Extreme Cold and Cold in Nebraska, December 14 to 15, 2008

Name: Extreme Cold and Cold in Nebraska, December 14 to 15, 2008
Start: 2008-12-14T09:00
End: 2008-12-15T13:00
Location: Nebraska

December 14 to 15, 2008 · NWS OAX · 37 events in 29 counties and zones

An Arctic cold front pushed across eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa during the early morning hours of December 14th. from 40s and 50s during the early morning hours of the 14th to single digits below zero north to single digits above zero south by midnight on the 15th.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 37 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: 37

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 OAX wrote it up.

An Arctic cold front pushed across eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa during the early morning hours of December 14th. Temperatures fell 50 to 60 degrees within 24 hours after the front passed through...from 40s and 50s during the early morning hours of the 14th to single digits below zero north to single digits above zero south by midnight on the 15th. The cold air was ushered in on northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts of 40 to 50 mph, with the strongest winds generally over northeast Nebraska. The strong winds dropped wind chill values down to 20 below to 30 below or a bit colder, again with the lower numbers generally confined to northeast Nebraska and west central Iowa. Snow showers also accompanied the cold air...and visibilities were occasionally lowered to less than 1 mile in snow and blowing snow in northeast Nebraska and west central Iowa.

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 Omaha, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 14, 2:31 AM CST, 6 hours 29 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 14, 2:31 AM CST, 6 hours 29 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
231 AM CST SUN DEC 14 2008

.DISCUSSION...
THE ARCTIC FRONT HAS ARRIVED...MOVING PAST KOLU AND KLCG THRU 08Z.
FRONT CONTINUES TO ROLL THROUGH THE CWFA EARLY TODAY...WITH
PLUNGING TEMPS BEHIND IT...AND NOT MUCH TIME FOR ADDITIONAL RISE
JUST AHEAD OF THE FRONT WITH TEMPS STILL IN THE LOWER 50S.
REGARDING PRECIP TODAY...FEEL THAT THE BEST POTENTIAL FOR ANY
MEASURABLE PRECIP WILL BE IN OUR NORTHWESTERN CWFA...MOSTLY NORTH
OF A LINE FROM KBVN TO KLCG...BASED ON REGIONAL 88D MOSAICS AND
WHERE BEST FORCING WILL OCCUR. REGARDING THE WINTER WEATHER
ADVISORY...WILL MAINTAIN THIS GIVEN THAT ANY SNOW THAT DOES OCCUR
WILL CREATE VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS...WITH PERHAPS UP TO AN INCH
POSSIBLE BY EARLY EVENING. ALSO...WIND CHILLS WILL BE APPROACHING
ADVISORY CRITERIA BY EARLY EVENING WITHIN THE ADVISORY AREA...THUS
WILL LEAVE IT INTACT ATTM. COULD SEE A STRAY FLURRY OR TWO ELSEWHERE
TODAY...BUT VERY LITTLE IN THE WAY OF ACCUMULATION IF AT ALL SOUTH
OF THIS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED LINE. REGARDING WINDS... PREVIOUS
SHIFT HAD ISSUED WIND ADVISORIES AND SEE NO REASON TO BACK AWAY
FROM THIS ATTM. ANY SNOW THAT DEVELOPS COULD BE WIND BLOWN WITH
OCCASIONAL REDUCTIONS IN VISIBILITY ALSO. NAM/SREF MODELS ARE NOT AS
AGGRESSIVE WITH THE WINDS...AND RECENT POST FRONTAL SURFACE OBS
WOULD SUGGEST THAT THESE TWO MODELS ARE TOO LOW FOR SPEEDS. GFS
MAV GUIDANCE SEEMS SPOT ON. ONLY CONCERN IS HOW LONG TO HOLD ONTO
THE ADVISORY. INITIALLY THINKING THAT PREVIOUS EXPIRATION OF 9PM
WAS TOO LONG...AND BACKED THIS OFF TO 6 PM AS A COMPROMISE.

