An upper level storm system tracking from eastern Colorado into central Nebraska brought significant snowfall to western and north central Nebraska. Strong northwest winds resulted in blowing and drifting snow and reduced visibility.
Every event with a place to put it; 23 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS LBF wrote it up.
An upper level storm system tracking from eastern Colorado into central Nebraska brought significant snowfall to western and north central Nebraska. Strong northwest winds resulted in blowing and drifting snow and reduced visibility. Snowfall amounts ranged from 5 to 10 inches over most locations.
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 North Platte, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 30, 2:17 PM MST, 3 hours 43 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE 317 PM CST THU DEC 30 2010 .SYNOPSIS... SURFACE ANALYSIS AT 20Z INDICATING SURFACE LOW PRESSURE EAST OF SIOUX FALLS SD...WITH A COLD FRONT EXTENDING SSWD INTO SERN NEBRASKA AND SWRN KS. A SECONDARY LOW HAS DEVELOPED OVER SERN COLORADO WITH A TRAILING FRONT EXTENDING SWD INTO ERN NEW MEXICO. UPPER AIR PATTERN INDICATING A VIGOROUS UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER THE FOUR CORNERS WITH A LEAD DISTURBANCE LIFTING NEWD INTO ERN SD THIS AFTERNOON. THE LATTER SYSTEM SPREAD LIGHT SNOW TO WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA THIS MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON. INITIAL TOTALS ACROSS THE AREA WERE GENERALLY AROUND AN INCH OR LESS. AT NOON CST NORTH PLATTE HAD 1.1 INCHES...WHILE VALENTINE HAD 0.7 INCHES. A COOPERATIVE OBSERVER REPORT FROM ONEILL HAD ROUGHLY 2.5 TO 3 INCHES AS OF 230 PM CST. .DISCUSSION... SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT...ONGOING WINTER STORM...WINDS AND TEMPERATURES IN ITS AFTERMATH WILL BE THE FORECAST CHALLENGES DURING THE NEAR TERM. LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW...CONTINUES TO LIFT TO THE NORTHEAST AS THE LEAD SHORTWAVE MOVES INTO SERN SD. WV IMAGERY IS INDICATING SOME TEMPORARY MID LEVEL DRYING EXTENDING ACROSS KANSAS AND EASTERN COLORADO ATTM. THIS MID LEVEL DRYING HAS PUSHED INTO SWRN NEBRASKA OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF HRS AND HAS BROUGHT AN END TO SNOW IN LBF AND POINTS SWD. AM EXPECTING SNOW TO CONTINUE TO TEMPORALLY TAPER OFF FROM SW TO NE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING...BEFORE COMMENCING ONCE AGAIN IN THE SOUTHWEST AS THE MAIN UPPER LEVEL LOW EMERGES ONTO THE PLAINS OF ERN COLORADO. BUFKIT SOUNDING DATA INDICATES STRONG DENDRITIC LAYER LIFT COMMENCING AT LBF AFTER 10 PM TONIGHT AND MIDNIGHT TO 2 AM ACROSS NRN NEBRASKA OVERNIGHT. EFFICIENT SNOW PRODUCTION EXPECTED LATER TONIGHT AND EARLY FRIDAY AS DECENT WARM AIR ADVECTION NOTED IN THIS LAYER AS WELL. SNOW MAY BE MODERATE AT TIMES...PARTICULARLY AFTER MIDNIGHT WHEN LOW LEVEL WAA AND ISENTROPIC LIFT PEAKS. BOTH THE NAM AND GFS SOLUTIONS CONTINUE TO HAVE GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THEIR H7 LOW TRACKS CORRESPONDING QPF FIELDS SO ONGOING WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS ON TRACK. THE ONLY MODEL DIFFERENCE THIS MORNING...BASED ON THE PREVIOUS FORECAST IS THE QPF FIELDS AND THEIR SLIGHT EWD SHIFT FOR TNGT...WHICH MOST NOTED OVER NORTHERN