Blizzard in Nebraska, November 27 to 28, 2005

Name: Blizzard in Nebraska, November 27 to 28, 2005
Start: 2005-11-27T16:00
End: 2005-11-28T18:00
Location: Nebraska

November 27 to 28, 2005 · NWS GID · 12 events in 12 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 12 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: $3.0 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 12

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 strong upper level low pressure system intensified over the Central Plains during the day Sunday, November 27. After raining much of the day, cold air and strong winds quickly changed the rain to snow in the early evening. The winds increased rapidly, and by late evening, were gusting over 50 mph. The fierce winds continued all night and throughout the day Monday, November 28th. Winds gusted to 70 mph at times and caused "white out" conditions in snow and wind. Hundreds of holiday travelers were stranded in shelters set up at schools, churches, homes and motels in south central Nebraska. A 220 mile stretch of interstate 80 was closed for almost two days due to the zero visibility. Dozens of other highways were closed as well. Two cross country lines of rail traffic was halted due to huge snow drifts and the dangerous conditions. At one point, 175 trains were stopped on both the Union Pacific and Burlington Northern lines. Power was out for a time for over 5,000 customers of various public power districts. In some cases, rural customers lost power for over 45 hours. Though not all in south central Nebraska, the Nebraska Public Power District estimated their losses alone at over 1 million dollars. In Phelps County, over 60 irrigation pivots were severely damaged by the high winds. Ranchers reported hundreds of cattle lost and unaccounted for once the storm had cleared. Nearly every school was closed for at least two days during the week, with a few closed four days. Actual snowfall over the area ranged from 3 to 8 inches. The heaviest amounts fell across Dawson, Gosper and Phelps counties, where 7 to 8 inches was common. The 50 to 70 mph winds whipped the snow into drifts 15 to 20 feet tall in places. During the event, the reported visibilities were reported to be less then 10 feet on average. Despite the brutal blizzard, only a few traffic accidents were reported and no injuries occurred. On a lighter "note", a concert by the Dallas Brass Quintet was canceled in Holdrege. However, the quintet did perform at the Super 8 motel in town for about 40 stranded travelers. The quintet played various holiday songs and received a standing ovation for their efforts.

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 Hastings, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Nov 27, 3:09 PM CST, 51 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 27, 3:09 PM CST, 51 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
309 PM CST SUN NOV 27 2005

.SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH 12Z SATURDAY. THE MOST PRESSING
CONCERN WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE THE STRONG CYCLOGENESIS OCCURRING IN
CENTRAL KANSAS TODAY WITH MOST OF OUR CWA IN OR NEAR A REGION OF
FAVORABLE HEAVY SNOWFALL. EXPECT THAT A DEFORMATION ZONE BAND TO
SET UP TONIGHT INTO TOMORROW MORNING ACROSS THE CWA. SOME
LOCATIONS COULD RECEIVE UP TO 8 INCHES OF SNOW...BUT THE WIND
SPEEDS ARE THE BIG CONCERN. PROFILE DATA TO THE WEST NEAR MCCOOK
INDICATING 55 KTS AT 1000 M ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. I BELIEVE THAT WE
SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET AT LEAST 35 MPH FOR THREE HOURS WITH FALLING
SNOW FOR ABOUT THE WESTERN TWO THIRDS OF THE CWA. THE GRIDS WERE
IN GOOD SHAPE AND DID NOT HAVE TO CHANGE VERY MUCH. AS THE LOW
MOVES NORTH NORTHEAST...CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE SIGNIFICANTLY.

LOWERED HIGHS FOR MONDAY AS CLOUDS AND SNOW COVER ALONG WITH COLD
AIR PILING IN WILL KEEP US FROM GETTING VERY WARM.

.LONG TERM...12Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS WILL
BE CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY AND
TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE PERIOD.

THE NEXT WEATHER SYSTEM WILL BE A SHORT WAVE THAT MOVES THROUGH THE
AREA LATE WEDNESDAY. THE SURFACE LOW AND COLD FRONT MOVE THROUGH THE
FORECAST AREA WEDNESDAY WITH THE MAIN PRECIPITATION BEHIND THE
FRONT. MOST MOISTURE WITH THIS SYSTEM SHOULD BE IN THE NORTHERN PART
OF THE FORECAST AREA...BUT A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE
IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE FORECAST AREA. THERE IS SOME QUESTION
ABOUT THE DURATION OF THE SNOW SINCE HIGH PRESSURE STARTS TO BUILD
INTO THE REGION ON THURSDAY. HAVE KEPT THE SLIGHT CHANCE OF SNOW IN
THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON...BUT ONCE THE SNOW ENDS...SKIES SHOULD
CLEAR QUICKLY.

TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE PERIOD SHOULD REMAIN COOLER THAN NORMAL DUE
TO THE SNOW ON THE GROUND. THEN WITH THE HIGH CENTERED OVER THE AREA
THURSDAY NIGHT WINDS WILL BE LIGHTER...FRESH SNOWFALL AND FEW CLOUDS
SHOULD ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO DROP TO THE SINGLE DIGITS ESPECIALLY IN
THE NORTHERN PART OF THE FORECAST AREA.