FOR TONIGHT...THERE COULD BE SOME LINGERING FLURRIES IN THE NORTH...AND
POSSIBLY A BAND OF SNOW SETTING UP JUST TO OUR SOUTH...WHICH COULD
BRUSH AREAS SOUTH OF I80. BUT AGAIN...OUR CWFA APPEARS TO BE FAR
ENOUGH REMOVED FOR ANY ACCUMULATION. IN BETWEEN...IT SHOULD BE DRY
OVERNIGHT. OTHERWISE...NEXT CONCERN SHIFTS TO DANGEROUSLY COLD WIND
CHILLS. NORTHWESTERN COUNTIES WILL ALREADY BE AT ADVISORY CRITERIA
BY 00Z...THUS WILL ISSUE A WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR THOSE COUNTIES...AND
ISSUE THE NEXT TIER SOUTH...WHICH WILL EXTEND DOWN TO I80...STARTING
AT 06Z. THOSE NORTHERN COUNTIES COULD EVEN FLIRT WITH WIND CHILL
WARNING CRITERIA BY DAYBREAK MONDAY...BUT WILL LET DAYSHIFT MAKE
THAT FINAL DETERMINATION. WILL RUN THE WIND CHILL ADVISORY THROUGH
NOON MONDAY...BUT AREAS ALONG I80 SHOULD SEE CONDITIONS IMPROVE TO
BELOW WARNING CRITERIA BY 15Z PERHAPS.

THIRD FORECAST CONCERN REVOLVES AROUND NEXT CHANCE FOR SNOW...WHICH
BEGINS TO MOVE INTO THE CWFA FROM THE WEST BY DAYBREAK TUESDAY. STRONG
WAA ALOFT COMBINED WITH AN AMPLE MOISTURE SOURCE SHOULD...WITH COLD
TEMPS SHOULD YIELD SNOWFALL RATIOS APPROACHING 15/17 TO 1. HAVE INCREASED
POPS TO 70 TO 80 PERCENT FOR TUESDAY...AND HAVE UPPED SNOWFALL AMOUNTS
TO A 2 TO 5 INCH RANGE. WINDS WILL HAVE DIMINISHED BY THEN...THUS
JUST EXPECTING A DECENT ADVISORY LEVEL SNOWFALL...WITH HIGHER AMOUNTS
SOUTHEASTERN HALF OF THE CWFA...EXACTLY WHERE WE HAVENT SEEN THE
SNOWFALL YET THIS YEAR. THIS IS A QUICK SHOT...AND SNOW SHOULD END
BY EARLY TUESDAY EVENING.

BEYOND THEN...DIDNT MAKE MANY ADJUSTMENTS TO THE FORECAST...BUT
LOOKS LIKE ONE MORE DECENT SHOT OF SNOW ON THURSDAY BEFORE ANOTHER
ARCTIC SURGE REINFORCEMENT BY FRIDAY OR SATURDAY.

&&

.AVIATION...
FOR TAF SITES KOFK/KOMA/KLNK THROUGH 15/12Z.

STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WL BE PRIMARY CONCERN THRU THE TAF PD AS
ARCTIC COLD FRONT QUICKLY MOVES THRU TAF SITES. SOME GUSTS TO NEAR
40 KTS ARE POSSIBLE THRU MID AFTERNOON. IFR TO LIFR CONDITIONS ARE
LIKELY ALONG THE LEADING EDGE OF THE FRONT WITH INITIAL COLD SURGE
BUT CIGS/VISIBILITIES SHOULD MAINTAIN IFR THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THE
DAYLIGHT HOURS. A GRADUAL IMPROVEMENT TO MVFR IS LIKELY BY 15/00Z.
LIGHT SNOW COULD BRING VISIBILITIES DOWN BRIEFLY IN KOFK AND KOMA
DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. NO SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS ARE
EXPECTED.

&&

.OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NE...WIND ADVISORY FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON
     FOR NEZ045-052-053-067-068-089>093.

     WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 12 PM CST MONDAY
     FOR NEZ015-032>034-042>045-050>053-065.

     WIND ADVISORY FROM 6 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON
     FOR NEZ015-018-030>034-042>044-050-051-065-066-078-088.

     WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 12 PM CST MONDAY
     FOR NEZ011-012-016>018-030-031.

     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON FOR NEZ011-
     012-016-017.

IA...WIND ADVISORY FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON
     FOR IAZ043-055-056-069-079-080-090-091.

     WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 12 PM CST MONDAY
     FOR IAZ043-055-056-069.

&&

DEWALD/GRIFFIS

Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 14, 4:55 AM CST, 4 hours 5 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
455 AM CST SUN DEC 14 2008

NEZ011-012-016-017-150100-
KNOX-CEDAR-ANTELOPE-PIERCE-
455 AM CST SUN DEC 14 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST
NEBRASKA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

VERY COLD TEMPERATURES...LIGHT SNOW...AND BLUSTERY NORTHWEST WINDS
AT 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY.
THIS WILL RESULT IN AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW WITH REDUCED VISIBILITY...
AND WIND CHILL VALUES FALLING TO AROUND 20 BELOW ZERO TODAY. UP TO
AN INCH OF SNOW IS POSSIBLE BEFORE TAPERING TO FLURRIES THIS
EVENING. WIND CHILL VALUES MAY BOTTOM OUT AROUND 30 BELOW ZERO
EARLY MONDAY MORNING. THUS...A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT
TODAY...AND A WIND CHILL ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT TONIGHT THROUGH
MIDDAY MONDAY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

VERY COLD TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE MONDAY...WITH ANOTHER COLD
DAY TUESDAY MORNING WITH DANGEROUSLY COLD WIND CHILLS ONCE AGAIN.
IN FACT...COLD WEATHER WILL CONTINUE FOR MUCH OF THE WEEK.

MORE LIGHT SNOW IS FORECAST TO MOVE IN LATE MONDAY NIGHT AND
CONTINUE TUESDAY AS WELL WITH SOME LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS POSSIBLE.
MORE SNOW IS IN THE FORECAST WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

IAZ043-055-056-069-NEZ015-018-030>034-042>045-050>053-065-150100-
MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-THURSTON-WAYNE-BOONE-MADISON-
STANTON-CUMING-BURT-PLATTE-COLFAX-DODGE-WASHINGTON-BUTLER-
SAUNDERS-DOUGLAS-SARPY-SEWARD-
455 AM CST SUN DEC 14 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST
IOWA...WEST CENTRAL IOWA...EAST CENTRAL NEBRASKA...NORTHEAST
NEBRASKA AND SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

COLD TEMPERATURES...LIGHT SNOW...AND BLUSTERY NORTHWEST WINDS AT
25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY. WHILE
SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL IS NOT FORECAST...OCCASIONAL REDUCTIONS IN
VISIBILITY WILL BE POSSIBLE. ALSO...SOME LIGHT PATCHY FREEZING
DRIZZLE MAY OCCUR THIS MORNING FOR A BRIEF PERIOD. WIND CHILL
VALUES MAY BOTTOM OUT 20 TO 25 BELOW ZERO EARLY MONDAY MORNING. THUS...
A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT TODAY...AND A WIND CHILL ADVISORY IS
IN EFFECT TONIGHT THROUGH MIDDAY MONDAY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

VERY COLD TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE MONDAY...WITH ANOTHER COLD
DAY TUESDAY MORNING WITH DANGEROUSLY COLD WIND CHILLS ONCE AGAIN.
IN FACT...COLD WEATHER WILL CONTINUE FOR MUCH OF THE WEEK.

MORE LIGHT SNOW IS FORECAST TO MOVE IN LATE MONDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUE
TUESDAY AS WELL WITH SOME MODERATE ACCUMULATIONS POSSIBLE. MORE
SNOW IS IN THE FORECAST WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED TODAY OR TONIGHT.

IAZ079-080-090-091-NEZ066>068-078-088>093-150100-
MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE-LANCASTER-CASS-OTOE-SALINE-
JEFFERSON-GAGE-JOHNSON-NEMAHA-PAWNEE-RICHARDSON-
455 AM CST SUN DEC 14 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST IOWA
AND SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

COLD TEMPERATURES...LIGHT SNOW...AND BLUSTERY NORTHWEST WINDS AT
25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY. WHILE
SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL IS NOT FORECAST...OCCASIONAL REDUCTIONS IN
VISIBILITY WILL BE POSSIBLE. ALSO...SOME LIGHT PATCHY FREEZING
DRIZZLE MAY OCCUR THIS MORNING FOR A BRIEF PERIOD. WIND CHILL
VALUES MAY BOTTOM OUT FROM 10 TO 20 BELOW ZERO EARLY MONDAY
MORNING. THUS...A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT TODAY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

VERY COLD TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE MONDAY...WITH ANOTHER COLD
DAY TUESDAY MORNING WITH DANGEROUSLY COLD WIND CHILLS ONCE AGAIN.
IN FACT...COLD WEATHER WILL CONTINUE FOR MUCH OF THE WEEK.

