Winter Weather in Iowa, February 14 to 15, 2010

Name: Winter Weather in Iowa, February 14 to 15, 2010
Start: 2010-02-14T10:00
End: 2010-02-15T07:00
Location: Iowa

February 14 to 15, 2010 · NWS OAX · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

A quick moving storm brought light snow and strong winds with near-blizzard conditions to western Iowa on Feb. 14th and 15th.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 5
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 4

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 quick moving storm brought light snow and strong winds with near-blizzard conditions to western Iowa on Feb. 14th and 15th. As low pressure aloft dropped southeast across eastern Nebraska early on the 14th, light to moderate snow developed over the region. As the system moved southeast of the area, northwest winds increased to 30 to 45 mph. The combination caused periods of white-out conditions, even though storm snow amounts were generally under 2 inches. During the height of the storm there were several multi-car pileups which caused road closures, including one on Interstate 29 which closed it north of Missouri Valley from the afternoon of the 14th into the morning of the 15th. After a brief break in the snow during the early evening of the 14th another disturbance rotated down along the Missouri River late in the evening on the 14th bringing more light snow as the strong winds continued. Additional snowfall from this disturbance was generally under 1 inch. However, the strong winds continued to cause significant drifting snow keeping some roads closed into the 15th.

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 Feb 14, 8:01 AM CST, 1 hour 59 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 14, 8:01 AM CST, 1 hour 59 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
801 AM CST SUN FEB 14 2010

.UPDATE...
ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN THE WRN/NWRN CWA THIS MRNG DUE
TO SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
VISIBILITIES THIS MORNING HAVE DROPPED INTERMITTENTLY TO A QUARTER
MILE OR LESS AS A BAND OF SNOW PUSHES SOUTHWARD OUT OF SD AND AS
WINDS HAVE INCREASED THIS MRNG...PER AREA OBS AND WEB CAMS. ISSUED
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY JUST THROUGH THE MRNG TO COVER THE
PASSAGE OF THIS BAND THROUGH THE CWA WHERE IT COINCIDES WITH
HIGHER WIND SPEEDS. AS SNOW DIMINISHES BY 18Z...VISBYS SHOULD
IMPROVE...AND WIND WILL REMAIN THE MAIN CONCERN BEYOND 18Z. STILL
EXPECT LIGHT SNOW ACCUMS THIS MRNG.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 350 AM CST SUN FEB 14 2010/

DISCUSSION...

SYNOPSIS...00Z UPPR AIR ANLYS INDCD MAIN UPPR LVL LO NOW OVR NRN
SD ASSOCIATED WITH 60 M H5 HEIGHT FALLS AND A 70 KT H3 JET. 09Z
SFC ANALYS INDCD 1011 MB SFC LO OVR CNTRL MO WITH AN INVERTED TROF
NWD THRU CNTRL IA. SFC PRES RISES OF 4 MB PER 3 HR ARE NOTED OVR
NRN SD. REGIONAL RADAR MOSAIC INDCS -SN ONCE AGAIN INCREASING OVR
SRN SD AND INTO NW IA.

