Between the pre-dawn hours of Monday the 7th and the morning of Wednesday the 9th, a rather complex, two-part snow event affected South Central Nebraska. In the end, the highest storm total snowfall amounts of 4-6 inches focused primarily north of Interstate 80, although some locations roughly west of a line from Kearney to Beaver City also picked up 3 to isolated 5 inch amounts.
Every event with a place to put it; 6 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 GID wrote it up.
Between the pre-dawn hours of Monday the 7th and the morning of Wednesday the 9th, a rather complex, two-part snow event affected South Central Nebraska. In the end, the highest storm total snowfall amounts of 4-6 inches focused primarily north of Interstate 80, although some locations roughly west of a line from Kearney to Beaver City also picked up 3 to isolated 5 inch amounts. In contrast, most areas generally east of a line from Franklin to Hastings only measured from a dusting up to around 2 inches. For all areas, the majority of snow fell during the first 24 hours of the event on the 7th. Although most snow accumulations fell on the 7th-8th, one last band of light snow drifted across central and eastern sections of the area on the morning of the 9th, dropping as much as 0.7-inch at Grand Island.
Needless to say, this winter storm did not turn out to be nearly as significant as originally forecast a few days prior to the onset. For several days in advance, a number of computer model forecasts insisted that much of the area would see at least 8-12 inches of snow, along with fairly strong north winds. However, two primary factors combined to make this event a snow dud for much of the area. First of all, the upper level low pressure systems that provided the forcing for snowfall came into the Central Plains in a far less-organized fashion than first predicted. This prevented a persistent, concentrated swath of snow from forming, especially with the second part of the system on Tuesday the 8th. The weaker system also kept winds from becoming very strong, with sustained speeds mainly holding at or below 20-25 MPH. Secondly, the easterly surface winds that prevailed during this time actually drew slightly warmer air into roughly the eastern half of South Central Nebraska, bringing temperatures into the 32-38 degree range, which greatly hindered snow accumulation or changed precipitation over to light rain altogether.
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 Hastings, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 6, 10:24 PM CST, 2 hours 6 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
1024 PM CST SUN MAR 6 2011
.DISCUSSION...UPDATED THE FORECAST TO REMOVE RAIN/SNOW FROM THIS
EVENING. ALSO RAISED WIND SPEEDS BEHIND THE COLD FRONT AND LOWERED
TEMPS/DEWPOINTS A BIT FOR TONIGHT.
&&
.AVIATION...06Z KGRI TAF. WIND MAY BE A BIT GUSTY BEHIND A SLOWLY
MOVING COLD FRONT TO BEGIN WITH...BUT SHOULD RELAX A BIT AS THE
OVERNIGHT DRAWS ON. KEEPING LOWER STRATUS OUT OF THE FORECAST TIL
11Z...BUT THIS NEEDS TO BE WATCHED AS ODX ALREADY HAS THIS
STRATUS...AND THE TREND WILL BE FOR THIS TO SINK SLOWLY SOUTH AS
THE OVERNIGHT PROGRESSES AND AN UPPER LEVEL PERTURBATION
APPROACHES. ALSO. CEILINGS AND VISIBILITY WILL LOWER FOR
TUESDAY...BUT SHOULD IMPROVE A BIT BY MONDAY AS THE WAVE MOVES
EAST. FREEZING DRIZZLE IS A DISTINCT POSSIBILITY AS MID-LEVELS DRY
OUT ON MONDAY EVENING.
&&
PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 354 PM CST SUN MAR 6 2011/
SHORT TERM...TONIGHT. MAIN CONCERN IS WITH INCREASING
PRECIPITATION CHANCES.
TURNED OUT TO BE A PRETTY NICE END TO THE WEEKEND ACROSS THE
CWA...ALTHOUGH A BIT BREEZY AT TIMES. HAD A WEAK UPPER LEVEL
DISTURBANCE CROSS THE REGION EARLIER THIS MORNING...BUT OTHER THAN
MAYBE A FLURRY OR TWO FALLING...THERE WAS LITTLE IMPACT.
NORTHWESTERLY FLOW HAS CONTINUED IN THE UPPER LEVELS ACROSS THE
PLAINS TODAY...BUT THE NEXT DISTURBANCE TO IMPACT THE CWA IS ON ITS
WAY ACROSS THE ROCKIES. THERE HASNT BEEN A LOT OF CHANGES WITH THE
SURFACE PATTERN TODAY...WITH THE CWA SITTING ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF A
FRONTAL BOUNDARY WHICH WAS DRAPED THROUGH THE SANDHILLS FOR MUCH OF
THE DAY...BUT HAS MADE ITS WAY INTO FAR NORTHWESTERN PORTIONS OF THE
CWA. ENDED UP SEEING MORE SUN THAN INITIALLY THOUGHT...AND
TEMPERATURES THIS AFTERNOON HAVE REACHED NEAR THE 50 DEGREE FOR MUCH
OF SC NEB...AND INTO THE LOWER/MID 50 IN NC KS.