MORE LIGHT SNOW IS FORECAST TO MOVE IN LATE MONDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUE
TUESDAY AS WELL WITH SOME MODERATE ACCUMULATIONS POSSIBLE. MORE
SNOW IS IN THE FORECAST WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED TODAY OR TONIGHT.

DEWALD

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

29 cold/wind chill, 8 extreme cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.

Cold/Wind Chill, Knox

When: December 14, 9:00 AM CST to December 15, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Knox forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 42.637, -97.892 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Falling temperatures and strong northwest winds brought dangerously cold wind chill values to the area much of December 14th into the morning hours of the 15th. Winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts to 50 mph and temperatures falling to the single digits above and then below zero produced wind chill values of 20 below to 30 below zero. Wind chill values got even colder during the morning hours of the 15th as temperatures dropped even further. The strong winds and cold temperatures were accompanied by snow showers and areas of blowing snow which reduced visibilities below a 1 mile occasionally during the afternoon of the 14th. Snow accumulations were generally only a few inches.

Cold/Wind Chill, Cedar

When: December 14, 9:00 AM CST to December 15, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Cedar forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 42.599, -97.252 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Antelope

When: December 14, 9:00 AM CST to December 15, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Antelope forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 42.177, -98.067 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Pierce

When: December 14, 9:00 AM CST to December 15, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Pierce forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 42.264, -97.601 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Wayne

When: December 14, 9:00 AM CST to December 15, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Wayne forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 42.209, -97.119 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Boone

When: December 14, 9:00 AM CST to December 15, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Boone forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 41.707, -98.067 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Madison

When: December 14, 9:00 AM CST to December 15, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Madison forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 41.917, -97.601 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Stanton

When: December 14, 9:00 AM CST to December 15, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Stanton forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 41.917, -97.194 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Platte

When: December 14, 12:00 PM CST to December 15, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Platte forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 41.571, -97.521 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Falling temperatures and strong northwest winds brought dangerously cold wind chill values to the area much of December 14th through the morning hours of the 15th. Winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts to 50 mph and temperatures falling to the single digits above and then below zero produced wind chill values of 20 below to 30 below zero. The strong winds and cold temperatures were accompanied by snow showers and areas of blowing snow which reduced visibilities below a 1 mile occasionally during the afternoon of the 14th. Snow accumulations were generally an inch or less.

Cold/Wind Chill, Colfax

When: December 14, 12:00 PM CST to December 15, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Colfax forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 41.574, -97.086 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Cuming

When: December 14, 12:00 PM CST to December 15, 1:00 PM CST
Where: Cuming forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 41.916, -96.787 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Falling temperatures and strong northwest winds brought dangerously cold wind chill values to the area much of December 14th into the morning hours of the 15th. Winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts to 50 mph and temperatures falling to the single digits above and then below zero produced wind chill values of 20 below to 30 below zero. The strong winds and cold temperatures were accompanied by snow showers and areas of blowing snow which reduced visibilities below a 1 mile occasionally during the afternoon of the 14th. Snow accumulations were generally an inch or less.

Cold/Wind Chill, Thurston

When: December 14, 12:00 PM CST to December 15, 1:00 PM CST
Where: Thurston forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 42.158, -96.544 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Falling temperatures and strong northwest winds brought dangerously cold wind chill values to the area much of December 14th into the morning hours of the 15th. Winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts to 50 mph and temperatures falling to the single digits above and then below zero produced wind chill values of 20 below to 30 below zero. The strong winds and cold temperatures were accompanied by snow showers and areas of blowing snow which reduced visibilities below a 1 mile occasionally during the afternoon of the 14th. Snow accumulations were generally an inch or less.