FORECAST...DIFFICULT FORECAST FOR TODAY AS UPPR LVL SYSTEM MOVS
THRU THE FA. MAIN CERTAINTIES IN THE FORECAST ARE THAT IT WILL
SNOW. HAVE ONCE AGAIN INCREASED POPS BACK TO 100 PERCENT AS GIVEN
THE UPSTREAM RADAR AND STG Q-G FORCING...LITTLE DOUBT THERE WILL
BE A PERIOD OF SNOW MOVG FM N TO S THRU THE FA THIS MRNG. AMOUNTS
CONT TO LOOK MARGINAL WITH MOST LOCATIONS SEEING AT OR LESS THAN
AN INCH TODAY. BEST CHCS FOR AN INCH OR SLIGHTLY MORE ARE OVER
CNTRL AND ERN CWA...E OF HIGHWAY 81. ANOTHER CERTAINTY IS THAT
WIND ARE GOING TO INCREASE...AND INCREASE FAIRLY SIGNIFICANTLY
OVER THE WESTERN CWA. STG LO LVL CAA WILL COMBINE WITH A STG PRES
GRADIENT TO PRODUCE THE STG WINDS. THE 4 MB 3 HR SFC PRES RISES
OVR NRN SD AT 09Z...SHLD MOV THRU THE FA BY MID TO LATE MRNG AS
925 MB WINDS INCREASE TO NEAR 40 KT. THUS WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA
LOOK LIKE A GOOD BET...AND ENOUGH TO ISSUE AN ADVISORY OVR THE
WRN CWA. THE MAIN UNCERTAINTY IN THE FORECAST IS AROUND HOW MUCH
BLOWING SNOW WILL WE SEE. WINDS HAVE DECREASED SOME THIS MRNG OVR
THE CWA AS BEST INITIAL PRES RISES HAVE SHIFTED SWD. THIS IS
EXPECTED TO CONT INTO MID MRNG BEFORE WINDS INCREASE AGAIN.
SNOWFALL WILL GET GOING PRETTY QUICKLY HERE THIS MRNG...BUT BE ON
THE WAY OUT BY THE TIME THE STRONGEST OF THE WINDS GET
HERE...ESPECIALLY OVR WRN IA. DRY NATURE OF THE SN WITH RATIOS OF
15:1 AND DRY SFC DEWPOINTS WILL CERTAINLY PROMOTE BLOWING. BLOWING
SNOW ADVISORY CRITERIA IS OCCASIONAL VISIBILITY RESTRICTION TO A
QUARTER OF A MILE. THIS MAY BE MET AS SNOW IS FALLING...ESPECIALLY
OVR THE WRN CWA...BUT SHLD GENERALLY END AS SNOW DECREASES. SO IN
GENERAL...WE ARE LIKELY TO SEE AN HOUR OR TWO OF LOW VISIBILITY DUE
TO THE COMBINATION OF FALLING SNOW AND STRONG WINDS...BUT
CONFIDENCE THAT WE CAN GET DOWN TO A QUARTER OF A MILE VISBY WITH
NO FALLING SNOW WITH THESE WINDS...ESPECIALLY IN WRN IA...IS NOT
HIGH. SO TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THAT IT IS A WEEKEND WITH NO SCHOOL
AND LIMITED TRAVEL...THAT THE PERIOD OF VERY LOW VISIBLITY WILL BE
LESS THAN 2 HOURS...AND THAT WE HAVE HAD BLOWING SNOW IN THE
FORECAST AND HWO FOR SEVERAL DAYS...WILL NOT ISSUE ANY WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORIES AND INSTEAD GO WITH A WIND ADVISORY AND INCLUDE
SOME MENTION OF BLOWING SNOW. IN ADDITION...IT IS RIGHT IN THE
MIDDLE OF WINTER AND THIS ISN'T OUR FIRST RODEO WITH WINTER
WEATHER.

SNOW WILL QUICKLY END BY MID DAY FOR MOST AND BY MID AFTN OVR THE
SE. TMPS TODAY ARE NOT LIKELY TO INCREASE MUCH AND GUIDANCE SEEMS
TO WARM. WE HAVE HAD SOME CLEAR SKIES TONIGHT AND ALLOWED FOR
TMPS TO FALL MORE THAN ANTICIPATED. SHLD SEE SOME INCREASE IN
TEMPS DURING THE FALLING SNOW...BUT WL LIKELY NOT GET OUT OF THE
MID TEENS. FORECAST REMAINS A CHALLENGE TONIGHT AS MID LVL SHEAR
AXIS OVR ERN CANADA THIS MRNG...SHIFTS WWD TODAY AND ALLOWS FOR
WEAK FORCING FOR ASCENT TO MOV INTO THE FA OVERNIGHT AND THRU MON
MRNG. POINT FORECAST SOUNDINGS INDC DEEP SATURATION OCCURRING WITH
THIS FEATURE WITH A GOOD PART...IF NOT ALL OF THE MOIST LAYER...OF
THE SOUNDING IN THE DENDRITIC ZONE. SO DESPITE THE RATHER WEAK
FORCING...VERY FAVORABLE THERMAL PROFILES ARE LIKELY TO LEAD TO
SOME -SN AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT AND THRU MID DAY ON MONDAY. THUS
HAVE INCREASED GOING POPS INTO THE LIKELY CAT OVR THE CNTRL AND
ERN CWA. NOT EXPECTING MUCH SNOWFALL...BUT MEASURABLE PRECIP DOES
SEEM LIKELY ATTM. WL ALSO LIKELY SEE SOME CONTD BLOWING SNOW INTO
MONDAY AS H85 WINDS STAY CLOSE TO 50 KT AND 925 MB WINDS ARE
AROUND 35 KT AND HAVE PUT BACK INTO THE FORECAST THRU
MON...ESPECIALLY OVR THE ERN CWA. QUIET WEATHER LOOKS TO RETURN
FOR MON NIGHT THRU THURS...BUT MODELS ARE HINTING AT ANOTHER STORM
SYSTEM FOR THURS NIGHT INTO FRI AND LATER SHIFTS WL HAVE TO
CONSIDER SOME POPS FOR THIS TIME FRAME.

