Winter Storm in Kansas, March 26 to 27, 2009

Name: Winter Storm in Kansas, March 26 to 27, 2009
Start: 2009-03-26T16:00
End: 2009-03-27T15:00
Location: Kansas

March 26 to 27, 2009 · NWS GLD · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 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: 6

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 GLD wrote it up.

A slow-moving winter storm produced heavy snow and near-blizzard conditions across the eastern Colorado plains and western Kansas. Snow amounts of 4-8 inches in Kansas combined with 30-40 mph winds resulted in low visibility and significant drifting. Snowfall totals were as follows: Cheyenne County...4-6; Sherman County...6; Greeley County...5-8; Wichita, Wallace and western Logan Counties...4-6.

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 Goodland, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 26, 1:50 PM CST, 2 hours 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 26, 1:50 PM CST, 2 hours 10 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
150 PM MDT THU MAR 26 2009

.DISCUSSION...
116 PM MDT THU MAR 26 2009

POTENT WINTER STORM TAKING AIM ON THE TRI STATE AREA TONIGHT AND
FRIDAY. 12Z MODEL SOLUTIONS STILL SHOW SOME DIFFERENCES IN TIMING
AND AMOUNTS BUT HAVE GENERALLY COME INTO AGREEMENT WITH AREAL
COVERAGE. INTERSTATE 70 AND POINTS SOUTH WILL SEE THE WORST
CONDITIONS...WITH HIGHWAY 40 AND SOUTH SEEING HEAVY SNOW AND
SEVERE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. AS THE UPPER CYCLONE MATURES
OVERNIGHT...TROWAL FEATURE DEVELOPS OVER SOUTHERN HALF OF THE
FORECAST AREA AND GRADUALLY SHIFTS SOUTH AND EAST FRIDAY MORNING.
LONGEST RESIDENT TIME OVER THE CWA WILL BE FROM GREELEY-WICHITA
COUNTIES OVER TO GOVE COUNTY...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR A HEAVY SNOW
BAND TO SET UP FOR SEVERAL HOURS. AFTER 18Z THE AXIS OF THE TROWAL
WILL FINALLY SHIFT SOUTH OF THE LOCAL AREA AND SNOW WILL END.
BLOWING AND DRIFTING WILL LIKELY CONTINUE TO BE A PROBLEM THROUGH
SUNSET FRIDAY.

AREA WILL BE UNDER SHORTWAVE RIDGE ON SATURDAY BETWEEN THE DEPARTING
LOW OVER THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY AND NEXT SYSTEM DROPPING
INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. CONDENSATION PRESSURE DEFICITS SHOW ONLY
A FEW HIGH CLOUDS SPILLING OVER IN THE EAST BUT OTHERWISE MOSTLY
SUNNY. TEMPERATURES WILL BE DICTATED BY SNOW DEPTH AND RATE OF
MELTING...SO COLDER IN THE SOUTH AND WEST. 24

THIS ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE ENTIRE
FORECAST AS A SERIES OF LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS TRANSLATE ACROSS THE
AREA...

SUNDAY WILL BE ANOTHER QUIET DAY WITH HIGHS IN THE LOWER 50S
ACROSS THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA AND MIDDLE 40S
SOUTH. MOVING INTO SUNDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING...A SFC LOW EMERGES OFF THE
ROCKIES...AND MOVES SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA...WITH A
COLD FRONT PUSHING THROUGH LATER SUNDAY NIGHT. PRECIPITATION
SHOULD START EARLY MONDAY MORNING AS A RAIN/SNOW MIX AND SLOWLY
CHANGE OVER TO RAIN AS THE DAY PROGRESSES. CURRENT MODEL RUN KEEPS
H85 WINDS MUCH WEAKER...AROUND 30 KTS WITH 15-20 KTS AT THE SFC.
SURFACE LOW PUSHES NORTH WHILE WRAP AROUND MOISTURE WILL KEEP THE
CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION IN THE FORECAST THROUGH LATE MONDAY
NIGHT. BY TUESDAY MORNING H5 FLOW BECOMES QUASI ZONAL ACROSS THE
PLAINS STATES THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON WHEN AN H5 LOW DIGS
ACROSS THE 4 CORNERS REGION AND EJECTS INTO SOUTHERN KANSAS EARLY
THURSDAY MORNING BRINGING THE NEXT SHOT OF PRECIPITATION TO THE
AREA. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THESE NEXT SYSTEMS THROUGH EACH
MODEL RUN. BURTIS

&&

.AVIATION...
1225 PM MDT THU MAR 26 2009

FOR THE 18Z TAF CYCLE...POTENT WINTER STORM IMPACTING THE AREA. AT
KGLD...IFR CIGS/VIS AND VERY WINDY CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGHOUT TAF
CYCLE WITH LIGHT SNOW DEVELOPING THIS AFTERNOON AROUND 21-23Z AND
PICKING UP IN INTENSITY THROUGH THE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS.
SNOW SHOULD BEGIN WINDING DOWN FRIDAY MORNING, BUT BLSN WILL CONTINUE
TO BE A PROBLEM FOR MUCH OF FRIDAY. WINDS WILL BE IN THE 25G35KT
AREA WITH SOME HIGHER GUSTS POSSIBLE. AT KMCK...CURRENT MVFR CIGS
EXPECTED TO LOWER TO IFR LEVELS AROUND 23Z WITH LIGHT SNOW AND
BLOWING SNOW THROUGH ABOUT 15Z. WINDS WILL BE IN THE 25G35KT RANGE.
SOME IMPROVEMENT TO MVFR CONDITIONS IS POSSIBLE LATE IN THE TAF
HERE.

GJG

.GLD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
KS...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM CDT FRIDAY FOR KSZ002.

