Heavy Snow in Missouri, January 31, 2015

Name: Heavy Snow in Missouri, January 31, 2015
Start: 2015-01-31T20:00
End: 2015-01-31T23:59
Location: Missouri

January 31, 2015 · NWS EAX · 17 events in 17 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 17 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: 17

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 EAX wrote it up.

A long drawn out winter storm brought significant snow accumulations to far northern Missouri Saturday night through Sunday. The snow started Saturday morning, but due to the warm surface temperatures and warm ground it did not start accumulating until several hours later. Once a cold frontal boundary pushed southward the low level temperatures and ground cooled sufficiently to accumulate snow. By late Saturday evening snow snow started accumulating and continued to accumulate through the first part of Sunday, February 1st. So this event actually continues into February.

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 Kansas City, MO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 31, 5:52 PM CST, 2 hours 8 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 31, 5:52 PM CST, 2 hours 8 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 31, 4:13 PM CST, 3 hours 47 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
413 PM CST SAT JAN 31 2015

KSZ025-057-060-102>105-MOZ001>008-011>017-020>025-028>033-037>040-
043>046-053-054-012215-
ATCHISON KS-MIAMI-LINN KS-DONIPHAN-LEAVENWORTH-WYANDOTTE-JOHNSON KS-
ATCHISON MO-NODAWAY-WORTH-GENTRY-HARRISON-MERCER-PUTNAM-SCHUYLER-
HOLT-ANDREW-DE KALB-DAVIESS-GRUNDY-SULLIVAN-ADAIR-BUCHANAN-CLINTON-
CALDWELL-LIVINGSTON-LINN MO-MACON-PLATTE-CLAY-RAY-CARROLL-CHARITON-
RANDOLPH-JACKSON-LAFAYETTE-SALINE-HOWARD-CASS-JOHNSON MO-PETTIS-
COOPER-BATES-HENRY-
413 PM CST SAT JAN 31 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST...NORTH CENTRAL AND
WEST CENTRAL MISSOURI...AS WELL AS EXTREME EASTERN KANSAS.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

 A MAJOR WINTER STORM IS EXPECTED ACROSS FAR NORTHERN MISSOURI WITH
 MAINLY RAIN EXPECTED FURTHER SOUTH.

 MORE DETAILED INFORMATION CAN BE ACCESSED AT...
 HTTP://WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/IMAGES/FXC/EAX/EM1/EAX-EMBRIEFING1.PDF

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

 AN ONGOING WINTER STORM WILL IMPACT NORTHERN MISSOURI ON
SUNDAY...WHILE RAIN CHANGES TO SNOW FURTHER SOUTH WITH MINOR
ACCUMULATIONS.

 MORE DETAILED INFORMATION CAN BE ACCESSED AT...
 HTTP://WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/IMAGES/FXC/EAX/EM1/EAX-EMBRIEFING1.PDF

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jan 31, 7:42 PM CST, 18 minutes before

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Local storm report, Jan 31, 7:46 PM CST, 14 minutes before

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Local storm report, Jan 31, 7:48 PM CST, 12 minutes before

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

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Local storm report, Jan 31, 7:55 PM CST, 5 minutes before

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Local storm report, Jan 31, 8:00 PM CST, 0 minutes before

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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

17 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Atchison

When: January 31, 8:00 PM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Atchison forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 40.431, -95.428 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow fell for a long duration across northern Missouri through the evening and overnight hours on January 1 through the early morning hours on February 2. Strong winds moved into the area while the snow was falling, and caused visibility problems and drifting on the roads. Generally 6 to 8 inches fell across the county with the highest reported total from the county coming from Westboro, where 7 inches fell. Numerous vehicle accidents occurred, especially along Interstate 29 due to the poor driving conditions, but no serious injuries were reported.

Heavy Snow, Worth

When: January 31, 8:00 PM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Worth forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 40.479, -94.422 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow fell for a long duration across northern Missouri through the evening and overnight hours on January 1 through the early morning hours on February 2. Strong winds moved into the area while the snow was falling, and caused visibility problems and drifting on the roads. The highest reported total from the county coming from Grant City, where 6 inches fell. Numerous vehicle accidents occurred due to the poor driving conditions, but no serious injuries were reported.