LATE FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT ANOTHER LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM STARTS TO
MOVE INTO THE AREA. A STRONG GRADIENT SETS UP WITH INCREASING WINDS.
HAVE KEPT A DRY FORECAST AT THIS TIME SINCE MOST OF THE MOISTURE
SHOULD BE NORTH OF THE AREA.

&&

.GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NE...SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 PM
     CST MONDAY FOR NEZ076-NEZ077-NEZ086-NEZ087.

     WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 AM CST MONDAY FOR NEZ074-NEZ083-
     NEZ084.

     BLIZZARD WARNING FROM 6 AM TO 6 PM CST MONDAY FOR NEZ041-NEZ048-
     NEZ062-NEZ074-NEZ075-NEZ083-NEZ084-NEZ085.

     SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM
     CST MONDAY FOR NEZ075-NEZ085.

     BLIZZARD WARNING UNTIL 6 PM CST MONDAY FOR NEZ039-NEZ040-NEZ046-
     NEZ047-NEZ060-NEZ061-NEZ072-NEZ073-NEZ082.

     SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM
     CST MONDAY FOR NEZ041-NEZ048-NEZ062.

     SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 PM
     CST MONDAY FOR NEZ049-NEZ063-NEZ064.

KS...SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM CST MONDAY FOR KSZ005-
     KSZ006-KSZ017-KSZ018.

     SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 PM
     CST MONDAY FOR KSZ007-KSZ019.

&&

HEINLEIN

Hazardous weather outlook, Nov 27, 3:59 PM CST, 1 minute before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
359 PM CST SUN NOV 27 2005

NEZ039-040-046-047-060-061-072-073-082-282200-
VALLEY-GREELEY-SHERMAN-HOWARD-DAWSON-BUFFALO-GOSPER-PHELPS-FURNAS-
359 PM CST SUN NOV 27 2005

|BLIZZARD WARNING TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY|

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

THERE IS A CHANCE OF FREEZING RAIN OR SLEET DURING THE AFTERNOON
BEFORE PRECIPITATION TURNS TO ALL SNOW. WINDS WILL INCREASE OUT OF
THE NORTHWEST TO OVER 30 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH TONIGHT.

EXTREMELY STRONG WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH...AT TIMES GUSTING TO 50
MPH...WILL RESULT IN WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS TONIGHT AND VERY COLD
WIND CHILLS DROPPING INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS. ALONG WITH THE
EXTREME WINDS. 2 TO 5 INCHES OF SNOW ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

EXTREMELY STRONG WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH...AT TIMES GUSTING TO 50
MPH...WILL RESULT IN WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS THROUGH MONDAY AND VERY
COLD WIND CHILLS DROPPING INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS LATE TONIGHT AND
EARLY MONDAY. ALONG WITH THE EXTREME WINDS...UP TO 8 INCHES OF
STORM TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT.

UP TO 8 INCHES OF STORM TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED
THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS AND THE PUBLIC ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SNOW
AMOUNTS...OR ANY WINTER STORM RELATED INFORMATION THROUGHOUT
THIS EVENT.

&&

MORE INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED AT THE FOLLOWING WEB PAGE:
   HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/HASTINGS  (ALL LOWERCASE)

NEZ074-083-084-282200-
KEARNEY-HARLAN-FRANKLIN-
359 PM CST SUN NOV 27 2005

|WINTER STORM WARNING TONIGHT...BLIZZARD WARNING MONDAY|

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA AND
PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

THERE IS A CHANCE OF FREEZING RAIN OR SLEET THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING AS PRECIPITATION TURNS TO ALL SNOW. WINDS WILL INCREASE
OUT OF THE NORTHWEST TO OVER 25 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 35 TO 45 MPH
TONIGHT. SUSTAINED WINDS WILL INCREASE TO THE 30 TO 40 MPH RANGE
ON MONDAY WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH.

EXTREMELY STRONG WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH...AT TIMES GUSTING TO 50
MPH...WILL RESULT IN WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS AND VERY COLD WIND
CHILLS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS LATE TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

EXTREMELY STRONG WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH WITH FALLING AND BLOWING
SNOW...AT TIMES GUSTING TO 50 MPH...WILL RESULT IN WHITE-OUT
CONDITIONS THROUGH MONDAY AND VERY COLD WIND CHILLS IN THE SINGLE
DIGITS. ALONG WITH THE EXTREME WINDS...UP TO 8 INCHES OF STORM
TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS AND THE PUBLIC ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SNOW
AMOUNTS...OR ANY WINTER STORM RELATED INFORMATION THROUGHOUT
THIS EVENT.

