© Thomas Baber
It's unclear if the tornado ever left the water, which would make the formation a waterspout. The National Weather Service is expected to give their final assessment Friday.
The rope tornado could be seen from Omaha. WOWT 6 News cameras caught the tornado as it dissipated. Tornado warnings were issued for Mills and Pottawattamie counties; they have since expired.
The National Weather Service says a weak tornado briefly moved through a rural area between Lincoln and Omaha on Thursday.The weather service in Valley, just west of Omaha, says the tornado hit just before 5 p.m. Thursday near Ashland as strong thunderstorms moved across the southeastern and eastern portions of Nebraska.
The Saunders County Sheriff's Department says no injuries or damage have been reported from the tornado.
The weather service says it expects to gather more information on the tornado later Thursday or Friday.
Comment: Some other waterspouts observed from around the world within the past few weeks include: