Winter Storm in Nebraska, December 16, 2000

Name: Winter Storm in Nebraska, December 16, 2000
Start: 2000-12-16T04:00
End: 2000-12-16T16:00
Location: Nebraska

December 16, 2000 · NWS GID · 24 events in 24 counties and zones

The second of three quick moving but powerful winter storms pounded south-central Nebraska with high winds, dangerous cold and near blizzard conditions. The storm struck in the middle of the night.

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.

The second of three quick moving but powerful winter storms pounded south-central Nebraska with high winds, dangerous cold and near blizzard conditions. The storm struck in the middle of the night. Though actual snowfall was light, fresh snow already on the ground was more than enough for the high winds, which developed, to cause hazardous conditions. Visibilities dropped to near zero in white-out conditions overnight as wind gusts to 50 mph were recorded. Significant blowing and drifting snow made travel in some areas difficult to impossible at times.Though the sky cleared during the day, the wind continued to howl over 40 mph. Temperatures dropped to the single digits by midday. The combination of wind and cold produced dangerously cold wind chills to 50 below zero. Many area events scheduled for the evening of the 16th were canceled due to the combination of the wind, extreme cold and problems caused by blowing and drifting snow.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

24 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Adams

When: December 16, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Adams forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.525, -98.501 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Buffalo

When: December 16, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Buffalo forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.855, -99.075 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Clay

When: December 16, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Clay forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.524, -98.051 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Dawson

When: December 16, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Dawson forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.870, -99.820 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Fillmore

When: December 16, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Fillmore forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.525, -97.596 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Franklin

When: December 16, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Franklin forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.176, -98.953 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Furnas

When: December 16, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Furnas forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.177, -99.912 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Gosper

When: December 16, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Gosper forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.515, -99.831 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Greeley

When: December 16, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Greeley forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 41.567, -98.521 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Hall

When: December 16, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Hall forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.873, -98.502 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Hamilton

When: December 16, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Hamilton forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.874, -98.023 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Harlan

When: December 16, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Harlan forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.177, -99.405 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Howard

When: December 16, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Howard forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 41.220, -98.517 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Kearney

When: December 16, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Kearney forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.507, -98.948 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Merrick

When: December 16, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Merrick forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 41.170, -98.038 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Nance

When: December 16, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Nance forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 41.397, -97.992 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Nuckolls

When: December 16, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Nuckolls forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.176, -98.047 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Phelps

When: December 16, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Phelps forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.511, -99.414 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Polk

When: December 16, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Polk forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 41.187, -97.568 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Sherman

When: December 16, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Sherman forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 41.221, -98.976 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Thayer

When: December 16, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Thayer forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.176, -97.595 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Valley

When: December 16, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Valley forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 41.567, -98.982 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Webster

When: December 16, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Webster forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.176, -98.500 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, York

When: December 16, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: York forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.873, -97.597 (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

Every storm in Nebraska in 2000 Every state in 2000 This day in weather history Warnings in Nebraska, December 2000

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: 5159332, 5159333, 5159334, 5159335, 5159336, 5159337, 5159338, 5159339, 5159340, 5159341, 5159342, 5159343, 5159344, 5159345, 5159346, 5159347, 5159348, 5159349, 5159350, 5159351, 5159352, 5159353, 5159354, 5159355.