Nebraska, 2009

Heavy Snow in Nebraska, November 16, 2009

November 16, 2009 · NWS OAX · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

A large upper level low pressure system brought a heavy wet snow to far southeast Nebraska. mixed with then changed to snow before sunrise on the 16th and then mixed back with rain or changed over to rain later that afternoon.

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.

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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 OAX wrote it up.

A large upper level low pressure system brought a heavy wet snow to far southeast Nebraska. The precipitation started as rain...mixed with then changed to snow before sunrise on the 16th and then mixed back with rain or changed over to rain later that afternoon. However, before it did visibilities dropped to a 1/4 mile or less and snowfall rates of around 2 inches an hour were briefly reached. Total snowfall of 6 to 10 inches was common along and to about 25 miles north of the Kansas border. Higher amounts included 10 inches in Endicott and 8 inches at Diller and 5 miles northeast of Falls City. The heavy wet snow caused numerous accidents and the weight of the snow downed tree branches onto power lines causing power losses to around 6,200 customers. Schools were canceled or let out early on the 16th and several were still closed on the 17th. Nebraska Emergency Management estimated that the storm caused more than $3.5 million in damages and a federal disaster declaration was approved for the counties involved in the storm.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Jefferson

When
November 16, 3:30 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where
Jefferson forecast zone
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
40.176, -97.143 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Rain changed to a wet heavy snow during the predawn hours of November 16th. Snowfall rates through mid morning reached an inch or two per hour as visibilities dropped to a quarter mile or less. Total snowfall was 6 to 10 inches across most of the central and southern sections of the county. Higher amounts included 10 inches in Endicott, 8 inches at Diller and 6 inches in Fairbury. The slushy heavy wet snow caused several accidents and power losses in the morning but by afternoon it had mostly melted on roads.

Heavy Snow, Gage

When
November 16, 4:30 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where
Gage forecast zone
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
40.262, -96.689 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Rain changed to a wet heavy snow during the predawn hours of November 16th. Snowfall rates through mid morning reached an inch or two per hour as visibilities dropped to a quarter mile or less. Total snowfall was 6 to 8 inches across most of the central and southern sections of the county. Higher amounts included 6 inches in Wymore and nearly that much in Beatrice. Diller, which is just west of the county line, reported 8 inches. The slushy heavy wet snow caused a few accidents and power losses in the morning but by afternoon it had mostly melted on roads.

Heavy Snow, Pawnee

When
November 16, 5:00 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where
Pawnee forecast zone
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
40.132, -96.237 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Rain changed to a wet heavy snow during the predawn hours of November 16th. Snowfall rates through mid morning reached an inch or two per hour as visibilities dropped to a quarter mile or less. Total snowfall was around 6 inches across most of |the county. The slushy heavy wet snow caused a few accidents and power losses in the morning but by afternoon it had mostly melted on roads.

Heavy Snow, Richardson

When
November 16, 5:30 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where
Richardson forecast zone
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
40.125, -95.717 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Rain changed to a wet heavy snow during the predawn hours of November 16th. Snowfall rates through mid morning reached an inch or two per hour as visibilities dropped to a quarter mile or less. Total snowfall was around 6 to 8 inches across most of the county, with 8 inches reported 5 miles northeast of Falls City among the highest reported in the county. The water equivalent of the snow in Falls City was around 2 inches and this slushy heavy wet snow caused a few accidents and power losses in the morning as the weight of the snow downed large tree limbs which fell on power lines causing them to fall. However, by afternoon the snow had mostly melted on roads.

Heavy Snow, Nemaha

When
November 16, 5:30 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where
Nemaha forecast zone
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
40.388, -95.850 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Rain changed to a wet heavy snow during the predawn hours of November 16th. Snowfall rates through mid morning reached an inch or so per hour as visibilities dropped to a quarter mile or less. Total snowfall was around 3 to 6 inches across most of the county, with the heaviest along the southern border. The heavy wet snow caused a few accidents and power losses in the morning as the weight of the snow downed large tree limbs which fell on power lines causing them to fall. However, by afternoon the snow had mostly melted on roads.

Heavy Snow, Johnson

When
November 16, 5:30 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where
Johnson forecast zone
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
40.393, -96.265 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Rain changed to a wet heavy snow during the predawn hours of November 16th. Snowfall rates through mid morning reached an inch or so per hour as visibilities dropped to a quarter mile or less. Total snowfall was around 3 to 6 inches across most of the county, with the heaviest along the southern border. The heavy wet snow caused a few accidents and power losses in the morning as the weight of the snow downed large tree limbs which fell on power lines causing them to fall. However, by afternoon the snow had mostly melted on roads.

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Nebraska in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Nebraska, November 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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 197045, 197046, 197047, 197048, 199490, 199491.