Winter Storm and High Wind in Nebraska, January 29 to 30, 2001

Name: Winter Storm and High Wind in Nebraska, January 29 to 30, 2001
Start: 2001-01-29T04:38
End: 2001-01-30T16:41
Location: Nebraska

January 29 to 30, 2001 · NWS LBF · 23 events in 23 counties and zones

20 winter storm, 3 high wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 23 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: 23

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 forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS North Platte, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 29, 3:15 AM CST, 1 hour 23 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 29, 3:15 AM CST, 1 hour 23 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
315 AM CST MON JAN 29 2001

...THE FORECAST PROBLEM WITH THIS CYCLE IS THE DISPOSITION OF WINTER
WATCH AND ADVISORY...

...SYNOPSIS...
    AT 09Z...WATER VAPOR IMAGERY AND WIND PROFILERS SHOWED THE
CLOSED UPPER LOW OVER NORTHEAST COLORADO. AT THE SURFACE...A LOW
CONTINUED TO STRENGTHEN AND HAD MOVED TO THE OKLA/MO/ARK TRIPLE
POINT. THE COLDEST SURFACE TEMPERATURES WERE STILL IN SOUTH DAKOTA
AND MINNESOTA.
...MODEL PERFORMANCE...
    THE ETA IS THE MODEL OF CHOICE FOR THIS MORNING'S FORECAST. THE
PREVIOUS RUN OF THE ETA APPEARS TO HAVE DONE BETTER THAN THE NGM OR
AVN WITH THE SURFACE LOW IN OKLA/MO/ARK...AND THE NEW RUN INITIALIZED
WELL WITH IT. AT 00Z IN THE UPPER LEVELS...THE 500MB LOW WAS LOCATED
WELL BY THE PREVIOUS RUN OF THE ETA...AS WAS THE TEMPERATURE FIELD.
IT WAS ALSO MORE CONSISTENT WITH THE PREVIOUS RUN AT 48 HOURS...
THOUGH NEITHER DID REAL WELL WITH THE TUESDAY NIGHT SYSTEM.

...TODAY AND TONIGHT...
    LOOKING AT THE 295K THETA SURFACE REVEALS THE COLDEST AIR IN
CENTRAL KANSAS SO THAT THE WARM MOIST CONVEYOR BELT WRAPS AROUND THE
NORTH SIDE OF THE CYCLONE. ADDING THAT WRAPAROUND ISENTROPIC LIFT
TO A NORTH BOUND COMPONENT OF THE SYSTEM MOTION SUPPORTS SIGNIFICANT
ISENTROPIC UPGLIDE TO THE NORTH AND WEST OF THE CYCLONE. THE
ISENTROPIC LIFT IS SUPPORTED BY DIVERGENCE AT 300MB AND DCVA IN THE
700-500MB LAYER. ALL OF THIS CONTRIBUTES TO FORCING AND IT MESHES
WELL WITH THE ETA SNOW ACCUMULATOR.
    THE COMBINATION OF SNOWFALL OF 4-8 INCHES AND STRONG WIND
WARRANTS A WINTER STORM WARNING EAST OF VALENTINE-THEDFORD-
STAPLETON. I'M NOT REAL SURE ABOUT CUSTER COUNTY. A SNOW/BLOWING
SNOW ADVISORY APPEARS TO BE WARRANTED FOR CHERRY, HOOKER, MCPHERSON,
AND LINCOLN WHERE SNOWFALL AMOUNTS WILL BE 2-4 INCHES WITH BLOWING
AND DRIFTING. I'M NOT REAL CONFIDENT ABOUT LINCOLN COUNTY EITHER. FOR
THE REST OF THE FORECAST AREA IT LOOKS MARGINAL...THOUGH I-80/I-76
SEEMS TO HAVE PROBLEMS SOMETIMES WITH MARGINAL CONDITIONS.
...TUESDAY...
    BY 18Z TUESDAY...ISENTROPIC DOWNGLIDE TAKES OVER...AND THERE IS
DRYING IN THE MIDDLE AND LOWER ALTITUDES IN ALL BUT THE NORTHEAST
PART OF THE FORECAST AREA. SO...PRECIP SHOULD END OR AT LEAST
DIMINISH TO FLURRIES IN ALL BUT THE NORTHEAST. THE AVN AND ETA BOTH
INDICATE BOUNDARY LAYER WIND SPEEDS OF 30-35KTS WITH 850MB WIND OF 45
TO 55KTS EAST OF AN ANW-LXN LINE. IN THAT AREA...ADDITIONAL SNOW AND
VERY WINDY CONDITIONS COULD PRODUCE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. AFTER
VISITING WITH HASTINGS AND OMAHA...I THINK I WILL GO AHEAD AND EXTEND
THE WARNING INTO TUESDAY MORNING FOR AT LEAST OUR FOUR NORTHEAST
COUNTIES. IT DOES APPEAR THAT SOME KIND OF HEADLINE IS NECESSARY
BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL FOR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS.

...TUESDAY NIGHT AND BEYOND...
    THE NEXT UPPER VORT LOBE IS EXPECTED TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY.
THERE IS STILL PLENTY OF MOISTURE AND FORCING WITH MID-LEVEL DCVA AND
HIGH-LEVEL DIVERGENCE. THE 700-500MB OMEGA STILL INDICATES VALUES OF
1-2 MB/KM IN THE UPWARD DIRECTION...AND LOW-LEVEL WARM ADVECTION IS
PRESENT AS WELL. THE ONLY THING MISSING IN THAT PERIOD IS LOW-LEVEL
CONVERGENCE. ANYWAY...CONFIDENCE IS LOW AT THAT RANGE. SO...I WILL
NOT MAKE ANY BIG CHANGES TO THE FORECAST IN THOSE PERIODS, OR IN THE
EXTENDED.