     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM CDT FRIDAY FOR KSZ003-004.

     BLIZZARD WARNING UNTIL 7 AM CDT FRIDAY FOR KSZ001.

     BLIZZARD WARNING UNTIL 6 PM MDT /7 PM CDT/ FRIDAY FOR KSZ014>016-
     027>029-041-042.

     BLIZZARD WARNING UNTIL NOON MDT FRIDAY FOR KSZ013.

NE...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM MDT /7 AM CDT/ FRIDAY FOR
     NEZ079-080.

     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM CDT FRIDAY FOR NEZ081.

CO...BLIZZARD WARNING UNTIL 6 AM MDT FRIDAY FOR COZ090.

     BLIZZARD WARNING UNTIL NOON MDT FRIDAY FOR COZ091-092.

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 26, 10:55 AM CST, 5 hours 5 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
1055 AM MDT THU MAR 26 2009

COZ090>092-KSZ001>004-013>016-027>029-041-042-NEZ079>081-271030-
YUMA-KIT CARSON-CHEYENNE CO-CHEYENNE KS-RAWLINS-DECATUR-NORTON-
SHERMAN-THOMAS-SHERIDAN-GRAHAM-WALLACE-LOGAN-GOVE-GREELEY-WICHITA-
DUNDY-HITCHCOCK-RED WILLOW-
1055 AM MDT THU MAR 26 2009 /1155 AM CDT THU MAR 26 2009/

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EXTREME SOUTHWEST
NEBRASKA...NORTHWEST KANSAS AND EAST CENTRAL COLORADO.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A POWERFUL WINTER STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE OVER THE ROCKIES AND INTO
THE CENTRAL PLAINS TODAY AND TONIGHT. LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW IN
EASTERN COLORADO WILL SPREAD INTO NORTHWEST KANSAS AND SOUTHWEST
NEBRASKA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. SNOW WILL CONTINUE
THROUGH THE NIGHT...WITH PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOW POSSIBLE MAINLY SOUTH
OF INTERSTATE 70. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS WILL VARY GREATLY ACROSS THE
AREA...RANGING FROM AROUND 2 INCHES EXPECTED AT MCCOOK AND UP TO 16
INCHES AT TRIBUNE AND LEOTI.

IN ADDITION TO THE SNOW...STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH
WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 45 MPH WILL DEVELOP LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND
LAST THROUGH THE NIGHT. THIS WILL CREATE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ALONG
AND SOUTH OF A YUMA TO HILL CITY LINE MAKING TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS
IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

STRONG WINDS AND SNOW WILL BEGIN TO DIMINISH ACROSS THE AREA
DURING THE MORNING HOURS WITH IMPROVING CONDITIONS EXPECTED BY
FRIDAY AFTERNOON...ALTHOUGH AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW WILL PERSIST
THROUGH SUNSET.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ANY REPORTS OF SNOWFALL...POOR VISIBILITY IN BLOWING SNOW AND
STRONG WIND GUSTS WILL BE APPRECIATED.

JRM

In the hours before

Local storm report, Mar 26, 2:22 PM CST, 1 hour 38 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
222 PM MDT THU MAR 26 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0210 PM     BLIZZARD         5 W KIT CARSON          38.76N 102.89W
03/26/2009                   CHEYENNE           CO   PUBLIC

            ROADS COVERED AND SLICK. VISIBILITIES GREATLY REDUCED.

&&

BLM

Local storm report, Mar 26, 2:34 PM CST, 1 hour 26 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
234 PM MDT THU MAR 26 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0210 PM     BLIZZARD         3 S YUMA                40.08N 102.72W
03/26/2009                   YUMA               CO   PUBLIC

            2 INCHES OF SNOWDEPTH. BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW.
            ESTIMATED VISIBILITIES AT LESS THAT 1/4 MILE. ESTIMATED
            WIND SPEEDS OF 40-45 MPH.

&&

BLM

Local storm report, Mar 26, 3:47 PM CST, 13 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
347 PM MDT THU MAR 26 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0346 PM     BLIZZARD         15 N FLAGLER            39.51N 103.07W
03/26/2009                   KIT CARSON         CO   TRAINED SPOTTER

            VISBILITY ESTIMATED AT 40 YARDS OR LESS THAN 1/4 MILE.
            SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW AT TIME OF REPORT.

&&

BLM

Local storm report, Mar 26, 3:51 PM CST, 9 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
351 PM MDT THU MAR 26 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0351 PM     BLIZZARD         13 NW ST. FRANCIS       39.90N 101.97W
03/26/2009                   CHEYENNE           KS   TRAINED SPOTTER

            VISIBILITY ESTIMATED AT 1/4 MILE WITH A SLEET AND SNOW
            MIX.

&&

BLM

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Cheyenne

When: March 26, 4:00 PM CST to March 27, 5:00 AM CST
Where: Cheyenne forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.786, -101.731 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Sherman

When: March 26, 4:00 PM MST to March 27, 7:00 AM MST
Where: Sherman forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 39.351, -101.720 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Wallace

When: March 26, 6:00 PM MST to March 27, 12:00 PM MST
Where: Wallace forecast zone
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 38.917, -101.764 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Logan

When: March 26, 7:00 PM CST to March 27, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Logan forecast zone
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 38.917, -101.148 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Greeley

When: March 26, 9:00 PM MST to March 27, 2:00 PM MST
Where: Greeley forecast zone
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 38.481, -101.806 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Wichita

When: March 26, 11:00 PM CST to March 27, 3:00 PM CST
Where: Wichita forecast zone
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 38.482, -101.347 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Kansas in 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history Warnings in Kansas, March 2009

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: 154165, 154166, 154167, 154168, 154169, 154171.