Blizzard in Nebraska, January 17 to 18, 1996

Name: Blizzard in Nebraska, January 17 to 18, 1996
Start: 1996-01-17T13:00
End: 1996-01-18T12:00
Location: Nebraska

January 17 to 18, 1996 · NWS GID · 24 events in 24 counties and zones

A very strong winter storm brought blizzard conditions to South-Central Nebraska. Only 4 or less inches of snow fell across the region but this snow was driven by 60 to 90 mph winds.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 24 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 24

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS GID wrote it up.

A very strong winter storm brought blizzard conditions to South-Central Nebraska. Only 4 or less inches of snow fell across the region but this snow was driven by 60 to 90 mph winds. Temperatures fell over 30 degrees at the beginning of the event to readings near zero. This produced wind chills of 50 to 70 below zero. Most of the snow was over during the early morning hours of the 18th but the strong winds continued making for whiteout conditions. Interstate 80 was closed until the 19th as it was littered with nearly 300 vehicles. US Highway 30 was also a parking lot for about 250 abandoned vehicles. No deaths or serious injuries were directly related to this blizzard.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

24 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.

Blizzard, Valley

When: January 17, 1:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Valley forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.567, -98.982 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Greeley

When: January 17, 1:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Greeley forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.567, -98.521 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Nance

When: January 17, 1:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Nance forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.397, -97.992 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Sherman

When: January 17, 1:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Sherman forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.221, -98.976 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Howard

When: January 17, 1:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Howard forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.220, -98.517 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Merrick

When: January 17, 1:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Merrick forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.170, -98.038 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Polk

When: January 17, 1:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Polk forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.187, -97.568 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Dawson

When: January 17, 1:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Dawson forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.870, -99.820 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Buffalo

When: January 17, 1:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Buffalo forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.855, -99.075 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Hall

When: January 17, 1:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Hall forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.873, -98.502 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Hamilton

When: January 17, 1:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Hamilton forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.874, -98.023 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, York

When: January 17, 1:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
Where: York forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.873, -97.597 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Gosper

When: January 17, 1:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Gosper forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.515, -99.831 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Phelps

When: January 17, 1:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Phelps forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.511, -99.414 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Kearney

When: January 17, 1:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Kearney forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.507, -98.948 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Adams

When: January 17, 1:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Adams forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.525, -98.501 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Clay

When: January 17, 1:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Clay forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.524, -98.051 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Fillmore

When: January 17, 1:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Fillmore forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.525, -97.596 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Furnas

When: January 17, 1:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Furnas forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.177, -99.912 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Harlan

When: January 17, 1:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Harlan forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.177, -99.405 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Franklin

When: January 17, 1:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Franklin forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.176, -98.953 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Webster

When: January 17, 1:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Webster forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.176, -98.500 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Nuckolls

When: January 17, 1:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Nuckolls forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.176, -98.047 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Thayer

When: January 17, 1:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Thayer forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.176, -97.595 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Blizzard: Sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph or more with falling or blowing snow that cuts visibility below a quarter mile for three hours or longer.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Nebraska in 1996 Every state in 1996 This day in weather history Warnings in Nebraska, January 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5550294, 5550295, 5550296, 5550297, 5550298, 5550299, 5550300, 5550301, 5550302, 5550303, 5550304, 5550305, 5550306, 5550307, 5550308, 5550309, 5550310, 5550311, 5550312, 5550313, 5550314, 5550315, 5550316, 5550317.