.LBF...WINTER STORM WARNING THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
       NEZ006-008-009-026-027-038
 R      WINTER STORM WARNING THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING
       NEZ007-010-028-029
       SNOW/BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
       NEZ005-024-025-036-037-059

SPRINGER

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

20 winter storm, 3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Boyd

When: January 29, 4:38 AM CST to January 30, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Boyd forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 42.900, -98.766 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Holt

When: January 29, 4:38 AM CST to January 30, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Holt forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 42.456, -98.784 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Garfield

When: January 29, 4:38 AM CST to January 30, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Garfield forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 41.914, -98.991 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Wheeler

When: January 29, 4:38 AM CST to January 30, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Wheeler forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 41.915, -98.528 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Keya Paha

When: January 29, 4:38 AM CST to January 30, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Keya Paha forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 42.879, -99.712 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Brown

When: January 29, 4:38 AM CST to January 30, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Brown forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 42.430, -99.929 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Rock

When: January 29, 4:38 AM CST to January 30, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Rock forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 42.421, -99.450 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Blaine

When: January 29, 4:38 AM CST to January 30, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Blaine forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 41.913, -99.977 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Loup

When: January 29, 4:38 AM CST to January 30, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Loup forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 41.914, -99.454 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Custer

When: January 29, 4:38 AM CST to January 30, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Custer forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 41.394, -99.726 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Cherry

When: January 29, 4:38 AM CST to January 30, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Cherry forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 42.545, -101.119 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A surface low pressure system lifted Northeast across Kansas into Iowa during the period of January 29th through the 30th. The springlike storm deepened rapidly while over Iowa with moisture wrapped well to the West across Western and North Central Nebraska. The prolonged period of moisture return, cold surface temperatures and warmer air aloft produced favorable conditions for an initial period of freezing rain and freezing drizzle prior to the onset of snowfall. Snowbands developed by mid morning on the 29th and continued into the evening. The bands were aligned to the East of a Valentine...Brownlee and Broken Bow line. The bands produced areas of heavy snowfall with hourly snowfall amounts over an inch per hour in portions of North Central Nebraska. Storm snow totals included a maximum of 15 inches at Taylor (Loup county), 12.5 inches at Lynch and 11 inches at Gross (Butte county), 12 inches at Burwell (Garfield county) and 11 inches 9 miles East Northeast of Elsmere (Brown county). The average snowfall depths were 6 inches prior to Northwest winds increasing the night of the 29th.The pressure gradient tightened over Central Nebraska as the storm system deepened on the 30th. Northwest winds increased to speeds of 25 to 35 miles per hour by midnight and caused extensive blowing and drifting with roads snow packed. As snow continued to fall overnight the winds further reduced visibilities over the open rangeland to near blizzard conditions. Wind gusts over 50 miles per hour were recorded with a maximum gust of 59 miles per hour at the O'Neill automated weather observing site at 11:50 am. By noontime road closures were announced for some primary and secondary roads in Blaine, Butte, Custer, Holt, Loup and Logan counties for widespread blowing and drifting snow. Snow drifts over 9 feet occurred in Custer county.

Winter Storm, Hooker

When: January 29, 4:38 AM CST to January 30, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Hooker forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 41.916, -101.135 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Thomas

When: January 29, 4:38 AM CST to January 30, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Thomas forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 41.914, -100.556 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, McPherson

When: January 29, 4:38 AM CST to January 30, 4:00 PM CST
Where: McPherson forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 41.568, -101.060 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Logan

When: January 29, 4:38 AM CST to January 30, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Logan forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 41.567, -100.483 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Perkins

When: January 29, 4:38 AM CST to January 30, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Perkins forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 40.851, -101.650 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Lincoln

When: January 29, 4:38 AM CST to January 30, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Lincoln forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 41.048, -100.745 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Chase

When: January 29, 4:38 AM CST to January 30, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Chase forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 40.524, -101.698 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Hayes

When: January 29, 4:38 AM CST to January 30, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Hayes forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 40.525, -101.062 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Frontier

When: January 29, 4:38 AM CST to January 30, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Frontier forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 40.530, -100.394 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Grant

When: January 30, 4:41 AM CST to 4:41 PM CST
Where: Grant forecast zone
Measured: 43 kt (49 mph)
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 41.915, -101.740 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Northwest winds increased on the 30th in response to a tightening surface pressure gradient across parts of Western Nebraska. Although the winds were strong the wind speed averaged 40 miles per hour for a brief period of 30 minutes. The maximum gusts sustained was 49 miles per hour at the Ogallala automated weather observing site.

High Wind, Arthur

When: January 30, 4:41 AM CST to 4:41 PM CST
Where: Arthur forecast zone
Measured: 43 kt (49 mph)
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 41.569, -101.696 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Keith

When: January 30, 4:41 AM CST to 4:41 PM CST
Where: Keith forecast zone
Measured: 43 kt (49 mph)
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 41.199, -101.661 (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.
High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Nebraska in 2001 Every state in 2001 This day in weather history Warnings in Nebraska, January 2001

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: 5227731, 5227732, 5227733, 5227734, 5227735, 5227736, 5227737, 5227738, 5227739, 5227740, 5227853, 5227854, 5227855, 5227856, 5227857, 5227858, 5227859, 5227860, 5227861, 5227862, 5227863, 5227864, 5227865.