An arctic high pressure was moving south into the Midwest the morning of December 9th which undercut warm moist conditions aloft. This setup resulted in in a prolonged period, roughly 24 hours, of freezing rain and sleet.
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.
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.
The episode as NWS ICT wrote it up.
An arctic high pressure was moving south into the Midwest the morning of December 9th which undercut warm moist conditions aloft. This setup resulted in in a prolonged period, roughly 24 hours, of freezing rain and sleet. The hardest hit areas were Montgomery and Labette Counties where at least half an inch to one inch of ice accumulated. This resulted in numerous locations losing power.
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 Wichita, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 8, 6:18 PM CST, 42 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 618 PM CST SAT DEC 8 2007 .UPDATE... FREEZING DRIZZLE HAS DISSIPATED OVER MUCH OF SOUTH CENTRAL KS OVER THE LAST HOUR OR SO. THIS LOOKS TO BE THE RESULT OF SOME DOWNGLIDE ALONG THE 280-290K SURFACES WHICH THE NAM IS FORECASTING WELL. USING THESE SURFACES AS GUIDANCE WOULD INDICATE THAT THE FREEZING DRIZZLE AND RAIN WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE AROUND 06Z AS OUR NEXT UPPER WAVE APPROACHES. LAWSON && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 549 PM CST SAT DEC 8 2007/ AVIATION... FOR 00Z TAFS...IFR CONDITIONS ARE CERTAIN OVERNIGHT WITH SOME LIFR CIGS LIKELY...ESPECIALLY FOR KICT...KCNU AND KHUT. FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL ALSO BE LIKELY THIS EVENING AND WILL EVENTUALLY TRANSITION TO LIGHT FREEZING RAIN FOR SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS AS AN UPPER DISTURBANCE MOVES OVER THE AREA. SOME SLEET MAY ALSO MIX-IN FOR KICT AS THE LOWER LAYERS CONTINUE TO COOL LATE TONIGHT. OVER CENTRAL KANSAS(KRSL...KSLN) THE FREEZING DRIZZLE IS EXPECTED TO TRANSITION TO SOME SLEET AND EVENTUALLY LIGHT SNOW AS SUNRISE APPROACHES. MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION WILL BE OUT OF THE AREA BY NOON ON SUN WITH THE EXCEPTION OF KCNU...WHERE SOME LIGHT FREEZING RAIN MAY LINGER INTO THE AFTERNOON HOURS. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 300 PM CST SAT DEC 8 2007/ DISCUSSION... MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS ARE ICE ACCUMULATIONS THE REST OF THE WEEKEND...AND PRECIPITATION TYPE AND ACCUMULATIONS MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY. TONIGHT-SUNDAY: ARCTIC AIR HAS BECOME WELL ENTRENCHED OVER THE PLAINS...WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE TEENS AS FAR SOUTH AS CENTRAL KANSAS. FREEZING DRIZZLE HAS CONTINUED THROUGH THE DAY...CAUSING SOME ICY CONDITIONS IN MANY AREAS ESPECIALLY THE NORTHERN TWO-THIRDS OF THE FORECAST AREA. AS ISENTROPIC LIFT INCREASES AGAIN TONIGHT...PRECIPITATION WILL INCREASE AND WE EXPECT MORE ICING OVERNIGHT. UP TO ONE QUARTER INCH OF ICE ACCUMULATION IS POSSIBLE IN SOUTHEAST AND PART OF SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS. THEREFORE WE WILL CONTINUE THE FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY AND ADD FAR SOUTHEAST KANSAS AS WELL GIVEN THAT TEMPERATURES ARE NOW EXPECTED TO BE BELOW FREEZING. WEST OF THE FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY...SOME SLEET WILL LIKELY MIX IN ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS AND A MIXTURE OF SNOW AND SLEET IS EXPECTED IN CENTRAL KANSAS. THERE IS SOME UNCERTAINTY WHEN THE PRECIPITATION WILL END ON SUNDAY. THE NAM SHOWS DECENT SUBSIDENCE ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA BY 18Z...WHILE THE GFS KEEPS PRECIPITATION FOR SOUTHEAST KANSAS THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. SINCE THE CURRENT FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY CONTINUES UNTIL 00Z MONDAY AND CONFIDENCE IS ONLY MEDIUM THAT THE PRECIPITATION WILL END BEFORE 18Z...WE WILL LEAVE THE ADVISORY END TIME AS IS. MONDAY NIGHT-TUESDAY: A STRONGER SYSTEM EJECTS OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY...BRINGING SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS TO THE FORECAST AREA THAN WE ARE SEEING THIS WEEKEND. CONCERN IS THAT MUCH OF THE PRECIPITATION WILL FALL AS FREEZING RAIN...ALTHOUGH A SLIGHTLY WARMER OR COOLER TEMPERATURE PROFILE WOULD YIELD RAIN OR SNOW RESPECTIVELY. WHILE A WINTER STORM WATCH IS ANTICIPATED...WE WILL HOLD OFF FOR NOW WITH THE THOUGHT THAT IT IS STILL A COUPLE DAYS AWAY AND CONFIDENCE IS NOT QUITE HIGH ENOUGH YET TO ISSUE AT THIS TIME. QPF AMOUNTS ARE SIGNIFICANT ACROSS PARTS OF THE FORECAST AREA THOUGH (OVER ONE INCH DEFINITELY POSSIBLE IN SOME AREAS)...AND IF TEMPERATURE PROFILES END UP SUCH THAT FREEZING RAIN FALLS...IT COULD BE A PARALYZING EVENT FOR PART OF THE AREA. STAY TUNED TO SEE WHAT MOTHER NATURE HAS IN STORE. THE PRECIPITATION WILL END ACROSS CENTRAL KANSAS ON TUESDAY EVENING...BUT WILL LIKELY LINGER IN SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS THROUGH WEDNESDAY BEFORE THE MAIN LOW FINALLY MOVES OFF TO THE NORTHEAST. WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY: PATTERN BECOMES QUIETER BY THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK WITH JUST THE LINGERING PRECIPITATION (MOST LIKELY SNOW) IN SOUTHEAST KANSAS ON WEDNESDAY. WE SHOULD SEE SOME SUNSHINE AGAIN...BUT TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN BELOW NORMAL. REST OF THE PERIOD LOOKS DRY. SCHRECK AVIATION...18Z TAFS RSL/SLN/HUT/ICT/CNU MAIN CONCERNS ARE IFR CONDITIONS ALONG WITH FREEZING/FROZEN PRECIPITATION. ARCTIC AIR CONTINUES TO NOSE SWD INTO CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRL KS. THERMAL PROFILES/SOUNDINGS SUPPORT FREEZING DRIZZLE CONTINUING INTO THIS EVENING AREAWIDE (CNU WILL BE CHANGING FROM DZ TO FZDZ BY 23Z). AS SHORTWAVE TROF LIFTS FROM AZ INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS LATE TONIGHT-SUNDAY...MID LEVELS WILL MOISTEN SUPPORTING FZRA AT CNU/ICT/HUT WITH SN/PL MIX IN RSL/SLN. IFR WILL BE PREVALENT. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WICHITA-KICT 23 25 18 31 / 80 50 10 50 HUTCHINSON 17 23 12 28 / 80 50 10 30 NEWTON 22 24 14 29 / 80 50 10 40 ELDORADO 23 26 21 30 / 80 60 10 50 WINFIELD-KWLD 25 30 24 33 / 90 60 10 60 RUSSELL 14 20 10 26 / 80 40 10 20 GREAT BEND 16 20 9 27 / 80 50 10 20 SALINA 17 22 8 27 / 80 50 10 20 MCPHERSON 17 22 11 27 / 80 50 10 20 COFFEYVILLE 28 31 28 36 / 100 70 10 90 CHANUTE 26 29 24 33 / 100 70 10 70 IOLA 25 27 23 31 / 100 70 10 50 PARSONS-KPPF 26 29 26 35 / 100 70 10 80 && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM CST SUNDAY FOR KSZ053-069>072- 093>096-098>100. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 12 PM CST SUNDAY FOR KSZ032-033- 047>052-067-068-082-083-091-092. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 420 PM CST SAT DEC 8 2007 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-092230- RUSSELL-LINCOLN-BARTON-ELLSWORTH-SALINE-RICE-MCPHERSON-MARION-CHASE- RENO-HARVEY-BUTLER-GREENWOOD-WOODSON-ALLEN-KINGMAN-SEDGWICK-HARPER- SUMNER-COWLEY-ELK-WILSON-NEOSHO-CHAUTAUQUA-MONTGOMERY-LABETTE- 420 PM CST SAT DEC 8 2007 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL KANSAS... SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT LIGHT FREEZING RAIN IS EXPECTED TO AFFECT THE ENTIRE AREA...WITH A WINTRY MIX ACROSS CENTRAL KANSAS. PLEASE SEE THE LATEST ADVISORIES FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY ADVERSE WINTER WEATHER WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE ENTIRE REGION ON SUNDAY...PLEASE SEE LATEST ADVISORIES FOR MORE DETAILS. THE FREEZING PRECIPITATION WILL END ACROSS KANSAS