BOUSTEAD

AVIATION...

TAF SITES KOFK/KOMA/KLNK

06Z TAFS

COMPLEX WX AT ALL TAF SITES THROUGH THE TAF CYCLE.  GUSTY NWLY WINDS
WILL PERSIST TODAY AND TONIGHT.  AFTER BRIEF VFR CONDITIONS THIS
MRNG...CIGS WILL DETERIORATE TO MVFR THROUGH MUCH OF TODAY...WITH
INTERMITTENT IFR POSSIBLE.  A FEW HOURS OF LIGHT SNOW ARE POSSIBLE
THIS MRNG/EARLY AFTN...AND WILL BRING VIS DOWN TO AROUND IFR WHEN
SNOW IS FALLING AS LIGHT SNOW COMBINES WITH GUSTY WINDS.  CONDITIONS
WILL IMPROVE SOMEWHAT LATER THIS AFTN/THIS EVNG AS SNOW ENDS AND
CIGS LIFT...BUT ANOTHER WAVE COULD BRING LT SNOW BACK INTO TAF SITES
LATE IN THE TAF CYCLE.

&&

.OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NE...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL NOON CST TODAY FOR NEZ011-012-
     015>018-030>034-042>044-050-051-065-066-078.

     WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR NEZ011-012-016>018-
     030>033-042>044-050-051-065-066-078-088-089.

IA...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL NOON CST TODAY FOR IAZ043.

&&

MAYES

Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 14, 9:54 AM CST, 6 minutes before

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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Feb 14, 4:24 AM CST, 5 hours 36 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
424 AM CST SUN FEB 14 2010

IAZ043-055-056-069-079-080-090-091-NEZ011-012-015>018-030>034-
042>045-050>053-065>068-078-088>093-141830-
MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-
PAGE-KNOX-CEDAR-THURSTON-ANTELOPE-PIERCE-WAYNE-BOONE-MADISON-
STANTON-CUMING-BURT-PLATTE-COLFAX-DODGE-WASHINGTON-BUTLER-
SAUNDERS-DOUGLAS-SARPY-SEWARD-LANCASTER-CASS-OTOE-SALINE-
JEFFERSON-GAGE-JOHNSON-NEMAHA-PAWNEE-RICHARDSON-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ONAWA...MISSOURI VALLEY...HARLAN...
COUNCIL BLUFFS...GLENWOOD...RED OAK...SIDNEY...CLARINDA...
BLOOMFIELD...HARTINGTON...PENDER...NELIGH...PIERCE...WAYNE...
ALBION...NORFOLK...STANTON...WEST POINT...TEKAMAH...COLUMBUS...
SCHUYLER...FREMONT...BLAIR...DAVID CITY...WAHOO...OMAHA...
BELLEVUE...SEWARD...LINCOLN...PLATTSMOUTH...NEBRASKA CITY...
CRETE...FAIRBURY...BEATRICE...TECUMSEH...AUBURN...PAWNEE CITY...
FALLS CITY
424 AM CST SUN FEB 14 2010

...SNOW AND STRONG WINDS TO IMPACT THE AREA...

LIGHT SNOW WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA TODAY. SNOW WILL END BY
MIDDAY OVER NORTHEAST NEBRASKA...AND BY MID AFTERNOON OVER
SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA AND SOUTHWEST IOWA. SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS WILL
BE ON THE LIGHT SIDE WITH MOST LOCATIONS RECEIVING AROUND AN INCH
OF NEW SNOW.