Heavy Snow, Gentry

When: January 31, 8:00 PM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Gentry forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 40.212, -94.410 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow fell for a long duration across northern Missouri through the evening and overnight hours on January 1 through the early morning hours on February 2. Strong winds moved into the area while the snow was falling, and caused visibility problems and drifting on the roads. Generally 6 to 8 inches fell across the county with the highest reported total from the county coming from Albany, where 7 inches fell. Numerous vehicle accidents occurred due to the poor driving conditions, but no serious injuries were reported.

Heavy Snow, Harrison

When: January 31, 8:00 PM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Harrison forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 40.355, -93.992 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow fell for a long duration across northern Missouri through the evening and overnight hours on January 1 through the early morning hours on February 2. Strong winds moved into the area while the snow was falling, and caused visibility problems and drifting on the roads. The highest reported total from the county coming from Bethany, where 6 inches fell. Numerous vehicle accidents occurred due to the poor driving conditions, but no serious injuries were reported.

Heavy Snow, Daviess

When: January 31, 8:00 PM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Daviess forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 39.961, -93.985 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow fell for a long duration across northern Missouri through the evening and overnight hours on January 1 through the early morning hours on February 2. Strong winds moved into the area while the snow was falling, and caused visibility problems and drifting on the roads. Generally 6 to 8 inches fell across the county with the highest reported total from the county coming from Gallatin, where 7 inches fell. Numerous vehicle accidents occurred due to the poor driving conditions, but no serious injuries were reported.

Heavy Snow, Mercer

When: January 31, 8:00 PM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Mercer forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 40.422, -93.569 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow fell for a long duration across northern Missouri through the evening and overnight hours on January 1 through the early morning hours on February 2. Strong winds moved into the area while the snow was falling, and caused visibility problems and drifting on the roads. Generally 8 to 10 inches fell across the county with the highest reported total from the county coming from Princeton, where 10 inches fell. Numerous vehicle accidents occurred due to the poor driving conditions, but no serious injuries were reported.

Heavy Snow, Grundy

When: January 31, 8:00 PM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Grundy forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 40.114, -93.565 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow fell for a long duration across northern Missouri through the evening and overnight hours on January 1 through the early morning hours on February 2. Strong winds moved into the area while the snow was falling, and caused visibility problems and drifting on the roads. Generally 8 to 10 inches fell across the county with the highest reported total from the county coming from Trenton, where 9 inches fell. Numerous vehicle accidents occurred due to the poor driving conditions, but no serious injuries were reported.

Heavy Snow, Putnam

When: January 31, 8:00 PM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Putnam forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 40.479, -93.016 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow fell for a long duration across northern Missouri through the evening and overnight hours on January 1 through the early morning hours on February 2. Strong winds moved into the area while the snow was falling, and caused visibility problems and drifting on the roads. Generally 8 to 10 inches fell across the county with the highest reported total from the county coming from Unionville, where 9 inches fell. Numerous vehicle accidents occurred due to the poor driving conditions, but no serious injuries were reported.

Heavy Snow, Sullivan

When: January 31, 8:00 PM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Sullivan forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 40.211, -93.111 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow fell for a long duration across northern Missouri through the evening and overnight hours on January 1 through the early morning hours on February 2. Strong winds moved into the area while the snow was falling, and caused visibility problems and drifting on the roads. Generally 8 to 10 inches fell across the county with the highest reported total from the county coming from Green City, where 9 inches fell. Numerous vehicle accidents occurred due to the poor driving conditions, but no serious injuries were reported.

Heavy Snow, Schuyler

When: January 31, 8:00 PM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Schuyler forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 40.470, -92.521 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow fell for a long duration across northern Missouri through the evening and overnight hours on January 1 through the early morning hours on February 2. Strong winds moved into the area while the snow was falling, and caused visibility problems and drifting on the roads. Generally 6 to 8 inches fell across the county with the highest reported total from the county coming from Lancaster, where 7 inches fell. Numerous vehicle accidents occurred due to the poor driving conditions, but no serious injuries were reported.