BY LATE SUNDAY...HOWEVER ANOTHER WEATHER SYSTEM WILL MOVE INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS ON MONDAY INTO TUESDAY. WHILE THERE IS STILL SOME UNCERTAINTY WITH THIS SYSTEM...THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR A PORTION OF THE AREA TO RECEIVE SIGNIFICANT ICE ACCUMULATIONS BY TUESDAY MORNING...MOST LIKELY ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED...HOWEVER WEATHER REPORTS OF FROZEN PRECIPITATION FOR YOUR AREA DURING THE WEEKEND WOULD BE APPRECIATED. && FOR A GRAPHICAL VERSION OF THIS INFORMATION...SEE OUR WEBPAGE AT (LOWERCASE) HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/WICHITA/HWO/HWO.PHP SCHRECK
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
330 PM CST SAT DEC 08 2007
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0325 PM FREEZING RAIN HUTCHINSON 38.07N 97.91W
12/08/2007 U0.00 INCH RENO KS LAW ENFORCEMENT
SLICK ROADS WERE REPORTED MAINLY IN RURAL PARTS OF THE
COUNTY. SEVERAL ACCIDENTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED DUE TO SLICK
ROADS.
&&
JMCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
331 PM CST SAT DEC 08 2007
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0325 PM FREEZING RAIN SALINA 38.82N 97.62W
12/08/2007 U0.00 INCH SALINE KS LAW ENFORCEMENT
FREEZING DRIZZLE IS CAUSING VERY SLICK SECONDARY ROADS
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY WITH NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS REPORTED.
NO PROBLEMS WERE REPORTED ON MAIN ROADS.
&&
CDBPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
344 PM CST SAT DEC 08 2007
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0342 PM FREEZING RAIN GREAT BEND 38.36N 98.81W
12/08/2007 U0.00 INCH BARTON KS LAW ENFORCEMENT
FREEZING DRIZZLE CAUSING SLICK ROADS THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTY.
&&
CDBPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
416 PM CST SAT DEC 08 2007
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0411 PM FREEZING RAIN 5 SW WEST WICHITA 37.64N 97.52W
12/08/2007 U0.00 INCH SEDGWICK KS NWS EMPLOYEE
RURAL AND SECONDARY ROADS ARE VERY SLICK FROM FREEZING
DRIZZLE.
&&
CDBThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 ice storm, 1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
At 7 pm on the evening of December 8th a car traveling on U.S. 59 was struck head on by a SUV. The accident resulted in 5 injuries and one fatality. The Chanute Tribune contributed to this report.
Up to about an inch of ice and sleet accumulated across mainly the southeastern portion of Neosho County. Roughly one quarter of an inch accumulated across northeastern Neosho County. It is unknown how much damage was caused in the county.
Approximately one quarter of an inch of ice and sleet accumulated across Wilson county. It is unknown how much damage was caused.
Approximately a half to one inch of ice and sleet accumulated across Montgomery County. It is unknown how much damage this ice storm caused.
Approximately one quarter of an inch of ice and sleet accumulated across Woodson county. It is unknown how much damage was caused.
Approximately one quarter to one half of an inch of ice and sleet accumulated across Allen county. It is unknown how much damage was caused.
Approximately one inch of ice and sleet accumulated across Labette County. The ice storm knocked power out to much of the county. It is unknown how much damage was caused.
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 Weather, Neosho | 2007-12-08 | 67 | Female | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Indirect |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2007Every state in 2007This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, December 2007
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: 71084, 68545, 68552, 68548, 68550, 68551, 68549.