An upper level storm system tracking from the northern and central Rockies into the Central Plains brought significant snowfall to western and north central Nebraska. Heavy snowfall fell on Sunday, January 9th, which added to light snowfall which fell during the long duration event from January 8th-10th, 2011.
Every event with a place to put it; 8 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 the northern and central Rockies into the Central Plains brought significant snowfall to western and north central Nebraska. Heavy snowfall fell on Sunday, January 9th, which added to light snowfall which fell during the long duration event from January 8th-10th, 2011. Snowfall accumulations of 8 inches in 24 hrs occurred across central Nebraska and eastern portions of north central Nebraska from Sunday morning, January 9th through Monday morning, January 10th.
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 Jan 8, 4:07 PM CST, 5 hours 53 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE 407 PM CST SAT JAN 8 2011 .DISCUSSION... THE SPREAD IN MODEL SOLNS HAVE DIMINISHED WITH HEAVIEST QPF FCST IN WRN AND NCTRL NEBR IN CUSTER COUNTY. GFS/NAM AND 15Z SREF HAVE ALL TRENDED FURTHER WEST WITH HEAVY SNOW POTENTIAL. AFTER A LOOK AT MORNING MODEL RUNS...A WINTER STORM WARNING WAS ISSUED FOR SERN HALF OF ZONES FROM 00Z SUNDAY UNTIL 06Z TUESDAY AND FOR HOOKER..THOMAS AND MCPHERSON COUNTY NOW THROUGH 06Z TUESDAY. DUE TO LIGHT SNOW ACROSS THE NW INTO CENTRAL ZONES TODAY...A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT NOW UNTIL 00Z TUES NW AND FROM 00Z SUNDAY TIL 00Z TUES SW ZONES. THE MAIN UPPER LOW IN MONTANA EARLY THIS AFTN WITH STORM ORGANIZING SOUTHWARD INTO WYOMING. OVERNIGHT...FAVORABLE DIFLUENT REGION AND LEAD UPPER JET ACROSS ERN WY/WRN SD WILL PROVIDE LIFT ACROSS WRN NEBR TONIGHT. OVERNIGHT SNOWFALL WILL GENERALLY BE 1 TO 2 INCHES. THEN ON SUNDAY...HEAVIEST SNOWFALL RATES EXPECTED AS COUPLED UPPER JET AND DIFLUENT FLOW ALOFT CONTINUE. THE NAM MODEL INDICATES NEGATIVE EPV ON SUNDAY IN THE H6-H7 LAYER ALONG WITH CSI CONDITIONS ACROSS SRN FA. ENHANCED SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 4 INCHES EXPECTED ACROSS SRN FA FOR SUNDAY ALONE WITH 1 TO 3 INCHES NCTRL. SNOW RATIOS MAY ALSO INCREASE IN THE AFTERNOON AS COOLER AIR ARRIVES AND LIFT INCREASES THROUGH A COOLING ISOTHERMAL LAYER. KEPT RATIO AT 13 TO 1 SUNDAY. MAIN H7 LOW TO ROTATE COUNTERCLOCKWISE ACROSS CNTRL SD SUNDAY WITH A GRADUAL SHIFT OF MODERATE TO LOCALLY HEAVY SNOWFALL INTO ERN ZONES BY LATE AFTN. THERE WILL BE SOMEWHAT OF A LULL IN SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS SUNDAY EVENING BEFORE BASE H7 LOW BECOMES CLOSED AND MOVES FROM ERN CO INTO SERN KS BY 00Z TUESDAY. THE FINAL 36HRS FROM 00Z MONDAY THROUGH 06Z TUESDAY COULD BRING AN ADDITIONAL 4 TO 7 INCHES IN NEW SNOWFALL BEFORE THE SYSTEM EXITS. ALTHOUGH QPFS WILL DIMINISH SOMEWHAT...DENDRITIC LAYER LOWERS DRAMATICALLY ON MONDAY AS ARCTIC AIR WILL BE THROWN FARTHER INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. THIS WILL INCREASE SNOWFALL RATIOS TO NEAR 20 TO 1. THUS STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL WILL LIKELY EXCEED 7 INCHES EAST OF VTN THROUGH MULLEN AND IMPERIAL AND 4 TO 7 INCHES TO THE WEST. THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS OF 10 TO 12 INCHES TO LIKELY BE EAST OF AN ONEILL THROUGH STAPLETON AND BRADY LINE. WINDS LOOK TO REMAIN IN CHECK THROUGH MOST OF THE EVENT...ALTHOUGH ON MONDAY/MONDAY EVENING NORTH WINDS 10 TO 20 MPH AND GUSTY TO CAUSE AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING. DRY FCST IN THE EXTENDED WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. NEXT PLUNGE OF ARCTIC AIR TO INVADE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. && .AVIATION... WIDESPREAD MVFR WILL DETERIORATE THIS EVENING TO IFR CONDITIONS AS LONG DURATION WINTER STORM SYSTEM MOVES ACROSS THE REGION. CIGS EXPECTED TO DROP BELOW OVC010 AND REMAIN BELOW OVC010 WITH LESS THAN OVC005 AT TIMES. IN ADDITION TO THE LOW CIGS WILL BE LIGHT TO MODERATE AND POSSIBLY BRIEF HEAVY SNOW OVERNIGHT THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY ON SUNDAY WITH VSBY RANGING FROM 5SM TO 1/4SM. SNOW AND IFR CONDITIONS LIKELY TO LINGER INTO MONDAY. && .LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST /11 PM MST/ MONDAY NIGHT FOR NEZ024-025-036-007- 009-010-026>029-037-038-059-070-071. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM CST /5 PM MST/ MONDAY FOR NEZ004-005-022-023-035-056>058-069-094. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST MONDAY NIGHT FOR NEZ006-008. && SHORT TERM/EXTENDED...ROBERG AVIATION...MASEK