EXPECTING THE EVENING HOURS TO REMAIN QUIET...WITH PRECIPITATION
CHANCES LOOKING TO HOLD OFF UNTIL MIDNIGHT AND AFTER. MODELS
CONTINUE TO BE IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT SHOWING THE MID/UPPER LEVEL
DISTURBANCE MOVING OUT ONTO THE PLAINS DURING THE OVERNIGHT
HOURS...AND AS ISENTROPIC LIFT INCREASES AHEAD OF THE WAVE...SO DO
PRECIPITATION CHANCES. EVEN BEING ONLY A MATTER OF HOURS
AWAY...MODELS STILL DIFFER ON HOW QUICKLY PRECIPITATION MOVES IN AND
HOW MUCH OF THE CWA IS AFFECTED. CONTINUED TO KEEP THE LIKELY POPS
OVER A ROUGHLY ORD TO LEXINGTON AREA AND TAPERED OFF SOUTHEAST OF
THERE WITH ONLY SLIGHTS IN THE SOUTHEAST CORNER. KEPT THE
PRECIPITATION TYPE AS S OR R/S AS TEMPS BOTH AT THE SFC/ALOFT LOOK
TO COOL ENOUGH BY THE TIME PRECIP ARRIVES THAT AM NOT CONCERNED
ENOUGH ABOUT ANY FREEZING PRECIP TO MENTION. REALLY TIGHTENED UP
THE QPF/SNOW GRADIENT...LEAVING AREAS GENERALLY SOUTH OF A LINE FROM
YORK TO HOLDREGE WITH LITTLE SNOW...MAYBE A TENTH OR TWO...WITH A
HALF INCH PLUS TO THE NORTH. THAT ORD/LEX AREA STANDS THE BEST
CHANCE TO SEE SNOWFALL APPROACHING AN INCH TONIGHT.
MID TERM...12Z MONDAY THROUGH 00Z THURSDAY. CONCERN CONTINUES
TO BE SNOW ON MONDAY FOLLOWED BY POTENTIAL WINTER STORM FOR
TUESDAY.
THINGS STILL LOOK ON SCHEDULE FOR MONDAY WITH MID LEVEL WAVE
APPROACHING IN ZONAL FLOW. TIME HEIGHT SECTIONS ACROSS THE CWA SHOW
PLENTY OF AVAILABLE MOISTURE AND GOOD FORCING WITH OMEGA VALUES OVER
8 UBAR/SEC IN THE DENDRITIC LAYER DURING THE MORNING AND EARLY
AFTERNOON HOURS. THIS PLOT ALSO NOTES THE SHORTWAVE CAN BEST BE SEEN
IN THE WIND FIELD AROUND 650 TO 550 MB. ANY PRECIPITATION SHOULD
FALL AS SNOW ACCORDING TO THERMODYNAMIC PROFILES FROM THE NAM AND
GFS. PREVIOUS FORECAST SEEMED TO HAVE A GOOD HANDLE ON THE LOCATION
OF THE HIGHEST SNOW AMOUNTS WHICH SHOULD BE ALONG AND NORTH OF I-80
ALTHOUGH THE SOUTH COULD ALSO PICK UP AN INCH OR TWO. MAY BE A
RAIN/SNOW MIX IN OUR FAR SOUTH. MAY SEE A LULL IN THE ACTION ON
MONDAY NIGHT BEFORE MAIN SYSTEM MOVES IN. DRIER AIR ALOFT MAY
PROHIBIT MUCH SNOW OVERNIGHT BUT CHANCE FOR SOME DRIZZLE/FREEZING
DRIZZLE IS THERE.
THE MAIN WEATHER MAKER SHOULD MAKE IT ONTO THE PACIFIC COAST AROUND
MIDNIGHT. HOPEFULLY THE MODELS WILL COME INTO BETTER AGREEMENT
DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS AS SOLUTIONS RANGE FROM THE NAM WHICH DUMPS
HEAVY SNOW ACROSS THE MIDDLE OF OUR CWA IN A SW TO NE BAND TO THE UK
WHICH KEEPS THE SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED PRECIPITATION MUCH FURTHER
SOUTH. THE OTHER MODELS ALL SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN.
