Winds Whip Up Dust, Fire On River Bottom

NEBRASKA CITY - Missouri River flooding left thousands of acres of bare ground and sediment that is rising like the dust bowls of old with high winds on Thursday.

 The Plattsmouth Airport reported visibility of 10 miles around 2 p.m., but visibility was measured in yards looking from Riverview Terrace toward the Missouri River bottom.

The Nebraska City Airport reported wind gusts of 43 mph at 12:55 p.m. and sustained winds of 28 mph.

A Red Flag Warning continues for southeast Nebraska and southwest Iowa until 6 p.m. Thursday due to wind and dry conditions. The National Weather Service says any fire that starts will likely spread rapidly.

Meanwhile a Facebook post shows a fire near Bluff Road east of Percival at 2 p.m. The fire had already jumped one road.

 Photographs of river bottom taken under clear skies Thursday afternoon. Visibility should be about 10 miles, but is obscured by dust.