Blizzard in Nebraska, March 24 to 25, 1996

Name: Blizzard in Nebraska, March 24 to 25, 1996
Start: 1996-03-24T15:00
End: 1996-03-25T06:00
Location: Nebraska

March 24 to 25, 1996 · NWS GID · 24 events in 24 counties and zones

A major winter storm moved through the area producing blizzard conditions. Snowfalls averaged between 6 and 8 inches.

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 major winter storm moved through the area producing blizzard conditions. Snowfalls averaged between 6 and 8 inches. This snow was blown around by winds of 40 to 60 mph. This caused considerable drifting of the snow. Some drifts were over 10 feet high. Many roads were closed including Interstate 80 because of the drifting snow and near zero visibility.

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: March 24, 3:00 PM CST to March 25, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Valley forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.567, -98.982 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Greeley

When: March 24, 3:00 PM CST to March 25, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Greeley forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.567, -98.521 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Nance

When: March 24, 3:00 PM CST to March 25, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Nance forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.397, -97.992 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Sherman

When: March 24, 3:00 PM CST to March 25, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Sherman forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.221, -98.976 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Howard

When: March 24, 3:00 PM CST to March 25, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Howard forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.220, -98.517 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Merrick

When: March 24, 3:00 PM CST to March 25, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Merrick forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.170, -98.038 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Polk

When: March 24, 3:00 PM CST to March 25, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Polk forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.187, -97.568 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Dawson

When: March 24, 3:00 PM CST to March 25, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Dawson forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.870, -99.820 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Buffalo

When: March 24, 3:00 PM CST to March 25, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Buffalo forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.855, -99.075 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Hall

When: March 24, 3:00 PM CST to March 25, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Hall forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.873, -98.502 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Hamilton

When: March 24, 3:00 PM CST to March 25, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Hamilton forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.874, -98.023 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, York

When: March 24, 3:00 PM CST to March 25, 6:00 AM CST
Where: York forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.873, -97.597 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Gosper

When: March 24, 3:00 PM CST to March 25, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Gosper forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.515, -99.831 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Phelps

When: March 24, 3:00 PM CST to March 25, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Phelps forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.511, -99.414 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Kearney

When: March 24, 3:00 PM CST to March 25, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Kearney forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.507, -98.948 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Adams

When: March 24, 3:00 PM CST to March 25, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Adams forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.525, -98.501 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Clay

When: March 24, 3:00 PM CST to March 25, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Clay forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.524, -98.051 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Fillmore

When: March 24, 3:00 PM CST to March 25, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Fillmore forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.525, -97.596 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Furnas

When: March 24, 3:00 PM CST to March 25, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Furnas forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.177, -99.912 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Harlan

When: March 24, 3:00 PM CST to March 25, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Harlan forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.177, -99.405 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Franklin

When: March 24, 3:00 PM CST to March 25, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Franklin forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.176, -98.953 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Webster

When: March 24, 3:00 PM CST to March 25, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Webster forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.176, -98.500 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Nuckolls

When: March 24, 3:00 PM CST to March 25, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Nuckolls forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.176, -98.047 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Thayer

When: March 24, 3:00 PM CST to March 25, 6:00 AM 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, March 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: 5550324, 5550325, 5550326, 5550327, 5550328, 5550329, 5550330, 5550331, 5550332, 5550333, 5550334, 5550335, 5550336, 5550337, 5550338, 5550339, 5550340, 5550341, 5550342, 5550343, 5550344, 5550345, 5550346, 5550347.