Winter Storm and Extreme Cold in Nebraska, February 1 to 2, 2011

Name: Winter Storm and Extreme Cold in Nebraska, February 1 to 2, 2011
Start: 2011-02-01T00:00
End: 2011-02-02T16:00
Location: Nebraska

February 1 to 2, 2011 · NWS OAX · 49 events in 30 counties and zones

S. Surface low pressure associated with the first piece tracked from northeast Texas across southeast Missouri and then into the lower Great Lakes region.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 49 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 49

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 system dropped southeast from the northern Rockies and then split into two pieces, one tracked across the central plains while the other drifted southwest across the southwestern U.S. Surface low pressure associated with the first piece tracked from northeast Texas across southeast Missouri and then into the lower Great Lakes region. Arctic air was pulled in behind this system and brought a massive winter storm to a very large part of the U.S. Freezing rain, heavy snow and blizzard conditions prevailed from the southern plains toward the Great Lakes, while record setting cold temperatures plunged southwest across western Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.

Across eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa the storm initially spread freezing drizzle or light freezing rain, mixed at times with light snow, across much of the area during the early morning hours of Jan. 31. The precipitation changed over to all snow later on the 31st and continued into the late night hours of Feb. 1st. As Arctic air spilled in behind the system, dangerously cold wind chill values spread over the region on the 1st and early on the 2nd. Increasing north to northwest winds on the 1st caused considerable blowing and drifting snow which closed some county roads and created near-blizzard conditions. The heavier snow from the storm was generally from around Lincoln and David City east and southeast into western Iowa, with most amounts across this area in the 5 to 7 inch range. Heavier snow totals from the storm in eastern Nebraska included; 6.9 inches in Omaha, 6.6 inches at the NWS in Valley, 6.2 inches in Virginia, and around 6 inches in Rulo, Shubert, Auburn, near Cedar Bluffs and Papillion and around 5 inches at David City, Lincoln and Beatrice. In southwest Iowa the heavier totals included; 7.5 inches in Glenwood, and around 5 inches at Harlan, Clarinda and Little Sioux.

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 Jan 31, 3:05 PM CST, 8 hours 55 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 31, 3:05 PM CST, 8 hours 55 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
305 PM CST MON JAN 31 2011

.SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY.

MAIN CONCERN SHORT TERM WILL BE IMPACT OF WINTER STORM MOVING
FROM SOUTHERN PLAINS TO THE OHIO VALLEY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

12Z MODELS APPEAR TO TAKE A SLIGHTLY MORE SOUTHERN TRACK TO THE
LOW COMING OUT OF TEXAS LATE TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY. SIGNIFICANT
WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS STILL EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA ALTHOUGH
AXIS OF HIGHEST SNOWFALL LOOKS TO BE WELL SOUTH AND EAST OF THE
CWA WITH AMOUNTS RANGING FROM 1 TO 3 INCHES IN THE NORTH TO 6 TO 8
INCHES IN THE SOUTH. ALTHOUGH SNOWFALL MAY BE A BIT LIMITED THE
COMBINATION OF WIND...COLD AND SNOW IS EXPECTED TO HAVE A MAJOR
IMPACT ON TRAVEL IN THE AREA AND HAVE ADDED FAR NORTHERN COUNTIES
PREVIOUSLY IN ADVISORY TO THE WINTER STORM WARNING. LATER FORECAST
WILL LIKELY HAVE TO ADJUST TIMING FOR WIND CHILL HAZARD AS SNOW
DIMINISHES AND EXTENT OF BLOWING SNOW BECOMES MORE APPARENT.

BITTER COLD BEGINS TO EASE WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY.

.LONG TERM...THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY.

NOT MUCH CHANGE TO THE OVERALL WEATHER PATTERN INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK.
MEAN LONG WAVE TROUGH WILL REINFORCE ITS HOLD OVER MUCH OF THE
COUNTRY THIS WEEKEND AFTER A SHORT RESPITE LATE THIS WEEK. UPPER LOW
MOVING ACROSS THE SOUTHWESTERN STATE WILL ROTATE NORTHEAST THROUGH
TEXAS INTO THE EASTERN STATES...WHILE SEVERAL UPPER WAVES DROP SOUTH
AND SOUTHEAST FROM CENTRAL AND WESTERN CANADA TO CARVE OUT A BROAD
TROUGH CENTERED IN THE CENTRAL PART OF THE U.S. THIS PATTERN
SUGGESTS CONTINUED BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES WILL PREVAIL WITH
RELATIVELY LOW CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION. HOWEVER WE MAY SEE
TEMPERATURES APPROACHING NORMAL VALUES IN THE MID 30S FRIDAY THROUGH
SUNDAY BEFORE COLD REALLY TAKES HOLD ON MONDAY. AND ANY OF THE UPPER
WAVES DROPPING THROUGH THE PLAINS MAY BRING A SMALL CHANCE FOR
PRECIPITATION FROM TIME TO TIME...BUT TIMING AND PLACEMENT OF THESE
FEATURES IS PROBLEMATIC THIS FAR OUT.

