A extremely cold arctic airmass settled over the region in the aftermath of the snowstorm of February 8th and 9th. As this area of arctic high pressure settled over the eastern half of Kansas and eastern Oklahoma, the combination of the cold air and fresh snow cover of 5 to 12 inches, led to optimal radiational cooling conditions on the morning of February 10th, with record minimum temperatures…
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The episode as NWS ICT wrote it up.
A extremely cold arctic airmass settled over the region in the aftermath of the snowstorm of February 8th and 9th. As this area of arctic high pressure settled over the eastern half of Kansas and eastern Oklahoma, the combination of the cold air and fresh snow cover of 5 to 12 inches, led to optimal radiational cooling conditions on the morning of February 10th, with record minimum temperatures broken across the region. Some locations in South Central and Southeast Kansas saw some of their coldest temperatures in 29 years. Iola, Kansas recorded the coldest temperature in that cities history.
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 Wichita, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 9, 11:34 PM CST, 26 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 1134 PM CST WED FEB 9 2011 .AVIATION...06Z TAFS KRSL/KSLN/KHUT/KICT/KCNU AVIATION CONCERNS REMAIN MINIMAL. CURRENT THINKING HAS NOT CHANGED FROM THE 00Z TAF ISSUANCE WITH VERY HIGH CONFIDENCE OF VFR CONDITIONS AS THE SURFACE RIDGE TAKES UP RESIDENCE OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. LAWSON && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 529 PM CST WED FEB 9 2011/ AVIATION...00Z TAFS KRSL/KSLN/KHUT/KICT/KCNU UNLIKE THE LAST 24 HOURS...AVIATION CONCERNS WILL REMAIN NIL THROUGH THE DURATION OF THIS TAF PACKAGE AND LIKELY LONGER. AS THE STORM SYSTEM THAT BROUGHT US OUR LATEST HEAVY SNOW PUSHES THROUGH THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY...SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL SETTLE OVER THE AREA. THIS WILL PROVIDE CLEAR SKIES AND LIGHT WINDS THROUGH THE NEXT 24 HOURS AND LIKELY LONGER. LAWSON PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 258 PM CST WED FEB 9 2011/ DISCUSSION... FORECAST CHALLENGE...WARMING TREND WITH BIG CHANGE IN THE UPPER FLOW REGIME BY NEXT WEEK. TONIGHT DEEP SNOW COVER...CLEAR SKIES AND LIGHT WINDS WILL RESULT IN STRONG RADIATIONAL COOLING EARLY TONIGHT...AS THE SURFACE RIDGE AXIS DRIFTS SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA. THE COLDEST MINS SHOULD RESIDE ACROSS THE DEEP SNOW COVER ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST KANSAS...WITH SOME LOCALES DROPPING TO 10 BELOW ZERO. SUBZERO MINS ACROSS CENTRAL KANSAS SHOULD BOTTOM OUT BY MIDNIGHT...AND MAY COME UP A FEW DEGREES BY DAWN AS A MILDER WEST TO SOUTHWEST WIND FLOW DEVELOPS LATE TONIGHT. DESPITE LIGHT WINDS...CHILLS WILL FALL INTO THE 10 BELOW TO 15 BELOW RANGE ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA. WHILE CRITERIA LOOKS TO BE MARGINALLY MET IN A FEW LOCALES EARLY THURSDAY MORNING...INTER-OFFICE COLLABORATION HAS LEANED US TOWARD ISSUING A WIND CHILL ADVISORY WITH ADJACENT OFFICES. THURSDAY-SATURDAY RATHER BENIGN WEATHER TO END THE WEEK. GEOPOTENTIAL HEIGHT RISES IN THE NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WILL RESULT IN MODERATING/WARMING TEMPERATURES EACH DAY. HOWEVER THE RATHER IMPRESSIVE SNOW FIELD ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA WILL LIMIT OUR POTENTIAL...SO WILL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THE SPIRIT OF THE GOING FORECAST WITH MAXS. SUNDAY-WEDNESDAY THE UPPER PATTERN WILL BEGIN TO CHANGE LATE IN THE WEEKEND AS STRONGER FLOW ALOFT OFF THE PACIFIC RESULTS WITH MORE OF A ZONAL FLOW ACROSS THE CONUS. SOME RIDGING ALOFT WILL TRANSLATE EAST ACROSS THE PLAINS BY TUESDAY. THIS WILL EVENTUALLY LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BROAD LOW AMPLITUDE RIDGE ACROSS THE CENTRAL/EASTERN CONUS AND SIGNIFICANT TROFING ALONG THE WEST COAST BY WEDNESDAY. THE RESULTANT SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT ACROSS THE PLAINS PORTENDS TO A VERY MILD WEATHER PATTERN IN THE INCREASING SOUTHERLY FLOW LEVEL FLOW. DEEPER MOISTURE IS ALSO PROGGED BY THE GFS AND ECMWF TO ADVECT NORTH ACROSS THE LOWER PLAINS AND INTO SOUTHEAST KANSAS BY TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY. BOTTOM-LINE...WILL