STARTING WITH THE NAM...THE PRECIPITATION REALLY DOESN'T START TO
RAMP UP UNTIL AFTER 12Z TUESDAY WITH THE BULK OF THE PRECIP FALLING
LATE MORNING UNTIL SUNSET. TREMENDOUS FORCING NOTED WITH OMEGA
VALUES EXCEEDING 20 UBAR/SEC. MID LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS ALSO
IMPRESSIVE. SIMILAR FEATURES NOTED ON THE GFS ALTHOUGH EVERYTHING
IS SHIFTED A LITTLE MORE SOUTHEAST. A CHECK OF THE GFS ENSEMBLE
SHOWED IT WAS A LITTLE NORTH OF THE OPERATIONAL GFS. BACK TO THE
NAM...ANOTHER CONCERN WITH THIS SOLUTION IS THE WARN AIR PUSHES
FURTHER NORTH AND WOULD RESULT IN A RAIN/SNOW MIX IN OUR
SOUTHEASTERN CWA WHICH COULD CUT DOWN ON SNOW TOTAL THERE.
THE LATEST RUN OF THE EC JUST ARRIVED AND WHILE IT STILL FAVORS THE
SOUTHERN TWO THIRDS OF THE CWA FOR THE HEAVIER PRECIP...IT HAS ALSO
WARMED THINGS UP A LITTLE LEADING TO LOWER CONFIDENCE OF JUST A SNOW
EVENT IN THE SOUTHEAST. CURRENT THINKING IS TO INSERT A RAIN/SNOW
MIX AND LOWER SNOW TOTALS IN THE SE.
FOR NOW WILL LET THE WINTER STORM WATCH RIDE AS CONFIDENCE NOT
EXTREMELY HIGH ON JUST WERE THE HEAVY SNOW WILL FALL AND IF WE WILL
GET A RAIN SNOW MIX IN THE SOUTHEAST. AT ANY RATE BELIEVE IT WILL
BE CLOSER TO SUNRISE TUESDAY BEFORE THINGS REALLY CRANK UP SO HAVE
SOME TIME TO NARROW IT DOWN.
LONG TERM...00Z THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. THERE HASNT BEEN ANY
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES MADE TO THE FORECAST...WITH DRY CONDITIONS
REMAINING WEDNESDAY NIGHT AS THIS STORM SYSTEM CONTINUES TO PUSH
EAST. THERE ARE SOME DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MODELS WITH TRYING TO SHOW
SOME LINGERING FLURRIES...BUT AM SIDING WITH THE SHARPER CUTOFF OF
THE ECMWF AND LEAVING IT PRECIP FREE. AS WE GET INTO THURSDAY AND
FRIDAY...THERE IS GOOD AGREEMENT SHOWING SHORTWAVE RIDGING
DEVELOPING IN THE UPPER LEVELS AS THE PLAINS SIT BETWEEN THE MAIN
STORM SYSTEM WHICH TREKS TOWARD THE EAST COAST...AND ANOTHER
DISTURBANCE MOVING INTO THE NORTHERN ROCKIES. AT THE SURFACE...HIGH
PRESSURE REMAINS THE MAIN FEATURE THROUGH A GOOD CHUNK OF THURSDAY
AS IT SLIDES EAST OUT OF THE PLAINS. THURSDAY NIGHT AND INTO
FRIDAY...SOUTHERLY WINDS RETURN AS THE CWA IS SANDWICHED BETWEEN THE
HIGH TO THE EAST AND A DEVELOPING TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE OVER THE
HIGH PLAINS. CONFIDENCE IN TEMPERATURES REMAIN ON THE LOW
SIDE...MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE UNCERTAINTY WITH THE UPCOMING
SNOW...NOT SURE HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT IT WILL HAVE. KEPT THURSDAY A
LITTLE COOLER...WITH MID/UPPER 30S EAST AND LOWER 40S IN THE FAR
WEST/SOUTH. SEE WARMER AIR DRAWN NORTH INTO THE CWA ON FRIDAY SO
TEMPS WILL BE A BIT WARMER...WITH HIGHS FORECAST TO REACH THE MID
40S NORTH TO MID 50S SOUTH.
ONE OF THE MAIN CHANGES MADE TO THE LONG TERM PERIOD WAS TO ADD
SLIGHT CHANCE POPS TO THE CWA FRIDAY NIGHT...WITH THERE DECENT
AGREEMENT AMONG MODELS SHOWING AN OPEN MID/UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE
TROUGH CROSSING THE CENTRAL/NORTHERN PLAINS. THE BEST COMBO OF
FORCING/MOISTURE AVAILABILITY DOES REMAIN TO THE NORTH OF THE
CWA...BUT CANT COMPLETELY RULE OUT SOME LIGHT PRECIPITATION.
ACCOMPANYING THIS DISTURBANCE IS A SURFACE COLD FRONT WHICH LOOKS TO
PUSH THROUGH THE CWA BY EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. THERE ARE SOME
TIMING DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MODELS...BUT THE FORECAST IS TRENDED MORE
TOWARD THE SLOWER SOLUTIONS.
