On Saturday, January 20th, a powerful storm system ejected northeast from the southern rockies across the southern and central plains. Intense lift and ample moisture along and ahead of this system produced widespread moderate to heavy snow across much of central, south-central and southeast Kansas.
Every event with a place to put it; 26 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.
On Saturday, January 20th, a powerful storm system ejected northeast from the southern rockies across the southern and central plains. Intense lift and ample moisture along and ahead of this system produced widespread moderate to heavy snow across much of central, south-central and southeast Kansas. Accumulations ranged from 4 to 8 inches, heaviest across central Kansas, and portions of south-central Kansas. Snow began falling in earnest around 0900-1000 CST across south-central Kansas, and spread northeast throughout the day. The snow began tapering off by Saturday night, and finally ended by early morning on the 21st. Numerous traffic accidents occurred, several of which produced injuries (indirect). Sadly, three accidents proved fatal (all indirect). In Reno County, three family members perished when their vehicle lost control and collided with a westbound vehicle near the intersection of U.S. Highway 50 and Kent Road. In Marion County, one person perished when two vehicles collided on Highway 15. And in Butler County, one person perished when their vehicle slid out of control and collided with a southbound vehicle on Haverhill Road near El Dorado. Furthermore, due to the weight of the snow, a warehouse roof in Coffeyville collapsed, the Masonic Lodge roof in Independence collapsed, and a carport in Belle Plain collapsed on the owner's vehicle.
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 Jan 20, 3:24 AM CST, 5 hours 36 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 324 AM CST SAT JAN 20 2007 .DISCUSSION... MAIN FORECAST CONCERN REVOLVES AROUND SNOW AMOUNTS TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY. TODAY-TONIGHT: A FAIRLY WIDESPREAD SNOW EVENT WILL AFFECT ALL OF THE AREA TODAY AND TONIGHT. INHERITED SNOW ADVISORY FOR ENTIRE AREA AND PLAN TO STICK WITH THIS. THE ONLY CHANGE THAT WILL BE MADE WILL BE TO MAKE THE ADVISORY ONE SEGMENT RATHER THAN TWO. THE PREVIOUS FORECAST HAD SE KS GETTING A BIT MORE THAN OTHER AREAS AND AFTER LOOKING AT THE LATEST TRENDS IT APPEARS CENTRAL KS WILL HAVE THE BEST SHOT TO SEE THE UPPER END OF ADVISORY CRITERIA. THE TREND HAS BEEN FOR EACH MODEL RUN TO INCREASE MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY...WITH THIS TREND CONTINUING WITH THE 06Z NAM/WRF. WITH THIS SAID WILL GO WITH 3-6 INCHES EVERYWHERE AND MENTION THE UPPER END OF THIS RANGE LIKELY ALONG AND NW OF A SLN TO HUT LINE. AT THIS TIME AM ANTICIPATING SNOW TO START BETWEEN 12Z AND 15Z OVER SW CORNER OF FORECAST AREA WITH ALL OF AREA SEEING SNOW BY 21Z. TAKING A LOOK AT A CROSS SECTION YIELDS THE MOST INTENSE SNOW OCCURRING RIGHT AROUND THE 00Z TIME FRAME. THIS IS WHEN OMEGA CORRELATES NICELY WITH THE PRIME DENDRITE GROWTH ZONE OVER CENTRAL KS. AT THIS SAME TIME THERE APPEARS TO BE SOME WEAK SLANTWISE INSTABILITY DEVELOPING. EVEN THOUGH THE MODELS HAVE NOT SHOWN A DECENT AREA OF FRONTOGENESIS WITH THIS SYSTEM...STILL FEEL THERE MAYBE A NARROW DEFORMATION ZONE DEVELOPING AROUND 00Z THAT MAY ALLOW THE SNOW TO STICK AROUND LONGER FOR AREAS ALONG AND NW OF A SLN-HUT LINE. THIS ALSO MATCHES WELL WITH HPCS THINKING OF WHERE THE HIGHER SNOW AMOUNTS WILL TAKE PLACE. WITH THIS SAID WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF DAY SHIFT HAS TO UPGRADE TO A WARNING FOR THE AFOREMENTIONED AREAS. SUNDAY-MON: WIDESPREAD SNOW SHOULD BE COMING TO AN END SUNDAY AS VORT MAX LIFTS QUICKLY NE. AT THE SAME TIME ANOTHER CHUNK OF ENERGY WILL SLIDE DOWN ACROSS THE DESERT SW. PREVIOUS FORECAST HAD A MENTION OF FLURRIES AND FREEZING DRIZZLE FOR SUN AND THIS CONTINUES TO LOOK GOOD AS BOTH GFS AND NAM/WRF KEEP THE LOW LEVELS SATURATED. ACTUALLY WENT AHEAD AND EXTENDED THE MENTION OF FLURRIES AND FREEZING DRIZZLE THROUGH MONDAY AS ADDITIONAL UPPER ENERGY LINGERS OVER THE AREA. KEPT THE TREND OF GOING WITH TEMPS BELOW GUIDANCE VALUES WITH ANTICIPATED SNOW COVER. TUE-WED: MEDIUM RANGE MODELS START TO DIVERGE AROUND 00Z THU WITH THE GFS MORE PHASED AND AMPLIFIED WITH THE TROUGH TO OUR EAST. ECM KEEPS THE PIECES OF ENERGY SEPARATE WITH AN UPPER LOW OVER SW TX. FOR NOW WILL KEEP WITH THE HPC THINKING THAT THE GFS IS THE OUTLIER. THIS SOLUTION WOULD KEEP TEMPS CLOSER TO SEASONAL VALUES. LAWSON && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WICHITA-KICT 33 26 32 20 / 100 100 30 10 HUTCHINSON 33 26 32 19 / 100 100 30 10 NEWTON 33 26 32 20 / 100 100 30 10 ELDORADO 33 26 32 21 / 100 100 30 10 WINFIELD-KWLD 