WITH CORE OF COLD AIR REMAINING IN THE NORTHERN PLAINS FRIDAY AND
SATURDAY...WILL HAVE HIGHS FROM THE UPPER 20S TO MIDDLE 30S. IF GFS
MODEL IS CORRECT...MAY HAVE TO INSERT SMALL SNOW CHANCE FRIDAY AS A
COMPACT UPPER WAVE SWINGS THROUGH EASTERN NEBRASKA. HOWEVER EUROPEAN
MODEL IS LESS INTENSE WITH THIS FEATURE AND WOULD KEEP FORECAST DRY.
BEST CHANCE FOR SNOW WILL COME SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT
AS SOUTHWESTERN UPPER LOW LIFTS THROUGH TEXAS INTO THE OHIO VALLEY.
A SWATH OF SNOW WILL DEVELOP NORTH OF THIS FEATURE...BUT LOOKS TO
FOCUS PRECIPITATION SOUTH OF OUR AREA. THUS WILL ONLY MAINTAIN SMALL
CHANCE FOR SNOW IN OUR SOUTH ON SUNDAY. AS THIS SYSTEM LIFTS TO THE
NORTHEAST SUNDAY AND MONDAY...COLDER AIR WILL BE ALLOWED TO SPILL
SOUTH FROM CANADA. HAVE HIGHS IN THE 20S ON SUNDAY THEN TEENS MONDAY
AS CORE OF COLD AIR SETTLES IN THE PLAINS.

&&

.AVIATION...

TAF SITES KOFK/KOMA/KLNK

18Z TAFS

STORM SYSTEM PUSHING THROUGH WILL PROVIDE PROLONGED MVFR/OCCASIONAL
IFR CONDITIONS ALONG WITH WIDESPREAD LIGHT SNOW DURING THE FORECAST
PERIOD AT ALL TERMINALS. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL INCREASE FROM NORTH
TO SOUTH...KOFK 1-2 INCHES...KOMA AND KLNK 2-4 INCHES. EXPECT NW
WINDS GUSTS 25-35KT/BLSN WILL KEEP VSBYS MAINLY IN LIFR TERRITORY
THRU 01/18Z.

&&

.OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NE...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 AM CST WEDNESDAY FOR NEZ015-018-
     030>034-042>045-050>053-065>068-078-088>093.

     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON FOR NEZ011-
     012-016-017.

     WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 AM CST WEDNESDAY FOR NEZ011-012-016-
     017.

IA...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 AM CST WEDNESDAY FOR IAZ043-055-056-
     069-079-080-090-091.

&&

FOBERT/DERGAN/DEE

Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 31, 4:10 PM CST, 7 hours 50 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
410 PM CST MON JAN 31 2011

IAZ043-055-056-069-079-080-090-091-NEZ011-012-015>018-030>034-
042>045-050>053-065>068-078-088>093-011215-
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-
410 PM CST MON JAN 31 2011

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST
IOWA...WEST CENTRAL IOWA...EAST CENTRAL NEBRASKA...NORTHEAST
NEBRASKA AND SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT AND TUESDAY

SNOW WILL CONTINUE INTO TUESDAY ACROSS ALL OF THE AREA WITH
ACCUMULATIONS LIKELY.

WINDS WILL INCREASE THIS EVENING ACROSS EASTERN NEBRASKA AND
SOUTHWEST IOWA LEADING TO BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF THE NEW SNOW.
TEMPERATURES WILL ALSO BE MUCH COLDER TONIGHT AS ARCTIC HIGH
PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE AREA. THIS WILL COMBINE WITH THE WINDS TO
CREATE DANGEROUSLY COLD WIND CHILL READINGS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY

SNOW WILL GRADUALLY END TUESDAY NIGHT OVER THE AREA. STRONG NORTH
WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO LINGER INTO TUESDAY NIGHT LEADING TO
WIDESPREAD BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WHICH WILL REDUCE
VISIBILITIES.

