A potent storm system moved out of the desert southwest and into the central Plains during Tuesday February 4th, and exited the region early on the morning on the 5th. As this storm system moved toward the area, low pressure developed over the southern Plains and moved into the mid Mississippi Valley.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 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 OAX wrote it up.
A potent storm system moved out of the desert southwest and into the central Plains during Tuesday February 4th, and exited the region early on the morning on the 5th. As this storm system moved toward the area, low pressure developed over the southern Plains and moved into the mid Mississippi Valley. To the north of the low pressure, snow spread north into eastern Nebraska and western Iowa during the morning on the 4th and continued into the early morning hours on the 5th. The heaviest snowfall occurred during the late morning and into the mid afternoon hours across western Iowa and eastern Nebraska. As the low moved off to the east during the afternoon, winds became north and increased to 15 to 25 mph with gusts over 30 mph. This created blowing and drifting snow with some drifts up to two feet deep.
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 Feb 4, 8:35 AM CST, 1 hour 25 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
835 AM CST TUE FEB 4 2014
.SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT)
ISSUED AT 254 AM CST TUE FEB 4 2014
LATEST OBS THIS MORNING WAS SHOWING ISENTROPIC UPGLIDE INDUCED HIT-
AND-MISS SN ACTIVITY OVER THE CWA THIS MORNING WITH DEVELOPMENT
BEING DELAYED DUE TO DIFFICULTLY OF SATURATING LOWER LAYERS. THIS
COUPLED WITH WEAKENING MID LYR WAA WILL LIKELY HINDER OVER THE NEXT
SEVERAL HOURS. JUST A MATTER OF TIME THEN BEFORE STRENGTHENING
DYNAMIC FORCING ASSOC WITH LIFTING NEG TILT S/WV FORCES AN INCREASE
IN AREAL COVERAGE FROM S TO N BY LATE MORNING. MAIN ISSUE THEN IS
AREAL BREAKDOWN OF ACCUM AMOUNTS. SEEMS THAT THE MODELS HAVE BEEN
RATHER CONSISTENT THE LAST SEVERAL RUNS FOCUSING GREATEST POTENTIAL
FOR HEAVY SN OVER PORTIONS OF THE SERN CWA WHERE FOCUS FOR MID LYR
FRONTOGENETIC FORCING COUPLED WITH INCREASING OMEGA WITHIN MOIST
DENDRITIC LYR. FAVORABLE JET STRUCTURE WILL ONLY FURTHER ENHANCE
FORCING VIA STOUT 250-850MB DIFFERENTIAL DIVG. GOING FCST OF 5 TO 8
INCHES OVER AREAS SOUTH OF THE I-80 CORRIDOR STILL LOOK ON
TRACK...SO NO MAJOR CHANGES PLANNED TO AMOUNTS NOR HEADLINE
ADJUSTMENT THRU TONIGHT. SN SHOULD BE AT AN END THEN WED MORNING AS
CAA DEEPENS/DPVA DECREASES. NEXT ISSUE TO CONTEND WITH IS BITTERLY
COLD WIND CHILL INDICES WED MORNING AS AN ARCTIC AIRMASS SETTLES
INTO THE CNTRL PLAINS. WILL THEREFORE GO WITH WIND CHILL ADV FOR
AREAS ALONG/NORTH OF I-80. DRY AND BITTERLY COLD THEN THRU THURSDAY
NIGHT.
.LONG TERM...(FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY)
ISSUED AT 254 AM CST TUE FEB 4 2014
GLOBAL MODELS LACK CONTINUITY DURING THIS PERIOD OF THE FORECAST AS
THE UPPER LEVEL FLOW BECOMES WEST NORTHWEST ACROSS THE CENTRAL
PLAINS. ALL MODELS INDICATE THAT A NUMBER OF SHORTWAVE TROUGHS WILL
ROTATE THROUGH THIS FLOW...POSSIBLY AFFECTING OUR CWA. THE GFS
APPEARS TO AMPLIFY THESE SYSTEM GREATER THAN THE EC/GEM AND THE
LATTER MODELS WERE PREFERRED FOR THIS FORECAST PACKAGE. INITIAL
SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL BE MOVING THROUGH DURING THE DAY ON FRIDAY AND
THE GEM/EC INDICATE GREATER PRECIP THREAT WITH THE SOUTHERN STREAM
WAVE GOING THROUGH KS/MO...BUT UNTIL GREATER CONFIDENCE IN THE
FORECAST DEVELOPS WE WILL MAINTAIN SOME SCHC/CHC POPS FOR SOME -SN
ON FRI. THE MODELS NOT ONLY DIFFER ON THE LATITUDE OF THE SECOND
SHORTWAVE TROUGH...BUT ALSO ON THE TIMING WITH THE GEM FASTER /ALSO
FARTHER NORTH/ AND THE GFS THE SLOWEST. WILL CONTINUE SOME SCHC/CHC
POPS FOR SAT/SAT NIGHT FOR THIS SECOND SHORTWAVE TROUGH...BUT THESE
SYSTEMS GENERALLY LOOK PRETTY MINOR FOR OUR FA. TEMPERATURES DURING
THE PERIOD WILL START OUT WELL BELOW NORMAL AND TREND SLIGHTLY
WARMER INTO THE WEEKEND WITH THE FLOW BECOMING MORE WESTERLY.
&&
.AVIATION...(12Z TAFS FOR KOFK...KLNK AND KOMA.)
