A thunderstorm between 6-and-7:00 this morning in Chadron included a lightning strike that caused a momentary power outage, ruptured a water line, and set the traffic lights at 3rd and Main to blink red in both directions.

Chadron 911 communications supervisor Tony Serbousek says lightning hit a tree and power line in the 300 block of South Maple…less than a block south of 3rd Street-Highway 20…affecting 3 NPPD substations in Chadron.

NPPD says no full outages resulted, generally just “blinks”…but one of those blinks kept Double Q Country 97.5 from being able to broadcast the local news during the 7:00 hour.

Chadron officials say the lightning also traveled down the tree and ruptured a water line…causing water to bubble to the surface.

City crews responded, but determined the broken line was the private line from a city main to a residence, with repairs the responsibility of the landowner…who called a private plumber.