NEBRASKA. WITH THIS IN MIND...INCREASED SNOW ACCUMULATIONS IN THE NORTHEASTERN ZONES. THIS WAS ALSO A BY PRODUCT OF THE 1 TO 2 INCHES ALREADY RECEIVED IN THE NRN ZONES FROM EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON AND MORNING. TOTALED UP...SNOW ACCUMULATIONS PEAK ACROSS THE NRN TIER OF COUNTIES WHERE 10+ INCHES OF SNOW IS EXPECTED. FURTHER SOUTH...7 TO 9 INCHES ARE EXPECTED IN THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SANDHILLS...WHILE 6 TO 8 INCHES ARE EXPECTED ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 80. THIS ADDED TO BITTERLY COLD TEMPERATURES...AND STRONG NORTHWESTERLY WINDS...WILL MAKE FOR A NASTY NIGHT ACROSS WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA. THE MAIN H7 SYSTEM WILL TRACK ACROSS SRN AND CENTRAL NEBRASKA INTO NORTHERN NEBRASKA AND SERN SD FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. SNOWFALL RATES WILL GENERALLY PEAK DURING THE OVERNIGHT TONIGHT ACROSS SWRN NEBRASKA....THEN CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA FRIDAY MORNING. BITTERLY COLD AIR WILL SET IN ON FRIDAY AS H85 TEMPS DROP AS LOW AS -22 ACROSS NRN NEBRASKA. GUIDANCE HIGHS AROUND ZERO FOR KVTN ARE ON TRACK ATTM FOR FRIDAY. IN ADDITION TO BITTERLY COLD TEMPERATURES...WIND CHILLS OF 20 TO 30 BELOW ZERO ARE EXPECTED FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. THESE WILL NEED TO BE MONITORED AS A WIND CHILL WARNING MAY NEED TO BE ISSUED AFTER THE WINTER STORM WARNING EXPIRES MIDNIGHT FRIDAY NIGHT. CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE ON SATURDAY AS WINDS DIMINISH. TEMPERATURES WILL BE BITTERLY COLD WITH HIGHS IN THE TEENS AND LOWS SATURDAY NIGHT OF 5 TO 10 BELOW ZERO. LONG TERM...MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...LONG RANGE MODELS HINTING AT A SPLIT FLOW REGIME SETTING UP NEXT WEEK WITH THE CENTRAL PLAINS DISCONNECTED FROM THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN STREAMS. THE LATEST GUIDANCE IS HINTING AT A WARMUP INTO THE 30S NEXT WEEK...HOWEVER...DECIDED TO UNDERCUT TEMPERATURES SOME WITH WIDESPREAD SNOW COVER EXPECTED TO LINGER WELL THROUGH NEXT WEEK. BASED ON THE UPPER FLOW REGIME...DRY FORECAST CONTINUES THROUGH THE END OF THE PERIOD. && .AVIATION... MODEL SOLUTIONS CONTINUE TO SHOW GOOD AGREEMENT WITH A STORM SYSTEM TO MOVE OUT OF THE ROCKIES TODAY THEN LIFT NORTHEAST ACROSS THE PLAINS FRIDAY. THE INITIAL LEAD WAVE PRODUCED A QUICK INCH OF SNOWFALL EARLIER THIS MORNING AT BOTH THE VTN AND LBF TERMINALS WITH NORTHWESTERLY WIND GUSTS EXCEEDING 30 KTS. THIS CAUSED VISIBILITIES TO DROP TO OR IN SOME CASES BELOW A QUARTER MILE. LIGHT SNOW CONTINUES TO FALL OVER BOTH TERMINALS INTO THE AFTERNOON WITH BOTH VISIBILITY AND CEILING CHANGING RAPIDLY. MID LEVEL DRYING FROM THE SOUTHWEST IS STILL PROGGED TO MOVE ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA THIS AFTERNOON WITH SNOW TAPERING OFF BY MID AFTERNOON...BUT THEN TO RE-INTENSIFY BY 04Z TO 06Z TONIGHT AS THE MAIN WAVE ROTATES FROM THE ROCKIES. IFR AND LOWER CATEGORIES WILL BE THE NORM THROUGH TOMORROW AFTERNOON WITH THE PASSAGE OF THIS SYSTEM. HOWEVER WITH THE MID LEVEL DRYING...LIFTING CEILINGS MAY BE REALIZED FOR A SHORT WHILE THIS AFTERNOON...ESPECIALLY FOR THE LBF TERMINAL...WITH SLIGHTLY HIGHER CONFIDENCE OF SNOWFALL LINGERING FOR VTN THROUGH THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON TODAY. REGARDLESS...WITH THE RECENT SNOW AND STRONG NORTHWESTERLY WIND...VISIBILITIES WILL CONTINUE TO FLUCTUATE RAPIDLY AND DEGRADE FURTHER THROUGH MIDDAY TOMORROW. && .LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT THOROUGH MIDNIGHT CST FRIDAY NIGHT FOR ZONES: NEZ004>010-022>029-035>038-056>059-069>071-094. .SHORT...LONG TERM AND SYNOPSIS...BUTTLER .AVIATION...JACOBS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE 341 PM CST THU DEC 30 2010 NEZ004>010-022>029-035>038-056>059-069>071-094-312145- SHERIDAN-EASTERN CHERRY-KEYA PAHA-BOYD-BROWN-ROCK-HOLT-GARDEN- GRANT-HOOKER-THOMAS-BLAINE-LOUP-GARFIELD-WHEELER-ARTHUR-MCPHERSON- LOGAN-CUSTER-DEUEL-KEITH-PERKINS-LINCOLN-CHASE-HAYES-FRONTIER- WESTERN CHERRY- 341 PM CST THU DEC 30 2010 /241 PM MST THU DEC 30 2010/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. SNOW WILL TEMPORALLY END THIS EVENING BUT INTENSIFY LATER TONIGHT AND EARLY FRIDAY AS AN UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM APPROACHES THE AREA. SNOW...WHICH WILL BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES LATE TONIGHT WILL COMBINE WITH STRONG NORTHWESTERLY WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH...TO CREATE DANGEROUSLY COLD WIND CHILLS OF 20 TO 30 BELOW ZERO. REDUCED VISIBILITIES WILL ALSO BE A CONCERN AS THE SNOW AND WIND INTENSIFY LATER...MAKING TRAVEL DIFFICULT ACROSS THE REGION. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THE UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA ON FRIDAY. SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY WITH STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS RANGING FROM 5 INCHES SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 80 TO OVER A FOOT ALONG AND NORTH OF HIGHWAY 20. IN ADDITION TO THE SNOW...COLD AIR WILL FILTER DOWN FROM THE DAKOTAS WITH SINGLE DIGIT AND BELOW ZERO READINGS POSSIBLE FOR HIGH TEMPERATURES ON FRIDAY. NORTHWESTERLY WIND WILL ALSO CREATE DANGEROUS WIND CHILL READINGS THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING...WITH THE COLDEST READINGS APPROACHING 30 BELOW ZERO LATE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. THOSE PLANNING TRAVEL ACROSS WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECAST AND ROAD CONDITIONS AS THIS SYSTEM MOVES ACROSS THE REGION. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED THROUGH TONIGHT. && THIS PRODUCT IS NOW AVAILABLE...ALONG WITH OTHER WEATHER... HYDROLOGICAL AND CLIMATOLOGICAL INFORMATION...AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/NORTHPLATTE JACOBS
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
301 PM CST THU DEC 30 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0300 PM SNOW CHAMBERS 42.21N 98.75W
12/30/2010 M1.5 INCH HOLT NE CO-OP OBSERVER
&&
CARMELPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
302 PM CST THU DEC 30 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0300 PM SNOW EWING 42.26N 98.34W
12/30/2010 M1.0 INCH HOLT NE CO-OP OBSERVER
&&
CARMELPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
307 PM CST THU DEC 30 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0300 PM SNOW LYNCH 42.83N 98.47W
12/30/2010 M5.0 INCH BOYD NE CO-OP OBSERVER
STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL THROUGH 300 PM CST. BLOWING AND
DRIFTING SNOW.