THE COLD ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD INTO THE
REGION...AND AGAIN WILL COMBINE WITH THE STRONG WINDS TO PRODUCE
BITTERLY COLD WIND CHILL READINGS OF 20 TO 35 BELOW ZERO ON
TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS WILL NOT BE NEEDED TONIGHT OR TUESDAY...HOWEVER SPOTTERS ARE
ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SNOWFALL AMOUNTS AND ANY ICING TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA.

FOBERT

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jan 31, 7:53 PM CST, 4 hours 7 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA
753 PM CST MON JAN 31 2011

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

0751 PM     SNOW             OMAHA                   41.26N 96.01W
01/31/2011  M0.8 INCH        DOUGLAS            NE   BROADCAST MEDIA

            0.8 INCHES OF NEW SNOW SO FAR TODAY. NEAR 35TH AND
            FARNAM.

&&

MILLER

Local storm report, Jan 31, 9:56 PM CST, 2 hours 4 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA
956 PM CST MON JAN 31 2011

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

0955 PM     SNOW             2 NW LITTLE SIOUX       41.83N 96.05W
01/31/2011  M2.0 INCH        HARRISON           IA   CO-OP OBSERVER

            TWO INCHES OF NEW SNOW TODAY.

&&

MILLER

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

28 cold/wind chill, 19 winter storm, 2 extreme cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Butler

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Butler forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 41.226, -97.132 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Patchy freezing drizzle and light snow moved into the area during the early morning hours of 1/31. The precipitation changed to all snow later on the 31st and snow, occasionally moderate, continued through the late evening of Feb. 1. North winds increased to 25 to 35 mph with gusts of 40 mph during the afternoon and evening of 2/1, which caused considerable blowing and drifting snow which closed some county roads and created near-blizzard conditions. Total snowfall from the storm was around 5 or 6 inches, with 5 inches recorded in David City the highest reported in the county.

Winter Storm, Saunders

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Saunders forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 41.226, -96.637 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Patchy freezing drizzle and light snow moved into the area during the early morning hours of 1/31. The precipitation changed to all snow later on the 31st and snow, occasionally moderate, continued through the late evening of Feb. 1. North winds increased to 25 to 35 mph with gusts of 40 mph during the afternoon and evening of 2/1, which caused considerable blowing and drifting snow which closed some county roads and created near-blizzard conditions. Total snowfall from the storm was around 5 or 6 inches, with 5.6 inches recorded near Cedar Bluffs the highest reported in the county.

Winter Storm, Lancaster

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Lancaster forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 40.784, -96.688 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Patchy freezing drizzle and light snow moved into the area during the early morning hours of 1/31. The precipitation changed to all snow later on the 31st and snow, occasionally moderate, continued through the late evening of Feb. 1. North winds increased to 25 to 35 mph with gusts of 40 mph during the afternoon and evening of 2/1, which caused considerable blowing and drifting snow which closed some county roads and created near-blizzard conditions. Total snowfall from the storm was around 4 to 6 inches, with just under 5 inches recorded in Lincoln for the highest reported in the county.

Winter Storm, Dodge

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Dodge forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 41.578, -96.654 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Patchy freezing drizzle and light snow moved into the area during the early morning hours of 1/31. The precipitation changed to all snow later on the 31st and snow, occasionally moderate, continued through the late evening of Feb. 1. North winds increased to 25 to 35 mph with gusts of 40 mph during the afternoon and evening of 2/1, which caused considerable blowing and drifting snow which closed some county roads and created near-blizzard conditions. Total snowfall from the storm was around 4 to 6 inches based on surrounding observations, although 3 inches recorded in Fremont was the highest reported in the county.

Winter Storm, Pawnee

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 2, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Pawnee forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 40.132, -96.237 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Johnson

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 2, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Johnson forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 40.393, -96.265 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Otoe

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 2, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Otoe forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 40.649, -96.135 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Patchy freezing drizzle and light snow moved into the area during the early morning hours of 1/31. The precipitation changed to all snow later on the 31st and snow, occasionally moderate, continued through the late evening of Feb. 1. North winds increased to 25 to 35 mph with gusts of 40 mph during the afternoon and evening of 2/1, which caused considerable blowing and drifting snow which closed some county roads and created near-blizzard conditions. The drifting snow stranded several travelers, a couple of which had to be rescued. Total snowfall from the storm was around 6 inches based on surrounding observations.