THE MAIN IMPACT FROM THIS WEATHER SYSTEM WILL BE THE STRONG
WINDS. WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH ARE EXPECTED
TODAY. THE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE THIS MORNING AS THE SNOW
IS STARTING TO TAPER OFF. DURING THE TIME WHEN SNOW IS
FALLING...AND THE WINDS HAVE INCREASED...VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS
ARE LIKELY...ESPECIALLY IN OPEN AND RURAL AREAS. VISIBILITIES MAY
OCCASIONALLY DROP TO A QUARTER OF A MILE...BUT THESE CONDITIONS
WILL GENERALLY ONLY LAST FOR AN HOUR OR TWO FOR ANY ONE LOCATION.
THIS IS MOST LIKELY BEFORE 10 AM OVER NORTHEAST NEBRASKA...AND
BETWEEN 10 AM AND NOON OVER EAST CENTRAL NEBRASKA AND SOUTHWEST
IOWA. ALTHOUGH ADDITIONAL BLOWING SNOW IS LIKELY THROUGH THE DAY
AND INTO TONIGHT...VISIBILITIES ONCE THE SNOW ENDS SHOULD
GENERALLY INCREASE TO 1 TO 3 MILES. TRAVELERS ARE URGED TO USE
CAUTION AND PREPARE FOR A PERIOD OF HAZARDOUS TRAVEL THIS MORNING
ACROSS THE AREA.

BOUSTEAD/MAYES

Local storm report, Feb 14, 9:06 AM CST, 54 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA
906 AM CST SUN FEB 14 2010

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

0905 AM     SNOW             WAYNE                   42.24N 97.02W
02/14/2010  E1.5 INCH        WAYNE              NE   LAW ENFORCEMENT

&&

DEWALD

Local storm report, Feb 14, 9:20 AM CST, 40 minutes before

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Local storm report, Feb 14, 9:34 AM CST, 26 minutes before

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Local storm report, Feb 14, 9:40 AM CST, 20 minutes before

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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Monona

When: February 14, 10:00 AM CST to February 15, 7:00 AM CST
Where: Monona forecast zone
Injuries: 0 direct, 5 indirect
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 42.052, -95.960 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow, mostly light, combined with northwest winds which increased to 25 to 35 mph. The strong winds and snow caused widespread blowing and drifting snow and poor visibilities beginning on 2/14. After a temporary break in the afternoon and early evening on the 14th, visibilities deteriorated again late in the evening into the morning of the 15th as light snow picked back up and the strong winds persisted. The visibilities occasionally dropped below 1/4 mile for an hour or two during the late morning of the 14th. Snowfall from the storm was only a couple of inches, but extensive snow cover already in place allowed the new snow to easily drift over roads and create the poor visibilities. Interstate 29 was closed across the county during the afternoon of the 14th after a 45 to 50 car pileup which caused several injuries. The Interstate remained closed into the morning hours of the 15th.

Winter Weather, Harrison

When: February 14, 10:00 AM CST to February 15, 7:00 AM CST
Where: Harrison forecast zone
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 41.683, -95.817 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow, mostly light, combined with northwest winds which increased to 25 to 35 mph. The strong winds and snow caused widespread blowing and drifting snow and poor visibilities beginning on 2/14. After a temporary break in the afternoon and early evening on the 14th, visibilities deteriorated again late in the evening into the morning of the 15th as light snow picked back up and the strong winds persisted. The visibilities occasionally dropped below 1/4 mile for an hour or two during the late morning of the 14th. Snowfall from the storm was only a couple of inches, but extensive snow cover already in place allowed the new snow to easily drift over roads and create the poor visibilities. The slick conditions and poor visibilities caused several accidents on Interstate 29 causing its closure near Missouri Valley and also prompted several schools to close on the 15th.

Winter Weather, Shelby

When: February 14, 10:00 AM CST to February 15, 7:00 AM CST
Where: Shelby forecast zone
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 41.685, -95.310 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Pottawattamie

When: February 14, 10:00 AM CST to February 15, 7:00 AM CST
Where: Pottawattamie forecast zone
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 41.337, -95.542 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Weather: Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Iowa in 2010 Every state in 2010 This day in weather history Warnings in Iowa, February 2010

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: 208277, 208278, 208279, 208281.