“Beginning on the 31st day of July, 2024, and continuing through August 1, 2024, a series of strong and dangerous storms formed in central and eastern Nebraska. The severe storm system brought thunderstorms, exceptionally high winds, heavy rains, and flooding. The storms have caused significant damage to private and public property and infrastructure in Cass, Douglas, Lancaster, Sarpy, Saunders, and Washington Counties, necessitating an emergency response beyond the resources of the impacted counties…”
So began Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen’s emergency declaration on the severe weather outbreak that bludgeoned Nebraska and Iowa just weeks ago.
The storms brought 70-90 mile-per-hour winds and cost the Omaha Public Power District over $30 billion in damages and recovery costs.
They were in a series of weather events that have plagued the state since the major storms earlier this year that have since come to be known as the “Arbor Day Tornado.”
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows that these storms caused damage spread over about 230 miles.
“Despite the widespread wind damage,” NOAA stated, “this line of storms did not meet the criteria to be classified as a derecho. A derecho wind damage swath must extend either continuously or intermittently more than 400 miles with a width of at least 60 miles.”
The weather didn’t spare Mount Michael. The high winds battered the campus, causing many tree limbs to fall. Branches, large and small, from delicate limbs to entire trees, were uprooted and left scattered around the campus.
Head of School Dr. David Peters said that there was “significant damage to trees all over campus.” He noted that the extent of the damage posed a challenge.
With the start of school barely two weeks away, the faculty and staff of Mount Michael scrambled to clear the campus of debris. With assistance from students attending summer conditioning, the cleanup effort began in earnest.
“Our coaches decided to change weight room lifting and conditioning the day after the storm to community cleanup,” Dean of Students Mr. Derrik Spooner said. “There was a lot of work to do.” According to Spooner, the task took about three hours and “the guys did a great job.”
“Many of the trees on campus lost extremely large branches,” said Noah Stricklett ’26. “So, when we were told to move those branches, sometimes it took at least five boys to pick up a singular branch.”
There were enormous branches on the grounds of the Abbey as well as the school. According to wrestling coach Mr. Bob Sullivan, who helped arrange the cleanup, “Some of the branches and fallen trees were so large that only heavy machinery could handle them. It was frustrating having all the students ready to help, only to find that we couldn’t use them for moving the larger branches.”
The storm cleanup is yet another display of the Benedictine Values by the students and staff of Mount Michael. Mr. Jim Lewis, facilities director, said, “We would like to thank everyone who came out to help during the cleanup.”
