Winter Storm, Jefferson
- When
- April 10, 9:00 PM CST to April 12, 6:00 AM CST
- Where
- Jefferson forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 40.176, -97.143 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm in Nebraska, April 10 to 12, 1997
Surface low pressure developed and strengthened over northern Texas then moved northeast through Missouri and into Illinois. This combined with a strong upper level low pressure trough which moved out of the Rockies and into the plains generated widespread snow across the region.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 7 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 7
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 OAX wrote it up.
Surface low pressure developed and strengthened over northern Texas then moved northeast through Missouri and into Illinois. This combined with a strong upper level low pressure trough which moved out of the Rockies and into the plains generated widespread snow across the region. As warm, moist air was forced to overrun cold arctic air over the area, snow developed during the late evening of April 10th with 4-6 inches of accumulation by 6am CST on April 11th. Snow was light for much of the morning and early afternoon. Heavy snow then increased again during the late afternoon and continued through much of the night as the main upper level system moved northeast from western Kansas through Nebraska. By morning April 12th, most of the area had experienced between 8 and 12 inches of snow from the system.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
7 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Winter Storm, Gage
- When
- April 10, 9:00 PM CST to April 12, 6:00 AM CST
- Where
- Gage forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 40.262, -96.689 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Johnson
- When
- April 10, 9:00 PM CST to April 12, 6:00 AM CST
- Where
- Johnson forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 40.393, -96.265 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Nemaha
- When
- April 10, 9:00 PM CST to April 12, 6:00 AM CST
- Where
- Nemaha forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 40.388, -95.850 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Pawnee
- When
- April 10, 9:00 PM CST to April 12, 6:00 AM CST
- Where
- Pawnee forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 40.132, -96.237 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Richardson
- When
- April 10, 9:00 PM CST to April 12, 6:00 AM CST
- Where
- Richardson forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 40.125, -95.717 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Saline
- When
- April 10, 9:00 PM CST to April 12, 6:00 AM CST
- Where
- Saline forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 40.524, -97.141 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
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
- Heavy Snow in Kansas, April 10 to 11, 1997
- Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Texas, April 10, 1997
- Flash Flood in Texas, April 10 to 11, 1997
- Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, April 10, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Missouri, April 10 to 11, 1997
- Frost and Freeze in Virginia, April 10, 1997
- Winter Weather in Kansas, April 10, 1997
- Frost and Freeze in West Virginia, April 10, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Iowa, April 10 to 11, 1997
- Frost and Freeze in Maryland, April 10, 1997
- Flash Flood in Texas, April 10 to 11, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Illinois, April 10 to 11, 1997
More
Every storm in Nebraska in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Nebraska, April 1997
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: 5594586, 5594587, 5594724, 5594725, 5594726, 5594727, 5594728.