ISSUED AT 830 AM CST TUE FEB 4 2014
PERIODS OF FLURRIES EXPECTED THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS WITH VFR
AND MVFR CONDITIONS. LOOK FOR CONDITIONS TO DETERIORATE THIS
AFTERNOON WITH REDUCTIONS IN VISIBILITIES IN SNOW AND CIGS IN THE
16-19Z TIME PERIOD AND STAYING DOWN INTO THE EVENING HOURS THROUGH
AT LEAST 03Z. SURFACE WINDS WILL ALSO DETERIORATE...STARTING OUT
NORTHEAST AT 5 TO 15KTS...THEN INCREASING FROM THE NORTHEAST 10 TO
20KTS WITH GUSTS AROUND 25KTS AFTER 18Z.
&&
.OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NE...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM CST WEDNESDAY FOR NEZ034-044-
045-050>053-065>067-078.
WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM 6 AM TO 11 AM CST WEDNESDAY FOR NEZ034-
044-045-051>053-065-066.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 AM CST WEDNESDAY FOR NEZ068-088>093.
WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 11 AM CST WEDNESDAY
FOR NEZ011-012-015>018-030>033-042-043-050.
IA...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM CST WEDNESDAY FOR IAZ043-055-
056-069-079.
WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM 6 AM TO 11 AM CST WEDNESDAY FOR IAZ043-
055-056-069.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 AM CST WEDNESDAY FOR IAZ080-090-091.
&&
SHORT TERM...DEE
LONG TERM...BOUSTEAD
AVIATION...CZ/JBHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE 356 AM CST TUE FEB 4 2014 IAZ080-090-091-NEZ068-088>093-050000- MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE-OTOE-JEFFERSON-GAGE-JOHNSON-NEMAHA-PAWNEE- RICHARDSON- 356 AM CST TUE FEB 4 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST IOWA AND SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT. AREAS OF VERY LIGHT SNOW THIS MORNING WILL INCREASE IN INTENSITY BY MID TO LATE MORNING. THE HEAVIEST SNOW IS LIKELY DURING THE AFTERNOON...WITH LIGHT SNOW CONTINUING INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES ARE LIKELY WITH THE HIGHEST ACCUMULATIONS FOUND NEAR THE KANSAS AND MISSOURI BORDER. ALSO...VISIBILITIES WILL BE REDUCE...ESPECIALLY BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS NORTHWEST WINDS AND BLOWING SNOW INCREASE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY BITTERLY COLD WIND CHILL INDICES FROM 10 TO 15 BELOW ZERO ARE LIKELY WEDNESDAY MORNING. ACCUMULATING SNOW IS POSSIBLE NEXT WEEKEND AS ANOTHER STORM APPROACHES THE PLAINS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... STORM SPOTTERS ARE ASKED TO REPORT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. IAZ043-055-056-069-079-NEZ034-044-045-050>053-065>067-078-050000- MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-BURT-DODGE-WASHINGTON- BUTLER-SAUNDERS-DOUGLAS-SARPY-SEWARD-LANCASTER-CASS-SALINE- 356 AM CST TUE FEB 4 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST IOWA...WEST CENTRAL IOWA...EAST CENTRAL NEBRASKA AND SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT. AREAS OF VERY LIGHT SNOW THIS MORNING WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY THIS AFTERNOON. THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED DURING THE MID TO LATE AFTERNOON. LIGHT SNOW WILL CONTINUE INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 5 INCHES ARE LIKELY. VISIBILITIES WILL BE REDUCED...ESPECIALLY BY THIS EVENING AS WINDS AND AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW INCREASE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY BITTERLY COLD WIND CHILL INDICES AROUND 20 BELOW ZERO ARE LIKELY WEDNESDAY MORNING. ACCUMULATING SNOW IS POSSIBLE NEXT WEEKEND AS ANOTHER STORM APPROACHES THE PLAINS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... STORM SPOTTERS ARE ASKED TO REPORT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. NEZ011-012-015>018-030>033-042-043-050000- KNOX-CEDAR-THURSTON-ANTELOPE-PIERCE-WAYNE-BOONE-MADISON-STANTON- CUMING-PLATTE-COLFAX- 356 AM CST TUE FEB 4 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST NEBRASKA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SNOW WILL GRADUALLY DEVELOP THIS MORNING THEN CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT. ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE. GUSTY NORTH WINDS WILL RESULT AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY BITTERLY COLD WIND CHILL INDICES AROUND 20 BELOW ZERO ARE LIKELY WEDNESDAY MORNING. ACCUMULATING SNOW IS POSSIBLE NEXT WEEKEND AS ANOTHER STORM APPROACHES THE PLAINS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... STORM SPOTTERS ARE ASKED TO REPORT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 winter weather, 2 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Snowfall around 5 inches was common across the county. This included a measurement of 4.8 inches at Sidney. In addition to the snow, north winds of 15 to 30 mph with gusts to 35 mph created considerable blowing and drifting snow, especially in open areas making travel difficult.
Snowfall around 5 inches was common across the county. This included a measurement of 4 inches at Shenandoah, and 5 inches at Clarinda. In addition to the snow, north winds of 15 to 30 mph with gusts to 35 mph created considerable blowing and drifting snow, especially in open areas making travel difficult.
Snowfall across the county ranged from 3 to 5 inches. This included 5 inches at Glenwood and 4.1 inches at Hastings. The combination of snow and north winds of 15 to 30 mph with gusts to 35 mph created considerable blowing and drifting, especially in open areas.
Snowfall across the county ranged from 3 to 5 inches. This included 3.8 inches at Red Oak and 3.8 inches at Elliott. The combination of snow and north winds of 15 to 30 mph with gusts to 35 mph created considerable blowing and drifting, especially in open areas.
Snowfall across the county ranged from 3 to 4 inches. This included 4.2 inches at Neola, 3 inches at Council Bluffs, and 4 inches at Oakland. The combination of snow and north winds of 15 to 30 mph with gusts to 35 mph created considerable blowing and drifting, especially in open areas.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, February 2014
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: 486829, 486830, 486832, 486833, 486831.