Winter Storm, Cass

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 2, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Cass forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 40.910, -96.141 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Washington

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 2, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Washington forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 41.531, -96.222 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Douglas

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 2, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Douglas forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 41.295, -96.154 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Patchy freezing drizzle and light snow moved into the area during the early morning hours of 1/31 which caused very slick roads and numerous accidents during the morning commute in the Omaha area that day. The precipitation changed to all snow later on the 31st and snow, occasionally moderate, continued through the late evening of Feb. 1. Due to falling temperatures on the 1st, roads in the Omaha metro area were not treated in the afternoon which created very slick conditions during that evening's commute. This in turn caused numerous accidents and traffic jams and made for a difficult commute. North winds increased to 25 to 35 mph with gusts of 40 mph during the afternoon and evening of 2/1, which caused considerable blowing and drifting snow which closed some county roads and created near-blizzard conditions. Total snowfall from the storm was around 5 to 7 inches with 6.9 inches recorded in Omaha and 6.6 inches at the NWS in Valley the higher amounts reported in the county.

Winter Storm, Sarpy

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 2, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Sarpy forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 41.113, -96.112 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Patchy freezing drizzle and light snow moved into the area during the early morning hours of 1/31 which caused very slick roads and numerous accidents during the morning commute in the Omaha area that day. The precipitation changed to all snow later on the 31st and snow, occasionally moderate, continued through the late evening of Feb. 1. Due to falling temperatures on the 1st, roads in the Omaha metro area were not treated in the afternoon which created very slick conditions during that evening's commute. This in turn caused numerous accidents and traffic jams and made for a difficult commute. North winds increased to 25 to 35 mph with gusts of 40 mph during the afternoon and evening of 2/1, which caused considerable blowing and drifting snow which closed some county roads and created near-blizzard conditions. Total snowfall from the storm was around 5 or 6 inches with 5.5 inches recorded in Papillion and 5 inches near Gretna the higher amounts reported in the county.

Winter Storm, Gage

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 2, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Gage forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 40.262, -96.689 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Patchy freezing drizzle and light snow moved into the area during the early morning hours of 1/31 which caused very slick roads and some accidents. The precipitation changed to all snow later on the 31st and snow, occasionally moderate, continued through the late evening of Feb. 1. North winds increased to 25 to 35 mph with gusts of 40 mph during the afternoon and evening of 2/1, which caused considerable blowing and drifting snow which closed some county roads and created near-blizzard conditions. Total snowfall from the storm was around 5 or 6 inches with 6.2 inches recorded in Virginia the highest reported in the county.

Winter Storm, Nemaha

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 2, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Nemaha forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 40.388, -95.850 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Richardson

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 2, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Richardson forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 40.125, -95.717 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Patchy freezing drizzle and light snow moved into the area during the early morning hours of 1/31 which caused very slick roads and some accidents. The precipitation changed to all snow later on the 31st and snow, occasionally moderate, continued through the late evening of Feb. 1. North winds increased to 25 to 35 mph with gusts of 40 mph during the afternoon and evening of 2/1, which caused considerable blowing and drifting snow which closed some county roads and created near-blizzard conditions. Total snowfall from the storm was around 6 inches with that number reported at both Shubert and Rulo.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Knox

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 2, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Knox forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 42.637, -97.892 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped to around 30 below zero during the early morning hours of 2/1 and then again from late in the evening of 2/1 through the early morning hours of 2/2. Temperatures during this time fell into the low single digits above zero and then to 5 below to 10 below zero by the morning of 2/2. Northwest winds gusted between 20 and 35 mph on 2/1 and decreased to 15 to 25 mph by the morning of 2/2. Temperatures warmed a bit during the afternoon of 2/1 allowing wind chill values to moderate to 15 below to 20 below during that time, but they quickly dropped off again by evening. Decreasing winds and slightly warming temperatures helped values moderate to 20 below to 25 below by mid morning of 2/2 and then to 5 below to 10 below during that afternoon.

Cold/Wind Chill, Antelope

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 2, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Antelope forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 42.177, -98.067 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped to around 20 to 25 below zero for much of 2/1 into the late morning hours of 2/2 as temperatures dropped to the low single digits above and below zero and northwest winds gusted between 20 and 35 mph. Temperatures warmed slightly during the afternoon of 2/1 allowing wind chill values to moderate a bit during that time, but they quickly dropped back down again by evening.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Cedar

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 2, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Cedar forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 42.599, -97.252 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Boone

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 2, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Boone forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 41.707, -98.067 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped to around 20 to 25 below zero for much of 2/1 into the late morning hours of 2/2 as temperatures dropped to the low single digits above and then below zero and northwest winds gusted between 20 and 35 mph. Temperatures warmed slightly during the afternoon of 2/1 allowing wind chill values to moderate a bit during that time, but they quickly dropped back down again by evening.

