A powerful storm system brought heavy snow, ice and even blizzard conditions, to a large portion of the central plains, on December 7-9, 2009. The greatest impact occurred across north central and northeast Kansas, southeast Nebraska, northwest and north central Missouri,and both southern and eastern Iowa, where strong winds gusting up to 45 mph produced blizzard conditions. The heaviest snowfall also occurred in these areas, where accumulations of 8 to 12 inches were common. The greatest snow total was 14 inches, observed in Rockport, Missouri.
A review of the snow storm archives, found this storm unusual in that it was the first snow storm that blizzard conditions were reported - wind speeds of 35 mph greater and wind-driven snow reducing visibilities to 1/4 mile or less sustained for three hours or more - to affect the forecast domain of the National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill, Missouri since the office opened in the 1992. Though observed snowfall in the 10 to 14 inch range is uncommon, there have been several instances that snow amounts of these magnitudes have been observed in the past 15 years. What is unusual is the combination of heavy snow and wind speeds exceeding 35 mph. Since record keeping began, only five other instances have been recorded in which blizzard or near-blizzard conditions have impacted the forecast area for which the National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill has responsibility: February 5, 1924, December 31, 1978-January 1, 1979, December 1-2, 1985, January 18, 1996 and January 27, 1996.