&&
CARMELPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
312 PM CST THU DEC 30 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0305 PM SNOW 6 SW AMELIA 42.17N 99.04W
12/30/2010 M2.0 INCH HOLT NE CO-OP OBSERVER
SWAN LAKE COOP OBSERVER REPORTED 2 INCHES OF NEW
SNOWFALL.
&&
CARMELPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
324 PM CST THU DEC 30 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0230 PM SNOW ONEILL 42.46N 98.65W
12/30/2010 M2.5 INCH HOLT NE CO-OP OBSERVER
COOP OBSERVER AT KBRX RADIO IN ONEILL HAS MEASURED 2.5
INCHES OF SNOWFALL SO FAR. SNOW IS WIND DRIVEN BY STRONG
WIND GUSTS.
0250 PM SNOW 2 W AMELIA 42.23N 99.00W
12/30/2010 M2.0 INCH HOLT NE CO-OP OBSERVER
2 INCHES OF SNOWFALL SO FAR. VERY STRONG WINDS ARE
CREATING DRIFTING SNOW ACROSS COUNTY ROADS.
0255 PM SNOW 3 SW ATKINSON 42.50N 99.02W
12/30/2010 M4.0 INCH HOLT NE CO-OP OBSERVER
BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW ALSO REPORTED.
0300 PM SNOW CHAMBERS 42.21N 98.75W
12/30/2010 M1.5 INCH HOLT NE CO-OP OBSERVER
0300 PM SNOW EWING 42.26N 98.34W
12/30/2010 M1.0 INCH HOLT NE CO-OP OBSERVER
0300 PM SNOW LYNCH 42.83N 98.47W
12/30/2010 M5.0 INCH BOYD NE CO-OP OBSERVER
STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL THROUGH 300 PM CST. BLOWING AND
DRIFTING SNOW.
0305 PM SNOW 6 SW AMELIA 42.17N 99.04W
12/30/2010 M2.0 INCH HOLT NE CO-OP OBSERVER
SWAN LAKE COOP OBSERVER REPORTED 2 INCHES OF NEW
SNOWFALL.
&&
CARMELPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
529 PM CST THU DEC 30 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0500 PM SNOW VALENTINE 42.87N 100.55W
12/30/2010 M0.7 INCH CHERRY NE CO-OP OBSERVER
SNOWFALL SO FAR HAS BEEN SEVEN TENTHS OF AN INCH.
0500 PM SNOW NORTH PLATTE 41.13N 100.77W
12/30/2010 M1.1 INCH LINCOLN NE OFFICIAL NWS OBS
STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL SO FAR HAS BEEN 1.1 INCHES AT LEE
BIRD FIELD IN NORTH PLATTE.
&&
CARMELThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
23 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Snowfall ranged from 8 to 11 inches across Garden county. Cooperative observer 10 miles northeast of Oshkosh reported 11 inches of snowfall, and strong northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph causing frequent visibilities below a quarter mile and snowdrifts up to five feet on December 31st.
Public reported snowfall amounts ranging from 8 to 10 inches across Deuel county. Strong northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph caused frequent visibilities as low as a quarter mile and drifting snow during the overnight hours on December 30th into the evening hours on December 31st.
Snowfall ranged from 5 to 7 inches across Chase county. Strong northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph caused considerable drifting snow and occasional visibilities below a quarter mile on December 31st.
Snowfall ranged from 6 to 8 inches across Keith county. Strong northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph caused considerable drifting snow and frequent visibilities below a quarter mile on December 31st.
