Winter Storm in Nebraska, March 24 to 25, 1996

Name: Winter Storm in Nebraska, March 24 to 25, 1996
Start: 1996-03-24T03:00
End: 1996-03-25T03:00
Location: Nebraska

March 24 to 25, 1996 · NWS LBF · 17 events in 17 counties and zones

An intense spring storm system brought near blizzard conditions to the area. Snow was widespread across the area with accumulations of 2 to 5 inches common.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 17 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: 3
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 17

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 LBF wrote it up.

An intense spring storm system brought near blizzard conditions to the area. Snow was widespread across the area with accumulations of 2 to 5 inches common. Strong gusty winds of 30 to 40 mph with gusts into the 50s blew and drifted snow impeding travel across the area. A family traveling on Interstate 80 in Lincoln county pulled off to the side of the Interstate due to reduced visibilities and were struck from behind by a Semi tractor-trailer and killed. The driver of the Semi was unable to see do to blowing snow.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

17 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Sheridan

When: March 24, 3:00 AM CST to March 25, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Sheridan forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.505, -102.409 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Eastern Cherry

When: March 24, 3:00 AM CST to March 25, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Eastern Cherry forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.545, -101.119 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Garden

When: March 24, 3:00 AM CST to March 25, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Garden forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.619, -102.335 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Grant

When: March 24, 3:00 AM CST to March 25, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Grant forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.915, -101.740 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Hooker

When: March 24, 3:00 AM CST to March 25, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Hooker forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.916, -101.135 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Thomas

When: March 24, 3:00 AM CST to March 25, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Thomas forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.914, -100.556 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Arthur

When: March 24, 3:00 AM CST to March 25, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Arthur forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.569, -101.696 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, McPherson

When: March 24, 3:00 AM CST to March 25, 3:00 AM CST
Where: McPherson forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.568, -101.060 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Logan

When: March 24, 3:00 AM CST to March 25, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Logan forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.567, -100.483 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Custer

When: March 24, 3:00 AM CST to March 25, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Custer forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.394, -99.726 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Deuel

When: March 24, 3:00 AM CST to March 25, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Deuel forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.112, -102.334 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Keith

When: March 24, 3:00 AM CST to March 25, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Keith forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.199, -101.661 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Perkins

When: March 24, 3:00 AM CST to March 25, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Perkins forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.851, -101.650 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Lincoln

When: March 24, 3:00 AM CST to March 25, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Lincoln forecast zone
Measured: 44
Deaths: 3 direct, 0 indirect
Coordinates: 41.048, -100.745 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Chase

When: March 24, 3:00 AM CST to March 25, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Chase forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.524, -101.698 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Hayes

When: March 24, 3:00 AM CST to March 25, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Hayes forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.525, -101.062 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Frontier

When: March 24, 3:00 AM CST to March 25, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Frontier forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.530, -100.394 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

Event	Date	Age	Sex	Where	Kind
Winter Storm, Lincoln	1996-03-25	39	Female	Vehicle/Towed Trailer	Direct
Winter Storm, Lincoln	1996-03-25	10	Female	Vehicle/Towed Trailer	Direct
Winter Storm, Lincoln	1996-03-25	41	Male	Vehicle/Towed Trailer	Direct

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

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: 5547187, 5547188, 5547189, 5547190, 5547191, 5547192, 5547357, 5547358, 5547359, 5547360, 5547361, 5547362, 5547363, 5547364, 5547365, 5547366, 5547367.