Twin tornadoes ripped through Pilger, Neb., Monday afternoon, leaving two dead and 16 more critically injured. Stations in Omaha produced special coverage of the storms during the afternoon and evening hours.
CBS affiliate KMTV covered the severe weather during an its 4 p.m. newscast, which was expanded to an hour yesterday. The station continued to cover the storm at 5 p.m. and kept up a severe weather banner during the “CBS Evening News,” which airs on KMTV at 5:30 p.m. During the 10 p.m. newscast, Kelly Bartnick reported from Pliger and Rebekah Rae was live from nearby Wisner.
NBC affiliate WOWT also covered the storms during its 4 p.m. newscast, which was expanded to an hour, as well as at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. The station kept a severe weather alert on the screen during “NBC Nightly News” from 5:30 to 6 p.m. and through much of its primetime programming. For the 10 p.m. newscast, Lena Tillett and Brian Mastre reported from Pilger.
ABC affiliate KETV broke in to regular programming at 4:30 p.m. with meteorologist Bill Randby, who stayed on the air until 4:50 p.m. The station picked up coverage of the tornadoes during its 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts, with a severe weather alert banner on the screen during “ABC World News” at 5:30. For the 9 p.m. newscast, Dave Roberts reported from Pilger.
Fox affiliate KPTM covered the tornadoes briefly on its 9 p.m. newscast, which is produced and anchored out of Fresno by sister Sinclair Broadcast Group station KMPH. The station also had a severe weather alert banner up for several hours of the afternoon and evening.
Stations in Sioux City, Iowa also had coverage of the severe weather during the 4 and 5 p.m. hours.