Snowfall ranged from 6 to 8 inches across Perkins county. Strong northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph caused considerable drifting snow and frequent visibilities below a quarter mile on December 31st.
Snowfall ranged from 6 to 8 inches across Arthur county. Strong northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph caused considerable blowing and drifting snow with frequent visibilities below a quarter mile on December 31st.
Snowfall ranged from 6 to 8 inches across McPherson county. Strong northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph caused considerable drifting snow and frequent visibilities below a quarter mile on December 31st.
Snowfall ranged from 6 to 10 inches across Grant county. Law enforcement in Hyannis reported snowdrifts of 4 to 5 feet and strong northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph causing frequent visibilities below a quarter mile on December 31st.
Snowfall ranged from 6 to 10 inches across Hooker county. Cooperative observer in Mullen reported 9 inches of snowfall and snowdrifts of 4 to 5 feet. Strong northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph caused frequent visibilities below a quarter mile on December 31st.
Snowfall ranged from 6 to 7 inches across Lincoln county. Strong northwest winds of 20 to 35 mph caused some blowing and drifting snow and visibilities below a mile at times during the evening hours on December 31st.
Snowfall ranged from 6 to 8 inches across Sheridan county. Cooperative observers at Rushville and 6 miles north of Gordon reported snowdrifts up to five feet and strong northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph causing frequent visibilities below a quarter mile during the morning of December 31st.
Snowfall ranged from 6 to 9 inches across western Cherry county. Cooperative observer near Kilgore reported snowdrifts of 4 to 5 feet and strong northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph causing frequent visibilities below a quarter mile on December 31st.
Snowfall ranged from 6 to 8 inches across Logan county. Strong northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph caused considerable blowing and drifting snow and visibilities below a mile at times on December 31st.
Snowfall ranged from 6 to 8 inches across Brown county. Cooperative observer in Ainsworth reported 6 inches of snowfall with strong northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph. This caused considerable blowing and drifting snow and occasional visibilities below a quarter mile on December 31st.
Snowfall ranged from 6 to 8 inches across Blaine county. Strong northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph caused considerable blowing and drifting snow and occasional visibilities below a quarter mile on December 31st.
Snowfall ranged from 5 to 7 inches across Custer county. Strong northwest winds of 20 to 30 mph caused some blowing and drifting snow and visibilities below a mile at time on December 31st.
Snowfall ranged from 6 to 9 inches across eastern Cherry county. Strong northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph caused considerable blowing and drifting snow and frequent visibilities below a quarter mile on December 31st.
Snowfall ranged from 6 to 8 inches across Keya Paha county. Strong northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph caused considerable blowing and drifting snow with frequent visibilities below a quarter mile on December 31st.
Snowfall ranged from 5 to 7 inches across Garfield county. Strong northwest winds of 20 to 30 mph caused some blowing and drifting snow and frequent visibilities below a mile on December 31st.
Snowfall ranged from 5 to 7 inches across Wheeler county. Strong northwest winds of 20 to 30 mph caused some blowing and drifting snow and frequent visibilities below a mile on December 31st.
Snowfall ranged from 6 to 7 inches across Loup county. Strong northwest winds of 20 to 30 mph caused some blowing and drifting snow and visibilities below a mile at times on December 31st.
Snowfall ranged from 7 to 10 inches across Boyd county. Strong northwest winds of 20 to 30 mph caused some blowing and drifting snow and frequent visibilities below a mile on December 31st.
Snowfall ranged from 5 to 9 inches across Holt county. Strong northwest winds of 20 to 30 mph caused some blowing and drifting snow and frequent visibilities below a mile on December 31st.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nebraska in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Nebraska, December 2010
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: 266553, 266554, 266561, 266559, 266560, 266558, 266562, 266556, 266557, 266574, 266552, 266555, 266573, 266569, 266570, 266572, 266563, 266564, 266567, 266568, 266571, 266565, 266566.