs a punch! pic.twitter.com/WNd51Fpl0T
— Rusty Dawkins KLKN (@rustywx) March 3, 2025
But high winds and top-heavy vehicles like semis can be a recipe for disaster.
A crosswind of just 40 mph can be dangerous to semitrailers out on Nebraska’s open roads.
According to 2021 data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, more than half a million crashes involving large trucks occurred across the United States.
That year, about 54% of all fatal crashes involving large trucks occurred in rural areas and 26% on interstates.
And related data from the Federal Highway Administration shows on average, around 21% of all crashes in the U.S. are weather-related.
Micah Vodolazskyy, dispatcher and general manager at Lincoln-based Ava Carriers, said it doesn’t take much wind to make driving dangerous.
“Empty trailers (are) way easier to flip over than loaded trailers,” he said. “So, if a guy gets unloaded, and he has to drive somewhere with an empty trailer, if it’s 60, 50 mph winds, he has to take it slow.”
SEE ALSO: Timber! Lincoln’s aging trees at risk with high winds in the forecast
Snow is one of the hardest conditions truckers drive in, he said, citing the poor visibility — not something you want in a rig hauling anywhere from 30,000 to 80,000 pounds.
It’s important to remember these trucks need significantly more distance to stop than a regular passenger car, Vodolazskyy added, making stoplights and intersections a place for all drivers to be particularly cautious.
Vodolazskyy said he works closely with Ava’s drivers nationwide, sometimes having to pull them off the road if conditions get too severe.
“Safety is number one for us,” he said. “We’d rather have a safe driver than an on-time delivery.”
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Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen said Thursday that he has asked President Donald Trump to issue a major disaster declaration for damage caused by storms that hit the state May 15-18.
The storms spawned tornadoes and flash flooding across Buffalo, Fillmore, Gage, Howard, Jefferson, Nemaha, Thayer and Thurston counties. There were numerous downed power poles and lines as well as extensive damage to schools, building and roadways. Damage just to public infrastructure is estimated at nearly $5 million.
In addition to the disaster declaration request, Pillen said he also has requested access to the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which provides funding to governments to allow them to rebuild in ways that will reduce or mitigate future disaster losses. Approval would allow the state to apply for such grants.
Thursday’s disaster declaration request is the second in two months. Back in May, Pillen requested one for historic wildfires in March that impacted Arthur, Garden, Grant, Lincoln and Morill counties. At the time of the request, it was estimated there was at least $9.7 million in damage from the fires, which were the worst in Nebraska’s history.
Nebraska
Bandits back in the win column with tournament-opening victory in Nebraska – East Idaho News
OMAHA, Neb. – The Bandits opened the Omaha, Nebraska tournament with a 7-4 win over Fremont.
The Bandits, coming off two losses to Billings at last week’s Bandits Invitational, trailed 4-3 in the fifth, but tied it up on a sac fly by Cole Croft.
They scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth for the win.
Carter Bowen finished 3 for 3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Conner Cannon and Taye Lords each knocked in two runs for Idaho Falls (10-2).
Tyson Christenson picked up the win with four innings of relief.
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LOWELL, Neb. (WOWT) – On this day in 1872, the boomtown of Lowell, Nebraska was named the seat of Kearney County.
The Nebraska State Historical Society says the Burlington and Missouri River Railroads chose it as a town site the year before.
For a short time, it became a major shipping point for central Nebraska.
Its status would be short-lived.
Later that year, the railroad expanded to Kearney, which became the center for regional trading.
Lowell’s land office was removed in 1874.
Four years later, the boom town was nothing more than a village.
MORE LOCAL HISTORY
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On July 4, 2026, our country will celebrate its 250th birthday. Every day leading up to it, First Alert 6 will take a look at the people and events that shaped our area.
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