Cold/Wind Chill, Burt

When: December 14, 12:00 PM CST to December 15, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Burt forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 41.852, -96.329 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Saunders

When: December 14, 6:00 PM CST to December 15, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Saunders forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 41.226, -96.637 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Falling temperatures and strong northwest winds brought dangerously cold wind chill values to the area from late afternoon of December 14th through the morning hours of the 15th. Winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 40 mph and temperatures falling to the single digits above and then below zero produced wind chill values of 20 below to 25 below zero.

Cold/Wind Chill, Butler

When: December 14, 6:00 PM CST to December 15, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Butler forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 41.226, -97.132 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Seward

When: December 14, 6:00 PM CST to December 15, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Seward forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 40.872, -97.139 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Dodge

When: December 14, 6:00 PM CST to December 15, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Dodge forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 41.578, -96.654 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Washington

When: December 14, 6:00 PM CST to December 15, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Washington forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 41.531, -96.222 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Douglas

When: December 14, 6:00 PM CST to December 15, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Douglas forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 41.295, -96.154 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Sarpy

When: December 14, 6:00 PM CST to December 15, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Sarpy forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 41.113, -96.112 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Lancaster

When: December 14, 11:00 PM CST to December 15, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Lancaster forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 40.784, -96.688 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Falling temperatures and strong northwest winds brought dangerously cold wind chill values to the area from the evening of December 14th through the morning hours of the 15th. Winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 35 mph and temperatures falling to the single digits above and then below zero produced wind chill values of 20 below to 25 below zero.

Cold/Wind Chill, Saline

When: December 14, 11:00 PM CST to December 15, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Saline forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 40.524, -97.141 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Cass

When: December 14, 11:00 PM CST to December 15, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Cass forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 40.910, -96.141 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Knox

When: December 15, 2:00 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where: Knox forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 42.637, -97.892 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Northwest winds of 15 to 25 mph combined with temperatures which fell to 8 below to 10 below zero to produce wind chill values of 30 below to 35 below during the morning hours of December 15th. Wind chill values moderated during the afternoon as winds subsided and temperatures climbed to around zero.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Cedar

When: December 15, 2:00 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where: Cedar forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 42.599, -97.252 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Antelope

When: December 15, 2:00 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where: Antelope forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 42.177, -98.067 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Boone

When: December 15, 2:00 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where: Boone forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 41.707, -98.067 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Madison

When: December 15, 2:00 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where: Madison forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 41.917, -97.601 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Stanton

When: December 15, 2:00 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where: Stanton forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 41.917, -97.194 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Pierce

When: December 15, 2:00 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where: Pierce forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 42.264, -97.601 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Wayne

When: December 15, 2:00 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where: Wayne forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 42.209, -97.119 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Jefferson

When: December 15, 2:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where: Jefferson forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 40.176, -97.143 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Falling temperatures and strong northwest winds brought dangerously cold wind chill values to the area during the morning hours of December 15th. Winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 35 mph and temperatures falling to the single digits above and then below zero produced wind chill values of 20 below to 25 below zero.

Cold/Wind Chill, Gage

When: December 15, 2:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where: Gage forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 40.262, -96.689 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Pawnee

When: December 15, 2:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where: Pawnee forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 40.132, -96.237 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Johnson

When: December 15, 2:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where: Johnson forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 40.393, -96.265 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Nemaha

When: December 15, 2:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where: Nemaha forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 40.388, -95.850 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Otoe

When: December 15, 2:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where: Otoe forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 40.649, -96.135 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Cold/Wind Chill: Cold or wind chill below warning criteria that caused deaths, injuries or damage.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill: Temperatures or wind chills at or below the local warning criteria, or cold that caused deaths.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Nebraska in 2008 Every state in 2008 This day in weather history Warnings in Nebraska, December 2008

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: 137724, 137725, 137726, 137727, 137728, 137729, 137730, 137731, 137740, 137741, 137742, 137743, 137744, 137745, 137746, 137747, 137748, 137749, 137750, 137751, 137992, 137994, 137995, 137732, 137733, 137734, 137735, 137736, 137737, 137738, 137739, 137996, 137997, 137998, 137999, 138000, 138001.