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE 358 PM CST SAT JAN 8 2011 NEZ004>010-022>029-035>038-056>059-069>071-094-092200- 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- 358 PM CST SAT JAN 8 2011 /258 PM MST SAT JAN 8 2011/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW WILL SPREAD ACROSS ALL OF WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA TONIGHT. THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF A LONG DURATION POTENT WINTER STORM. WINTER STORM WARNINGS AND WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES FOR HEAVY SNOW GO INTO EFFECT THIS EVENING. CAUTION IS ADVISED FOR TRAVEL AS VISIBILITIES WILL BE REDUCE TO LESS THAN A MILE AT TIMES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. THE STRONG WINTER STORM WILL CONTINUE SUNDAY AND MONDAY. SNOW...POSSIBLY HEAVY...WILL BE POSSIBLE SUNDAY AND MONDAY BEFORE ENDING LATE MONDAY NIGHT. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES AND WINTER STORM WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT UNTIL MONDAY NIGHT. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST NEBRASKA MAY APPROACH A FOOT...WITH 4 TO 6 INCHES POSSIBLE ACROSS NORTHWESTERN NEBRASKA. AS THE STORM SYSTEM PUSHES EAST AND THE SNOW ENDS. CLEARING SKIES ASSOCIATED WITH AN ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE WILL HELP TEMPERATURES PLUMMET. OVERNIGHT LOWS DROPPING TO -20 OR COLDER WILL BE POSSIBLE MID WEEK. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL STRUGGLE TO GET MUCH ABOVE ZERO. IMPROVING CONDITIONS EXPECTED BY THURSDAY AND FRIDAY WITH HIGHS IN THE TEENS AND 20S. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ASKED TO REPORT SNOWFALL TOTALS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE THROUGHOUT THE MULTI-DAY STORM. && THIS PRODUCT IS NOW AVAILABLE...ALONG WITH OTHER WEATHER... HYDROLOGICAL AND CLIMATOLOGICAL INFORMATION...AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/NORTHPLATTE MASEK
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
624 PM CST SAT JAN 08 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0623 PM SNOW 29 S VALENTINE 42.45N 100.55W
01/08/2011 E1.0 INCH CHERRY NE PUBLIC
&&
JSWEETPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
625 PM CST SAT JAN 08 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0624 PM SNOW MULLEN 42.04N 101.04W
01/08/2011 E1.5 INCH HOOKER NE CO-OP OBSERVER
&&
JSWEETPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
627 PM CST SAT JAN 08 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0626 PM SNOW 6 N GORDON 42.89N 102.20W
01/08/2011 M1.0 INCH SHERIDAN NE CO-OP OBSERVER
&&
JSWEETPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
650 PM CST SAT JAN 08 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0649 PM SNOW 5 S STAPLETON 41.41N 100.51W
01/08/2011 M1.0 INCH LOGAN NE CO-OP OBSERVER
&&
JSWEETThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
8 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Cooperative observer in Lynch measured 10 inches of snowfall in the 24 hour period ending at 1030 am CST, on January 10th. Snowfall across Boyd county ranged from 8 to 10 inches.
Cooperative observer in Ewing measured 11 inches of snowfall in the 24 hour period ending at 1030 am CST, on January 10th. Snowfall across Holt county ranged from 6 to 11 inches.
Cooperative observer in Bartlett measured 10.1 inches of snowfall in the 24 hour period ending at 1030 am CST, on January 10th. Snowfall across Wheeler county ranged from 10 to 12 inches.
General public reported 8 inches of snowfall in the 24 hour period ending at 12 pm CST, on January 10th. Snowfall across Garfield county ranged from 8 to 9 inches.
A public citizen, located 10 miles WNW of Burwell in Loup county, reported 8.5 inches of snowfall in the 24 hour period ending at 12 pm CST, on January 10th. Snowfall across Loup county ranged from 8 to 9 inches.
A public citizen, located 4 miles northeast of Berwyn in Custer county, reported 9 inches of snowfall in the 24 hour period ending at 10 am CST, on January 10th. Snowfall across Custer county ranged from 8 to 10 inches.
A cooperative observer in Purdum, reported 8 inches of snowfall in the 24 hour period ending at 10 am CST, on January 10th. Snowfall across Blaine county ranged from 7 to 9 inches.
A cooperative observer located 5 miles west of Stapleton, reported 8 inches of snowfall in the 24 hour period ending at 10 am CST, on January 10th. Snowfall across Logan county ranged from 7 to 9 inches.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nebraska in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Nebraska, January 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: 267225, 267226, 267227, 267228, 267229, 267230, 267231, 267232.