CONTINUE TO SHOW TEMPERATURES CLIMBING WELL ABOVE CLIMO THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. FORECAST CONSENSUS DID SUPPORT SLIGHT POPS FOR SOUTHEAST KANSAS BY TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY WITH THE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE FLUX AND POTENTIAL FOR A WEAK SHORTWAVE TRAVERSING THROUGH THE SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT. DARMOFAL AVIATION...18Z TAFS KRSL/KSLN/KHUT/KICT/KCNU WINTER STORM AND ASSOCIATED ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO EXIT SOUTHEAST KANSAS THROUGH EARLY-MID AFTERNOON...INCLUDING KCNU. IFR VSBYS IN LIGHT SNOW SHOULD COME TO AN END SOON AT KCNU...WITH VSBYS/CIGS IMPROVING RAPIDLY ONCE SNOW MOVES OUT. CLEAR SKIES EXPECTED ALL AREAS TONIGHT...WITH WINDS SWITCHING TO MORE WEST/SOUTHWESTERLY TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY. ADK FIRE WEATHER... LOW FIRE DANGER EXPECTED THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK DUE TO DEEP SNOW COVER ACROSS THE AREA. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WICHITA-KICT -9 28 10 35 / 0 0 0 0 HUTCHINSON -4 27 10 35 / 0 0 0 0 NEWTON -4 27 9 34 / 0 0 0 0 ELDORADO -8 27 10 34 / 0 0 0 0 WINFIELD-KWLD -10 28 9 36 / 0 0 0 0 RUSSELL -6 30 14 37 / 0 0 0 0 GREAT BEND -6 29 13 37 / 0 0 0 0 SALINA -5 29 13 36 / 0 0 0 0 MCPHERSON -2 27 10 35 / 0 0 0 0 COFFEYVILLE -10 27 8 34 / 0 0 0 0 CHANUTE -9 27 8 33 / 0 0 0 0 IOLA -7 27 8 33 / 0 0 0 0 PARSONS-KPPF -10 27 8 33 / 0 0 0 0 && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL 9 AM CST THURSDAY FOR KSZ032-033- 047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 326 PM CST WED FEB 9 2011 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-102130- RUSSELL-LINCOLN-BARTON-ELLSWORTH-SALINE-RICE-MCPHERSON-MARION-CHASE- RENO-HARVEY-BUTLER-GREENWOOD-WOODSON-ALLEN-KINGMAN-SEDGWICK-HARPER- SUMNER-COWLEY-ELK-WILSON-NEOSHO-CHAUTAUQUA-MONTGOMERY-LABETTE- 326 PM CST WED FEB 9 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL KANSAS... SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT FRIGID AIR AND BITTER COLD WIND CHILLS WILL GRIP THE AREA...WITH WIND CHILLS AROUND 15 BELOW ZERO. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST WIND CHILL ADVISORY STATEMENT FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY BITTER COLD WIND CHILLS WILL LINGER INTO THURSDAY MORNING ACROSS THE AREA. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST WIND CHILL ADVISORY STATEMENT FOR DETAILS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED TONIGHT. && FOR A GRAPHICAL VERSION OF THIS INFORMATION...SEE OUR WEBPAGE AT (LOWERCASE) HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/WICHITA/HWO/HWO.PHP KED
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
10 cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.
Wichita Mid Continent Airport recorded a record low temperature of minus 17 degrees. This was the coldest temperature recorded in the city of Wichita, Kansas in 29 years.
The COOP observer at the Iola Water plant recorded a record low temperature of minus 24 degrees. This is the coldest temperature ever recorded in the city of Iola, Kansas, dating back to 1900.
The minimum temperature fell to minus 15 degrees in Salina, Kansas, setting a record low temperature for this date. A COOP observer in Smolan, Kansas reported a low temperature of minus 19 degrees.
The minimum temperature fell to minus 22 degrees in Parsons, Kansas. A COOP observer in Mound Valley, Kansas reported a low temperature of minus 26 degrees.
The minimum temperature fell to minus 15 degrees in Chanute, Kansas, setting a record low temperature for this date.
The minimum temperature fell to minus 20 degrees in Winfield, Kansas.
The minimum temperature fell to minus 16 degrees in Hutchinson, Kansas. A COOP observer in Hutchinson, Kansas reported a low temperature of minus 17 degrees.
The minimum temperature fell to minus 22 degrees in Coffeyville. A COOP observer in Coffeyville, Kansas reported a low temperature of minus 17 degrees.
A COOP observer at Marion Reservoir, Kansas reported a low temperature of minus 20 degrees.
A COOP observer in Ellsworth, Kansas reported a low temperature of minus 20 degrees.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, February 2011
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: 287053, 287054, 287060, 287066, 287077, 287079, 287081, 287082, 287084, 287086.