&&

MORE INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED AT THE FOLLOWING WEB PAGE:
   HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/HASTINGS  (ALL LOWERCASE)

NEZ041-048-062-075-085-282200-
NANCE-MERRICK-HALL-ADAMS-WEBSTER-
359 PM CST SUN NOV 27 2005

|BLIZZARD WARNING MONDAY...SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY TONIGHT|

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA AND
PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

SNOW OR RAIN WITH FREEZING RAIN OR SLEET IS POSSIBLE IN
THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING...THEN ALL SNOW AND BLOWING
SNOW FOR THE REST OF THE NIGHT. WINDY AND COLDER. SNOW ACCUMULATION
AROUND 5 INCHES. LOWS AROUND 20. NORTH WINDS 25 TO 35 MPH WITH
GUSTS TO AROUND 50 MPH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

SNOW AND WIDESPREAD BLOWING SNOW FOR MONDAY. VERY WINDY. COLDER.
SNOW ACCUMULATION OF 2 TO 3 INCHES. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATION 7 TO 8
INCHES. NORTHWEST WINDS 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 55 MPH.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS AND THE PUBLIC ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SNOW
AMOUNTS...OR ANY WINTER STORM RELATED INFORMATION THROUGHOUT
THIS EVENT.

&&

MORE INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED AT THE FOLLOWING WEB PAGE:
   HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/HASTINGS  (ALL LOWERCASE)

KSZ005>007-017>019-NEZ049-063-064-076-077-086-087-282200-
PHILLIPS-SMITH-JEWELL-ROOKS-OSBORNE-MITCHELL-POLK-HAMILTON-YORK-
CLAY-FILLMORE-NUCKOLLS-THAYER-
359 PM CST SUN NOV 27 2005

|SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY TONIGHT AND MONDAY|

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA AND
PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

RAIN WILL CHANGE TO SNOW THIS EVENING WITH A PERIOD OF SLEET OR
FREEZING RAIN POSSIBLE FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS DURING THE
CHANGE OVER. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE EXPECTED.
EXTREMELY STRONG NORTH WINDS...GUSTING TO 50 MPH AT TIMES...
WILL RESULT IN DIFFICULT WINTER CONDITIONS DUE TO BLOWING SNOW AND
POOR VISIBILITY. ANYONE WITH TRAVEL PLANS SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY
SHOULD BE READY FOR HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES ARE LIKELY BEFORE THE SNOW
ENDS LATE MONDAY. EXTREMELY STRONG NORTH WINDS...GUSTING TO 50 MPH
AT TIMES... WILL RESULT IN DIFFICULT WINTER CONDITIONS DUE TO
BLOWING SNOW AND POOR VISIBILITY ON MONDAY. ANYONE WITH TRAVEL PLANS
SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY SHOULD BE READY FOR HAZARDOUS TRAVEL
CONDITIONS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS AND THE PUBLIC ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SNOW
AMOUNTS...OR ANY WINTER STORM RELATED INFORMATION THROUGHOUT
THIS EVENT.

&&

MORE INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED AT THE FOLLOWING WEB PAGE:
   HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/HASTINGS  (ALL LOWERCASE)

HEINLEIN

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.

Blizzard, Buffalo

When: November 27, 4:00 PM CST to November 28, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Buffalo forecast zone
Property damage: $250,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.855, -99.075 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Dawson

When: November 27, 4:00 PM CST to November 28, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Dawson forecast zone
Property damage: $250,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.870, -99.820 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Franklin

When: November 27, 4:00 PM CST to November 28, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Franklin forecast zone
Property damage: $250,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.176, -98.953 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Furnas

When: November 27, 4:00 PM CST to November 28, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Furnas forecast zone
Property damage: $250,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.177, -99.912 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Gosper

When: November 27, 4:00 PM CST to November 28, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Gosper forecast zone
Property damage: $250,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.515, -99.831 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Greeley

When: November 27, 4:00 PM CST to November 28, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Greeley forecast zone
Property damage: $250,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 41.567, -98.521 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Harlan

When: November 27, 4:00 PM CST to November 28, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Harlan forecast zone
Property damage: $250,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.177, -99.405 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Howard

When: November 27, 4:00 PM CST to November 28, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Howard forecast zone
Property damage: $250,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 41.220, -98.517 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Kearney

When: November 27, 4:00 PM CST to November 28, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Kearney forecast zone
Property damage: $250,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.507, -98.948 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Phelps

When: November 27, 4:00 PM CST to November 28, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Phelps forecast zone
Property damage: $250,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.511, -99.414 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Sherman

When: November 27, 4:00 PM CST to November 28, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Sherman forecast zone
Property damage: $250,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 41.221, -98.976 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Valley

When: November 27, 4:00 PM CST to November 28, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Valley forecast zone
Property damage: $250,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 41.567, -98.982 (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 2005 Every state in 2005 This day in weather history Warnings in Nebraska, November 2005

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: 5485355, 5485356, 5485357, 5485358, 5485359, 5485360, 5485361, 5485362, 5485363, 5485364, 5485365, 5485366.