Cold/Wind Chill, Madison

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 2, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Madison forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 41.917, -97.601 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Pierce

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 2, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Pierce forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 42.264, -97.601 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Wayne

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 2, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Wayne forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 42.209, -97.119 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Stanton

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 2, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Stanton forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 41.917, -97.194 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Colfax

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 2, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Colfax forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 41.574, -97.086 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Burt

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 2, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Burt forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 41.852, -96.329 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Cuming

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 2, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Cuming forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 41.916, -96.787 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Wayne

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 2, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Wayne forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 42.209, -97.119 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Patchy freezing drizzle and light snow moved into the area during the early morning hours of 1/31. The precipitation changed to all snow later on the 31st and snow, occasionally moderate, continued through the afternoon of Feb. 1. North winds increased to 25 to 35 mph with gusts of 40 mph during the afternoon and evening of 2/1, which caused considerable blowing and drifting snow which closed some county roads and created near-blizzard conditions. Although total snowfall from the storm was only 2 to 4 inches, the poor conditions greatly hampered travel and caused the closure of many area schools.

Winter Storm, Thurston

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 2, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Thurston forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 42.158, -96.544 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Patchy freezing drizzle and light snow moved into the area during the early morning hours of 1/31. The precipitation changed to all snow later on the 31st and snow, occasionally moderate, continued through the afternoon of Feb. 1. North winds increased to 25 to 35 mph with gusts of 40 mph during the afternoon and evening of 2/1, which caused considerable blowing and drifting snow which closed some county roads and created near-blizzard conditions. Although total snowfall from the storm was only 2 to 4 inches, the poor conditions greatly hampered travel and caused the closure of many area schools.

Winter Storm, Cedar

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 2, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Cedar forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 42.599, -97.252 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Patchy freezing drizzle and light snow moved into the area during the early morning hours of 1/31. The precipitation changed to all snow later on the 31st and snow, occasionally moderate, continued through the afternoon of Feb. 1. North winds increased to 25 to 35 mph with gusts of 40 mph during the afternoon and evening of 2/1, which caused considerable blowing and drifting snow which closed some county roads and created near-blizzard conditions. Although total snowfall from the storm was only 2 to 4 inches, the poor conditions greatly hampered travel and caused the closure of many area schools.

Cold/Wind Chill, Platte

When: February 1, 1:00 AM CST to February 2, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Platte forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 41.571, -97.521 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Thurston

When: February 1, 8:00 PM CST to February 2, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Thurston forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 42.158, -96.544 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped to around 20 to 28 below zero as temperatures fell from the low single digits above and then below zero and northwest winds gusted between 20 and 35 mph.

Cold/Wind Chill, Cuming

When: February 1, 9:00 PM CST to February 2, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Cuming forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 41.916, -96.787 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped to around 20 to 28 below zero as temperatures fell from the low single digits above and then below zero and northwest winds gusted between 20 and 35 mph.

Cold/Wind Chill, Butler

When: February 1, 10:00 PM CST to February 2, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Butler forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 41.226, -97.132 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Although the snow/winter storm had ended over the area by this time, wind chill values were around 20 to 25 below zero. These cold values then persisted into the late morning of 2/2. The combination of temperatures falling from the low single digits above and then below zero and northwest winds gusting between 20 and 35 mph created these dangerously cold wind chill values.

Cold/Wind Chill, Saunders

When: February 1, 10:00 PM CST to February 2, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Saunders forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 41.226, -96.637 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Lancaster

When: February 1, 10:00 PM CST to February 2, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Lancaster forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 40.784, -96.688 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Gage

When: February 1, 10:00 PM CST to February 2, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Gage forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 40.262, -96.689 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Dodge

When: February 1, 10:00 PM CST to February 2, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Dodge forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 41.578, -96.654 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Washington

When: February 2, 12:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where: Washington forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 41.531, -96.222 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Seward

When: February 2, 12:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where: Seward forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 40.872, -97.139 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped to around 20 to 25 below zero as temperatures fell from the low single digits above and then below zero and northwest winds gusted between 20 and 35 mph.

Cold/Wind Chill, Saline

When: February 2, 12:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where: Saline forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 40.524, -97.141 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped to around 20 to 25 below zero as temperatures fell from the low single digits above and then below zero and northwest winds gusted between 20 and 35 mph.

Cold/Wind Chill, Thurston

When: February 2, 12:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where: Thurston forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 42.158, -96.544 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped to around 20 to 28 below zero as temperatures fell from the low single digits above and then below zero and northwest winds gusted between 20 and 35 mph.

Cold/Wind Chill, Jefferson

When: February 2, 1:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where: Jefferson forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 40.176, -97.143 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped to around 20 to 25 below zero as temperatures fell from the low single digits above and then below zero and northwest winds gusted between 20 and 35 mph.