33 26 32 21 / 100 100 20 10 RUSSELL 32 22 32 17 / 100 100 20 10 GREAT BEND 32 23 32 18 / 100 100 20 10 SALINA 33 25 31 19 / 100 100 30 10 MCPHERSON 33 25 32 19 / 100 100 30 10 COFFEYVILLE 33 27 32 21 / 100 100 20 10 CHANUTE 34 27 32 21 / 100 100 20 10 IOLA 34 27 32 20 / 100 100 20 10 PARSONS-KPPF 34 27 32 21 / 100 100 20 10 && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SNOW ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM CST SUNDAY FOR KSZ032-033-047>053- 067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 528 AM CST SAT JAN 20 2007 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-211200- 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- 528 AM CST SAT JAN 20 2007 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A WINTER STORM WILL SPREAD ACCUMULATING SNOW ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA TODAY AND TONIGHT. PLEASE SEE LATEST SNOW ADVISORY FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY LIGHT SNOW IS EXPECTED TO TRANSITION TO FLURRIES ON SUNDAY WITH NO SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS EXPECTED ON SUNDAY. IN ADDITION...SOME SCATTERED AREAS OF LIGHT FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL BE POSSIBLE SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. && FOR A GRAPHICAL VERSION OF THIS INFORMATION...SEE OUR WEBPAGE AT (LOWERCASE) HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/WICHITA/HWO/HWO.PHP LAWSON
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
24 heavy snow, 2 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Snow accumulated 8 inches in Norwich. Additionally, two injury accidents occurred, one along Southeast 120 Street and another along U.S. Highway 54.
Snow accumulated 5 to 7 inches across the county.
Snow accumulated 7 inches at Conway Springs. Additionally, an injury accident occurred near the 300 block of Argonia Road. Additionally, a carport in Belle Plain collapsed on the owner's vehicle, causing some property damage.
Snow accumulated 5 to 8 inches countywide.
Snow accumulated 4 to 5 inches countywide.
Snow accumulated 8 inches in Plevna. Additionally, three individuals were killed and three injured when two vehicles lost control and collided near the intersection of U.S. Highway 50 and Kent Road. Another injury accident occurred in Hutchinson.
Snow accumulated 5 to 6 inches across portions of Harvey County.
Snow accumulated nearly 7 inches 3 miles southwest of Towanda. Additionally, one person was killed and another injured when two vehicles collided on Haverhill Road near El Dorado.
Snow accumulated 7 inches 10 miles southeast of Russell.
Snow accumulated 6 inches in Lincoln.
Snow accumulated 6 inches in Great Bend.
Snow accumulated 7.5 inches in Ellsworth. Additionally, a woman was injured when her vehicle lost control while traveling south on K-14 and struck a fence post.
Snow accumulated 7 inches in Lyons.
Snow accumulated 8 inches in Windom. Additionally, a woman was injured when the vehicle she was riding in, traveling south on I-135, lost control and struck a fence post and an advertisement sign.
Snow accumulated 6 inches in Hillsboro. Additionally, one man was killed and another injured when two vehicles collided on K-15.
Snow accumulated 5 to 6 inches countywide.
Snow accumulated 5 to 6 inches countywide.
Snow accumulated 3 to 5 inches countywide.
Snow accumulated 6.2 inches in Salina. Additionally, a man was injured when he lost control of his vehicle, traveling north on I-135, and struck a utility pole.
Snow accumulated 6.4 inches in Cottonwood Falls.
Snow accumulated 5 to 6 inches across the county.
Snow accumulated 5 to 6 inches countywide. Additionally, the weight of the snow caused a Coffeyville warehouse roof to collapse, as well as an Independence Masonic Lodge roof.
Snow accumulated 6 to 7 inches countywide.
Snow accumulated 5 to 6 inches countywide.
Snow accumulated 5 to 6 inches countywide.
Snow accumulated 5 to 6 inches countywide.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Snow, Reno | 2007-01-20 | 25 | Male | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Indirect |
| Heavy Snow, Reno | 2007-01-20 | 22 | Female | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Indirect |
| Heavy Snow, Reno | 2007-01-20 | 2 | Female | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Indirect |
| Heavy Snow, Butler | 2007-01-20 | 42 | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Indirect | |
| Heavy Snow, Marion | 2007-01-20 | 55 | Male | 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, January 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: 11209, 11210, 11211, 11216, 11221, 11206, 11207, 11208, 10486, 10487, 10488, 10489, 10491, 10492, 10493, 11214, 11220, 11222, 10490, 10494, 11212, 11213, 11215, 11217, 11218, 11219.