LOOKING TOWARD THE WEEKEND...NORTHWESTERLY/ZONAL FLOW REMAINS THE
STORY IN THE UPPER LEVELS...AND THE DRY FORECAST RETURNS WITH NO
NOTABLE DISTURBANCES MOVING THROUGH. SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE
DOMINATES THE REGION ON SAT/SAT NIGHT BEHIND THE COLD FRONT...AND AM
EXPECTING A DROP IN HIGHS BACK INTO THE MID 30S/MID 40S...WITH A FEW
DEGREES WARMER FOR SUNDAY.
&&
.GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NE...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 4 AM MONDAY TO MIDNIGHT CST MONDAY
NIGHT FOR NEZ039>041-046>049-060>064-072>077-082>087.
WINTER STORM WATCH FROM LATE MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH LATE TUESDAY
NIGHT FOR NEZ039>041-046>049-060>064-072>077-082>087.
KS...WINTER STORM WATCH FROM LATE MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH LATE TUESDAY
NIGHT FOR KSZ005>007-017>019.
&&HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE 950 PM CST SUN MAR 6 2011 CORRECTED FOR AREAL DESCRIPTION OF SECOND GROUP NEZ039>041-046>049-060>064-072>077-082>087-071800- VALLEY-GREELEY-NANCE-SHERMAN-HOWARD-MERRICK-POLK-DAWSON-BUFFALO- HALL-HAMILTON-YORK-GOSPER-PHELPS-KEARNEY-ADAMS-CLAY-FILLMORE- FURNAS-HARLAN-FRANKLIN-WEBSTER-NUCKOLLS-THAYER- 950 PM CST SUN MAR 6 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. DETERIORATING WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT...WITH UP TO ONE INCH OF SNOW POSSIBLE ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80 DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT BEGINNING AT 4 AM CST MONDAY MORNING FOR SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF TWO TO FOUR INCHES ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA THROUGH LATE MONDAY NIGHT. A WINTER STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM LATE MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH LATE TUESDAY NIGHT FOR ADDITIONAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF SIX TO TEN INCHES. IN ADDITION...AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WILL RESULT IN SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED VISIBILITIES ALONG WITH VERY DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. TOTAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATION WITH THESE TWO WINTER WEATHER SYSTEMS IS EXPECTED TO BE BETWEEN 7 AND 13 INCHES ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA. LOCAL RESIDENTS AND TRAVELERS SHOULD REMAIN UP TO DATE ON THESE DEVELOPING WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS AND ARE URGED TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED THROUGH TONIGHT. HOWEVER...SNOWFALL REPORTS WITH THE UPCOMING WINTER STORM SYSTEMS WOULD BE APPRECIATED. && MORE INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED AT THE FOLLOWING WEB PAGE: HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/HASTINGS (ALL LOWERCASE) KSZ005>007-017>019-071800- PHILLIPS-SMITH-JEWELL-ROOKS-OSBORNE-MITCHELL- 950 PM CST SUN MAR 6 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. A PASSING WINTER STORM WILL BRING ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS ON MONDAY...WITH TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF ONE TO TWO INCHES EXPECTED WITH THIS SYSTEM. A WINTER STORM WATCH...FOR A SECOND STRONGER WINTER STORM SYSTEM...IS IN EFFECT FROM LATE MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH LATE TUESDAY NIGHT. TOTAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF SIX TO TEN INCHES ARE EXPECTED ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS WITH THIS SYSTEM. IN ADDITION...AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WILL RESULT IN SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED VISIBILITIES ALONG WITH VERY DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. TOTAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATION WITH THESE TWO WINTER WEATHER SYSTEMS IS EXPECTED TO BE BETWEEN 6 AND 12 INCHES ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS. LOCAL RESIDENTS AND TRAVELERS SHOULD REMAIN UP TO DATE ON THESE DEVELOPING WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS AND ARE URGED TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED THROUGH TONIGHT. HOWEVER...SNOWFALL REPORTS WITH THE UPCOMING WINTER STORM SYSTEMS WOULD BE APPRECIATED. && MORE INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED AT THE FOLLOWING WEB PAGE: HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/HASTINGS (ALL LOWERCASE) ADO/HEINLEIN
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Snowfall totals over the two days ranged from 4 to 6 inches across the county.
Snowfall totals over the two days ranged from 4 to 6 inches across the county.
Snowfall totals over the two days ranged from 3 to 5 inches across the county.
Snowfall totals over the two days ranged from 3 to 5 inches across the county.
Snowfall totals over the two days ranged from 3 to 5 inches across the county.
Snowfall totals over the two days ranged from 3 to 5 inches across the county.
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, March 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: 288966, 288967, 288968, 288969, 288970, 295479.