A large winter storm, affected northwest and north central Missouri, on December 22, 2007. The first affects of the storm was early in the day, when rain, sleet, and freezing rain lifted north across the area.
Every event with a place to put it; 13 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 EAX wrote it up.
A large winter storm, affected northwest and north central Missouri, on December 22, 2007. The first affects of the storm was early in the day, when rain, sleet, and freezing rain lifted north across the area. However, this mixed precipitation quickly transitioned over to snow. The heaviest snows were observed in a band, from Saint Joseph, to Gallatin, then to Trenton, and continuing into Unionville. As much as 9 inches of snow was reported in this band, before ending in the evening hours. Northwesterly winds of 20 to 30 mph created near blizzard conditions at times. Visibilities were often reduced to feet at times, with widepsread snowdrifts approaching 4 feet in height. These hazardous conditions caused numerous traffic accidents. Interstate 29 was closed for a time north of Saint Joseph.
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 Kansas City, MO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 22, 6:26 AM CST, 2 hours 34 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
626 AM CST SAT DEC 22 2007
.DISCUSSION...
MAIN CONCERN WILL BE IN THE SHORT TERM WITH APPROACHING WINTER
STORM.
RAPIDLY EVOLVING UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM ACROSS THE NORTHERN TEXAS
PANHANDLE INTO SOUTHWESTERN KANSAS EARLY THIS MORNING. WATER VAPOR
IMAGERY SHOWING THIS SYSTEM BEGINNING TO WRAP UP QUITE NICELY AS
110+KT H25 FLOW ROUNDS THE BASE OF THE TROUGH AXIS. IN
ADDITION...NORTHERN STREAM SHORT WAVE TROUGH NOW PUSHING INTO THE
NORTHERN PLAINS...PROGGED TO MERGE WITH SOUTHERN STREAM SYSTEM DURING
THE DAY. THIS IS SETTING THE STAGE FOR AN INTERESTING SCENARIO FOR THE
AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. INTENSIFYING SOUTHERN STREAM SYSTEM HAS
INDUCED PRESSURE FALLS ACROSS WEST TEXAS WITH DEEPENING SFC LOW
ALREADY TAKING SHAPE ACROSS NW TEXAS/SW OK. OVERALL...MODEL GUIDANCE
HAS A DECENT HANDLE ON THINGS SO FAR AND ONLY DEVIATE SLIGHTLY AS THE
EVENT TRANSITIONS INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS AND MIDWEST.
SFC COLD FRONT NOW EDGING INTO NORTHWEST MISSOURI WITH WINDS ALREADY
GUSTING ABOVE 30KTS AS 1028MB SFC HIGH SETTLES INTO THE NORTHERN
TIER OF THE COUNTRY. RADAR BEGINNING TO SHOW SIGNS PRECIP BEGINNING
TO OVERSPREAD BEHIND THE SFC FRONT ACROSS CENTRAL KANSAS INTO WESTERN
IOWA. HOWEVER...THIS WILL HAVE TO OVERCOME SOME DRIER AIR ABOVE THE
H85 LAYER TO SATURATE THE COLUMN ENOUGH FOR PRECIP TO REACH THE GROUND.
HOWEVER...THIS IS EXPECTED TO OCCUR FAIRLY QUICKLY AS THE STORM
SYSTEM EVOLVES EASTWARD.
INITIALLY AREAS ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE SFC FRONT WILL REMAIN WARM
ENOUGH FOR PRECIP TO FALL AS RAIN...AND EXPECT ALL LIQUID ACROSS
THE SOUTHEASTERN 2/3RDS OF THE CWA THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. BY THE
AFTERNOON...AREAS ALONG AND WEST OF A KIRKSVILLE TO CLINTON LINE SHOULD
TRANSITION TO SNOW...PERHAPS MIXED IN WITH SLEET AT TIMES BEFORE
CHANGING TO ALL SNOW. THE SOUTHEASTERN COUNTIES MAY HAVE A LONGER
TRANSITION PERIOD AS COLDER AIR WILL BE SLOWER TO PUSH INTO THIS
AREA WITH SFC LOW PUSHING ACROSS SOUTHERN AND EASTERN
MISSOURI...HALTING THE BAROCLINIC BOUNDARY TO SOME EXTENT.
THEREFORE...KEPT THIS AREA IN LIQUID FORM LONGER WITH A TRANSITION TO
A MIX OF SLEET AND SNOW DURING THE EVENING HOURS BEFORE BECOMING ALL
SNOW TONIGHT.