Heavy Snow, Adair

When: January 31, 8:00 PM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Adair forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 40.191, -92.601 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow fell for a long duration across northern Missouri through the evening and overnight hours on January 1 through the early morning hours on February 2. Strong winds moved into the area while the snow was falling, and caused visibility problems and drifting on the roads. Generally 10 to 12 inches fell across the county with the highest reported total from the county coming from Kirksville, where 11 inches fell. Numerous vehicle accidents occurred due to the poor driving conditions, but no serious injuries were reported.

Heavy Snow, Macon

When: January 31, 8:00 PM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Macon forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 39.831, -92.565 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow fell for a long duration across northern Missouri through the evening and overnight hours on January 1 through the early morning hours on February 2. Strong winds moved into the area while the snow was falling, and caused visibility problems and drifting on the roads. Generally 9 to 11 inches fell across the county with the highest reported total from the county coming from La Plata, where 10 inches fell. Numerous vehicle accidents occurred due to the poor driving conditions, but no serious injuries were reported.

Heavy Snow, Andrew

When: January 31, 8:00 PM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Andrew forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 39.984, -94.802 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow fell for a long duration across northern Missouri through the evening and overnight hours on January 1 through the early morning hours on February 2. Strong winds moved into the area while the snow was falling, and caused visibility problems and drifting on the roads. Generally 7 to 9 inches fell across the county with the highest reported total from the county coming from Savannah, where 8 inches fell. Numerous vehicle accidents occurred, especially along Interstate 29 due to the poor driving conditions, but no serious injuries were reported.

Heavy Snow, Holt

When: January 31, 8:00 PM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Holt forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 40.094, -95.215 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow fell for a long duration across northern Missouri through the evening and overnight hours on January 1 through the early morning hours on February 2. Strong winds moved into the area while the snow was falling, and caused visibility problems and drifting on the roads. Generally 6 to 8 inches fell across the county with the highest reported total from the county coming from Oregon, where 7 inches fell. Numerous vehicle accidents occurred, especially along Interstate 29 due to the poor driving conditions, but no serious injuries were reported.

Heavy Snow, Nodaway

When: January 31, 8:00 PM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Nodaway forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 40.361, -94.883 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow fell for a long duration across northern Missouri through the evening and overnight hours on January 1 through the early morning hours on February 2. Strong winds moved into the area while the snow was falling, and caused visibility problems and drifting on the roads. Generally 6 to 8 inches fell across the county with the highest reported total from the county coming from Maryville, where 7 inches fell. Numerous vehicle accidents occurred due to the poor driving conditions, but no serious injuries were reported.

Heavy Snow, Buchanan

When: January 31, 8:00 PM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Buchanan forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 39.660, -94.806 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow fell for a long duration across northern Missouri through the evening and overnight hours on January 1 through the early morning hours on February 2. Strong winds moved into the area while the snow was falling, and caused visibility problems and drifting on the roads. Generally 6 to 8 inches fell across the county with the highest reported total from the county coming from St. Joseph, where 7 inches fell. Numerous vehicle accidents occurred, especially along Interstate 29 due to the poor driving conditions, but no serious injuries were reported.

Heavy Snow, Linn

When: January 31, 8:00 PM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Linn forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 39.870, -93.107 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow fell for a long duration across northern Missouri through the evening and overnight hours on January 1 through the early morning hours on February 2. Strong winds moved into the area while the snow was falling, and caused visibility problems and drifting on the roads. Generally 7 to 9 inches fell across the county with the highest reported total from the county coming from Brookfield, where 8 inches fell. Numerous vehicle accidents occurred due to the poor driving conditions, but no serious injuries were reported.

What these are

Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Missouri in 2015 Every state in 2015 This day in weather history Warnings in Missouri, January 2015

Sources

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 551849, 551850, 551851, 551852, 551853, 551855, 551856, 551857, 551858, 551859, 551860, 551861, 551862, 552731, 552762, 552767, 552775.