Kansas, 2010

Winter Weather in Kansas, December 23 to 24, 2010

December 23 to 24, 2010 · NWS ICT · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

Patchy light freezing rain and freezing drizzle during the evening hours on the 23rd produced a thin glaze of ice across central, south-central and portions of southeast Kansas. The glaze of ice produced very slick roads through the early morning hours on the 24th.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 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
1
Injuries
13
Property damage
$147,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
7

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 ICT wrote it up.

Patchy light freezing rain and freezing drizzle during the evening hours on the 23rd produced a thin glaze of ice across central, south-central and portions of southeast Kansas. The glaze of ice produced very slick roads through the early morning hours on the 24th. Several automobile accidents and slide-offs occurred as a result, producing numerous injuries. One fatality occurred in Cowley county.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Sedgwick

When
December 23, 5:01 PM CST to December 24, 9:51 AM CST
Where
Sedgwick forecast zone
Property damage
$30,000
Reported by
Newspaper
Coordinates
37.685, -97.461 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Periodic light freezing drizzle and light freezing rain created a thin glaze of ice across the area, resulting in dozens of traffic accidents countywide. Fortunately, no one was injured. Property damage amounts are rough estimates. The Wichita Eagle and Ark Valley News contributed to this report.

Winter Weather, Marion

When
December 23, 5:01 PM CST to December 24, 11:44 AM CST
Where
Marion forecast zone
Injuries
0 direct, 1 indirect
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
Newspaper
Coordinates
38.359, -97.097 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Periodic light freezing drizzle and light freezing rain created a thin glaze of ice across the area, resulting in at least 10 traffic accidents countywide according to law enforcement. Only one injury was reported due to the traffic accidents. Property damage amounts are rough estimates. The Peabody Gazette-Bulletin and the Marion County Record contributed to this report.

Winter Weather, Saline

When
December 23, 5:01 PM CST to December 24, 9:51 AM CST
Where
Saline forecast zone
Property damage
$30,000
Reported by
Newspaper
Coordinates
38.784, -97.650 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Periodic light freezing drizzle and light freezing rain created a thin glaze of ice across the area, resulting in dozens of traffic accidents countywide, including a 14-vehicle pileup in Salina. Fortunately, no one was injured. Property damage amounts are rough estimates. The Salina Journal contributed to this report.

Winter Weather, Harper

When
December 23, 5:01 PM CST to December 24, 9:51 AM CST
Where
Harper forecast zone
Injuries
0 direct, 2 indirect
Property damage
$12,000
Reported by
Newspaper
Coordinates
37.192, -98.075 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Periodic light freezing drizzle and light freezing rain created a thin glaze of ice across the area, resulting in numerous traffic accidents countywide. Two injuries were reported due to the traffic accidents. Property damage amounts are rough estimates. The Harper Advocate contributed to this report.

Winter Weather, Harvey

When
December 23, 5:01 PM CST to December 24, 9:51 AM CST
Where
Harvey forecast zone
Injuries
0 direct, 4 indirect
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
Newspaper
Coordinates
38.043, -97.427 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Periodic light freezing drizzle and light freezing rain created a thin glaze of ice across the area, resulting in at least 20 traffic accidents and slide-offs countywide. At least 4 injuries were reported. Property damage amounts are rough estimates. The Newton Kansan contributed to this report.

Winter Weather, Kingman

When
December 23, 5:01 PM CST to December 24, 9:51 AM CST
Where
Kingman forecast zone
Property damage
$15,000
Reported by
Newspaper
Coordinates
37.559, -98.136 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Periodic light freezing drizzle and light freezing rain created a thin glaze of ice across the area, resulting in numerous traffic accidents countywide. Two such accidents occured west of Kingman along Highway 54. Property damage amounts are rough estimates. No injuries were reported. The Kingman Leader-Courier contributed to this report.

Winter Weather, Cowley

When
December 23, 6:54 PM CST to December 24, 3:58 AM CST
Where
Cowley forecast zone
Deaths
0 direct, 1 indirect
Injuries
0 direct, 6 indirect
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
Newspaper
Coordinates
37.238, -96.837 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Periodic light freezing drizzle and light freezing rain created a thin glaze of ice across the area, resulting in numerous traffic accidents countywide. Six relatively minor injuries were reported. Unfortunately, one fatality occurred when a 60-year-old man lost control of his vehicle on the icy roads. Property damage amounts are rough estimates. The Winfield Daily Courier contributed to this report.

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

EventDateAgeSexWhereKind
Winter Weather, Cowley2010-12-2360MaleVehicle/Towed TrailerIndirect

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

More

Every storm in Kansas in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, December 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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 274411, 274412, 274413, 274415, 274416, 274809, 274655.