SNOWFALL INTENSITY AND DURATION WILL BE THE MAIN CHALLENGES THROUGH
THE EVENT. MODEL GUIDANCE HAS TRENDED TOWARD A DEEPER AND
SUBSEQUENTLY STRONGER SOLUTION...WHICH SEEMS TO BE SUPPORTED BY
CURRENT OBSERVATIONS. IN ADDITION...DYNAMIC AND THERMODYNAMIC OUTPUT
SUGGEST THE POTENTIAL FOR INCREASED PRECIPITATION INTENSITY DURING
THE AFTERNOON HOURS. OPERATIONAL NAM AND GFS WITH SUPPORT FROM THE
00Z ECMWF SHOWING AN EVIDENT TROWAL SIGNATURE DEVELOPING ACROSS
SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL MISSOURI AND MOVING NORTH ACROSS THE AREA DURING
THE AFTERNOON HOURS. THIS PLACES BANDED SNOW ACROSS THE CENTRAL
PORTIONS OF THE CWA...MAIN ALONG A LINE FROM KANSAS CITY TO
UNIONVILLE AS H7 LOW PROGRESSES ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN KANSAS INTO
CENTRAL MISSOURI. HIGHER SNOWFALL INTENSITY IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY
MODERATE SYNOPTIC SCALE FORCING AS DECENT H7-H3 Q-VECTOR CONVERGENCE
AND PRONOUNCED VORT MAX OVERSPREAD THE AREA. IN
ADDITION...FRONTOGENETICAL FORCING WITH DECENT OMEGAS WITHIN PRIME
DENDRITIC SNOW GROWTH ZONE NOTED DURING THIS TIME FRAME AS WELL
SUGGESTING ENHANCED LIFT. SOME HINT OF SECONDARY AGEOSTROPHIC
VERTICAL CIRCULATIONS ALSO EVIDENT DURING THIS TIME FRAME ACROSS
NORTHEAST KANSAS INTO NORTHWEST MISSOURI SUPPORTING THE
AFOREMENTIONED STRONGER LIFT.
MAIN CAVEAT TO THIS SYSTEM WILL BE OVERALL SPEED AND TRANSITION TIME
NEEDED TO CHANGE LIQUID PRECIP TO FROZEN. GENERALLY WENT WITH SNOW
AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 5 INCHES ACROSS MOST LOCATIONS WITH ISOLATED HIGHER
AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. HOWEVER...IF PRONOUNCED TROWAL FEATURE DOES
DEVELOP... AND SNOW ACCUMULATIONS APPEAR HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED...A
HEADLINE UPGRADE MAY BE WARRANTED. FOR NOW WILL MAINTAIN SNOW AND
BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY FOR MOST OF THE AREA WITH SOME MODIFICATIONS
MADE TO ONSET AND DURATION. ALSO...ADDED SOUTHEASTERN COUNTIES INTO A
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY AS A LONGER DURATION OF SLEET IS EXPECTED ACROSS
THIS AREA BEFORE THE TRANSITION TO SNOW IS MADE.
OTHERWISE...LITTLE CHANGES MADE BEYOND TONIGHT AS GOING GRIDS SEEM TO
BE IN LINE.
DEROCHE
&&
.AVIATION...
FOR THE 00Z TAFS...SOUTHEAST WINDS THIS EVENING WILL CONTINUE TO
ADVECT IN LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND EXPECT MORE LOW CLOUDS AND FOG TO
RESULT WITH MVFR CONDITIONS AT LEAST. MAY ALSO HAVE SOME DRIZZLE
DEVELOP LATE TONIGHT AS FRONTOGENETIC FORCING HEADS INTO THE REGION
WITH ATMOSPHERE SATURATED BELOW 850 MB LEVEL. TEMPERATURES SHOULD
STILL BE JUST ABOVE FREEZING AT THAT TIME.
SURFACE FRONT WILL BE MOVING THROUGH THE TAF SITES BETWEEN 09Z TO
12Z...BUT PRESSURE GRADIENT DOES NOT TIGHTEN UNTIL THE LATTER HALF
OF THE MORNING...WITH THE STRONGEST WINDS EXPECTED IN THE AFTERNOON.
WITH COLDER AIR POURING IN BY THAT TIME...AND DEEPEST SATURATION
ACROSS THE REGION IN THE AFTERNOON...SHOULD GO THROUGH A PERIOD OF
RAIN MIXING WITH SLEET THEN OVER TO SNOW. BLOWING SNOW WILL BE
ADDING TO THE THE REDUCED VISIBILITIES IN THE AFTERNOON SO WILL GO
WITH PERIODS OF 1/2SM.
PC
&&
.EAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MO...SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY FROM 9 AM SATURDAY TO 6 PM
SATURDAY FOR MOZ001-MOZ002-MOZ003-MOZ011-MOZ012.
SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY FROM NOON SATURDAY TO 9 PM
SATURDAY FOR MOZ004-MOZ005-MOZ013-MOZ014-MOZ020-MOZ021-
MOZ022-MOZ028-MOZ029-MOZ030-MOZ037-MOZ038-MOZ043-MOZ044-
MOZ053-MOZ054.
SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY FROM 3 PM SATURDAY TO 3 AM SUNDAY
FOR MOZ006-MOZ007-MOZ008-MOZ015-MOZ016-MOZ017-MOZ023-MOZ024-
MOZ031.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 3 PM SATURDAY TO 3 AM SUNDAY FOR
MOZ025-MOZ032-MOZ033-MOZ039-MOZ040-MOZ045-MOZ046.
KS...SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY FROM NOON SATURDAY TO 9 PM
SATURDAY FOR KSZ025-KSZ057-KSZ060-KSZ103-KSZ104-KSZ105.
SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY FROM 9 AM SATURDAY TO 6 PM
SATURDAY FOR KSZ102.HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO 625 AM CST SAT DEC 22 2007 KSZ025-057-060-102>105-MOZ001>008-011>017-020>025-028>033-037>040- 043>046-053-054-231230- ATCHISON KS-MIAMI-LINN KS-DONIPHAN-LEAVENWORTH-WYANDOTTE- JOHNSON KS-ATCHISON MO-NODAWAY-WORTH-GENTRY-HARRISON-MERCER- PUTNAM-SCHUYLER-HOLT-ANDREW-DE KALB-DAVIESS-GRUNDY-SULLIVAN-ADAIR- BUCHANAN-CLINTON-CALDWELL-LIVINGSTON-LINN MO-MACON-PLATTE-CLAY- RAY-CARROLL-CHARITON-RANDOLPH-JACKSON-LAFAYETTE-SALINE-HOWARD- CASS-JOHNSON MO-PETTIS-COOPER-BATES-HENRY- 625 AM CST SAT DEC 22 2007 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST...NORTH CENTRAL AND WEST CENTRAL MISSOURI...AS WELL AS EXTREME EASTERN KANSAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY AND A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE OUTLOOK AREA. A STRONG STORM SYSTEM WILL AFFECT THE REGION TODAY...BRINGING HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS TO MUCH OF NORTHERN MISSOURI AND NORTHEASTERN KANSAS. THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS...COLDER AIR WILL BEGIN TO FILTER INTO THE REGION BEHIND A FRONTAL BOUNDARY. THIS COLDER AIR WILL AID IN TRANSITIONING RAIN TO A MIXTURE OF SNOW AND POSSIBLY SLEET THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS. THE SLEET...SNOW AND RAIN MIXTURE IS EXPECTED TO LINGER LONGER ACROSS AREAS ALONG AND SOUTH OF A MACON TO SEDALIA LINE...HOWEVER...PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO TRANSITION ENTIRELY TO SNOW BY THE EVENING HOURS ACROSS ALL LOCATIONS. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...TOTALING THREE TO FIVE INCHES WILL BE CENTERED ALONG A LINE FROM EMPORIA KANSAS THROUGH KANSAS CITY AND NORTHEASTWARD THROUGH KIRKSVILLE. IN AREAS ACROSS EXTREME NORTHWESTERN MISSOURI...SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL GENERALLY BE AROUND 1-3 INCHES. TOWARDS CENTRAL MISSOURI...A LONGER DURATION OF WARMER AIR WILL LIMIT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WITH SNOWFALL OF 1-2 INCHES POSSIBLE ALONG AND SOUTH OF MOBERLY TO SEDALIA LINE. THE GREATEST IMPACT FROM THIS SNOWSTORM WILL BE DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS...WHERE SNOW COULD COMBINE WITH NORTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH TO PRODUCE BLOWING SNOW AND COLD WIND CHILLS. PERSONS ACROSS THE OUTLOOK AREA...ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH HOLIDAY TRAVEL PLANS...SHOULD EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION AS CONDITIONS WILL BECOME VERY HAZARDOUS AT TIMES. BY TONIGHT...COLD TEMPERATURES WILL COMBINE WITH BRISK NORTHWEST WINDS TO PRODUCE WIND CHILL VALUES NEAR OR SLIGHTLY BELOW ZERO. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO AFFECT THE AREA BY WEDNESDAY WITH LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS POSSIBLE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED...HOWEVER SPOTTERS ARE URGED TO RELAY SNOWFALL TOTALS THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING. DEROCHE
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
13 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Six to nine inches of snow was reported across the county. Blowing and |drifting snow made travel hazardous.
Eight inches of snow was reported in Saint Joseph. Travel was extremely dangerous due to the blowing and drifting snow.
Six to nine inches of snow was observed across the northwestern part of the county. Travel was dangerous due to the blowing and drifting snow.
Seven and one tenth of an inch of snow was reported in Plattsburg.
Six to nine inches of snow was reported across southern portions of the county.
Eight inches of snow was reported in Gallatin. Blowing and drifting snow made travel hazardous.
Six to nine inches of snow was reported across the county. Blowing and drifting snow caused extremely dangerous driving conditions.
Six to nine inches of snow was reported across the county. Blowing and drifting of the snow, made travel extremely dangerous.
Six to nine inches of snow was reported across southern portions of the county.
Six to nine inches of snow was reported across the county. Travel was extremely hazardous with the blowing and drifting of the snow.
Three to nine inches of snow was reported across the county. Travel was very dangerous due to the blowing and drifting snow.
Six to seven inches of snow was reported near Trenton. Snow drifts were as high as four feet with travel extremely dangerous.
Six to nine inches of snow was observed across northern portions of the county. Blowing and drifting of the snow made travel hazardous.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Missouri in 2007Every state in 2007This day in weather historyWarnings in Missouri, 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: 70732, 70760, 70763, 70761, 70717, 70755, 70783, 70719, 70721, 70724, 70725, 70758, 70759.