A fast moving upper level disturbance combined with an arctic cold front to produce heavy snow with some blowing and drifting to portions of western and north central Nebraska. Snowfall amounts ranged from 4 to 8 inches with local amounts up to 10 inches.
Every event with a place to put it; 10 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.
A fast moving upper level disturbance combined with an arctic cold front to produce heavy snow with some blowing and drifting to portions of western and north central Nebraska. Snowfall amounts ranged from 4 to 8 inches with local amounts up to 10 inches.
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 Feb 3, 5:33 PM CST, 3 hours 27 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE 533 PM CST TUE FEB 3 2015 .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 400 PM CST TUE FEB 3 2015 A TANDEM OF STRONG UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVES CONTINUE TO TRACK TOWARD THE CENTRAL PLAINS TODAY. THE FIRST OVER CENTRAL SASKATCHEWAN...AND THE SECOND OVER WASHINGTON STATE. AT THE SURFACE...AN ARCTIC COLD FRONT EXTENDED FROM SERN MONTANA INTO NORTHEASTERN NEBRASKA. SOUTH OF THE FRONT...TEMPERATURES HAVE SURGED INTO THE 50S AND LOWER 60S THIS AFTERNOON. OVER SNOWCOVERED AREA...TEMPS WERE IN THE UPPER 30S TO 40S. SKIES WERE MOSTLY CLEAR WITH SOME HIGH CLOUDS BEGINNING TO ENCROACH ON THE FORECAST AREA FROM THE WEST. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 400 PM CST TUE FEB 3 2015 A STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL DIVE SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE REGION TONIGHT. THE JET DYNAMICS ARE QUITE IMPRESSIVE WITH THIS SYSTEM...WITH A COUPLED JET STRUCTURE RESULTING IN STRONG LIFT AND A CLASSIC AGEOSTROPHIC CIRCULATION. THERE IS PLENTY OF MOISTURE AVAILABLE...WITH PWATS AROUND 150 PERCENT OF NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. ALL INDICATIONS ARE THAT A HEAVY BAND OF SNOW WILL DEVELOP ACROSS PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA TONIGHT. THE EXACT LOCATION OF THESE TYPES OF SNOW BANDS ARE QUITE DIFFICULT TO FORECAST. CURRENT INDICATIONS ARE THAT THE BAND WILL LIKELY CENTER ALONG A LINE FROM NEAR OSHKOSH...TO ARTHUR...TO STAPLETON. NORTH AND SOUTH OF THIS AREA...EXPECT A FAIRLY QUICK DECREASE IN SNOW AMOUNTS. AN ARCTIC COLD FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA LATE TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY MORNING. THIS WILL HELP TO INCREASE LIQUID TO SNOW RATIOS...AND GENERALLY EXPECTING ABOUT A 13 TO 1 RATIO OR SO DURING THE HEAVIER PERIOD OF SNOW. WITHIN THE AFOREMENTIONED HEAVY SNOW BAND...EXPECTING A TOTAL OF 6 TO 8 INCHES. LIFT IS SUCH THAT HOURLY SNOWFALL RATES COULD APPROACH 2 INCHES PER HOUR...AND SOME TOTALS AROUND 9 OR 10 INCHES ARE NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION. AS MENTIONED...THE SNOW AMOUNTS WILL QUICKLY DECREASE AS YOU MOVE NORTH OR SOUTH FROM THE SNOW BAND...AND ONLY EXPECTING AROUND AN INCH OF ACCUMULATION ALONG THE KANSAS/NEBRASKA AND SOUTH DAKOTA/NEBRASKA BORDERS. WINDS WILL ALSO BE AN ISSUE LATE TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY MORNING. NAM MODEL INDICATES 500 METER WINDS SPEEDS AROUND 22 KTS OR SO...WHICH WOULD SUPPORT SUSTAINED SPEEDS AROUND 20 MPH OR A LITTLE HIGHER AT THE SURFACE. THIS WOULD CREATE SOME BLOWING SNOW WEDNESDAY MORNING...ADDING TO THE SITUATION. CONDITIONS SHOULD IMPROVE QUICKLY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...AS DRIER AIR IN BOTH THE MID AND LOWER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE MOVE INTO THE AREA FROM THE NORTH. WINDS WILL ALSO DECREASE AS ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES INTO THE REGION. THIS HIGH WILL ALSO BRING A BATCH OF VERY COLD AIR WITH IT...WITH HIGHS STRUGGLING TO GET OUT OF THE TEENS AT MOST LOCATIONS WEDNESDAY. .LONG TERM...(WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 400 PM CST TUE FEB 3 2015 MID RANGE...WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...OVER THE MID RANGE...THE MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGES ARE TEMPERATURES AND FOG POTENTIAL FOR THURSDAY NIGHT. FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT...HIGH PRESSURE WILL SLIDE INTO SERN NEBRASKA DURING THE EVENING HOURS...TRACKING INTO NRN MO OVERNIGHT. WINDS WILL BE FAIRLY LIGHT DURING THE EVENING HRS WITH INCREASING SRLY WINDS OVERNIGHT. ATTM...GIVEN THE LATE ONSET OF WINDS WEDS NIGHT AND THE ARRIVAL OF A WARM FRONT OVERNIGHT...LOWS WILL OCCUR DURING THE LATE EVENING HRS...WITH WARMING TEMPS INTO THE OVERNIGHT. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL RANGE FROM AROUND 5 ABOVE IN THE EAST TO THE MID TEENS IN THE FAR WEST. WARMER AIR WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE INTO THE AREA ON THURSDAY WITH AFTERNOON H85 TEMPS RANGING FROM 4 TO 8C THURSDAY AFTERNOON. GUIDANCE HIGHS ARE WARM THURSDAY WITH READINGS RANGING FROM THE LOWER 40S IN THE EAST...TO THE MID 50S IN THE WEST. ATTM...THE ONLY PLACE I COULD SEE 50S OCCURRING WOULD BE IN THE FAR SOUTHWEST WHERE SNOWFALL WILL BE LIMITED WITH TONIGHT/S SYSTEM. ELSEWHERE...DECENT SNOW COVER FROM TONIGHT/S STORM...COUPLED WITH RESIDUAL SNOW COVER FROM LAST SUNDAYS STORM...WILL LIMIT HIGHS THURSDAY. WITH THIS IN MIND...WENT WITH MORE CONSERVATIVE HIGHS IN THE 30S IN THE EAST...TO 40S ELSEWHERE. ON THURSDAY NIGHT...A WARM FRONT WILL LIFT ACROSS WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA. WESTERLY WINDS WILL DEVELOP BEHIND THIS FEATURE...WITH H85 TEMPS RISING TO AROUND 8 TO 12C BY 12Z FRIDAY. INITIALLY WAS CONCERNED WITH SOME FOG POTENTIAL THURSDAY NIGHT...RESULTING FOR INCREASED LOW LEVEL MOISTURE FROM SNOWMELT THURSDAY AFTERNOON...HOWEVER WESTERLY WINDS OVERNIGHT THURSDAY NIGHT ARE NOT TYPICALLY FAVORABLE FOR FOG FORMATION AND WILL LEAVE IT OUT OF THE FORECAST. SHIFTING TO FRIDAY...H85 TEMPS WILL INCREASE TO 9 TO 14C...YIELDING HIGHS IN THE IN THE 50S TO LOWER 60S. THE EXCEPTION WILL BE IN THE NORTHEASTERN CWA...WHERE SNOWCOVER WILL FAVOR HIGHS IN THE 40S. LONG RANGE...FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY...RIDGING/ZONAL PATTERN WILL CONTINUE INTO THE WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK. TEMPERATURES WILL BE WARMEST ON SATURDAY WITH H85 TEMPS RANGING FROM 10 TO 16C. TEMPERATURES WILL COOL FOR SUNDAY AS A COLD FRONT BACKS INTO THE FORECAST AREA. EVEN WITH THE COOLER AIR...TEMPERATURES WILL STILL BE WELL ABOVE NORMAL WITH READINGS IN THE 40S AND 50S. SIMILAR TEMPS WILL CARRY OVER INTO MONDAY AND TUESDAY WITH HIGHS IN THE 40S EAST TO 50S WEST. ATTM...BASED ON THE LATEST EC AND MEX GUIDANCE...WILL CONTINUE WITH A DRY FORECAST AS POPS ARE WELL BELOW CLIMO DURING THE PERIOD. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 532 PM CST TUE FEB 3 2015 A BROAD AREA OF LIFR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY MORNING 04Z- 14Z FROM WEST TO EAST COVERING THE AREA BETWEEN KAIA AND KBBW WITH SNOW...BLOWING SNOW AND LOW CIGS/VSBY. LIFR IS EXPECTED BETWEEN KTIF AND KLBF DURING THIS TIME. MVFR IS EXPECTED ELSEWHERE. FLIGHT CONDITIONS AREA EXPECTED TO IMPROVE TO MVFR FROM 15Z ONWARD. && .LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 10 PM CST /9 PM MST/ THIS EVENING TO NOON CST /11 AM MST/ WEDNESDAY FOR NEZ004-005-008-024>029-038- 056-058-094. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 10 PM CST /9 PM MST/ THIS EVENING TO NOON CST /11 AM MST/ WEDNESDAY FOR NEZ022-023-035>037-057-059. && SYNOPSIS...CLB SHORT TERM...TAYLOR LONG TERM...CLB AVIATION...CDC
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE 328 PM CST TUE FEB 3 2015 NEZ004>010-022>029-035>038-056>059-069>071-094-041130- 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- 328 PM CST TUE FEB 3 2015 /228 PM MST TUE FEB 3 2015/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. SNOW WILL DEVELOP TONIGHT ACROSS A LARGE PORTION OF WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA TONIGHT. AT THIS TIME...THE HEAVIEST ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE ACROSS EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE NEBRASKA PANHANDLE...AS WELL AS THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN SANDHILLS. IN THESE AREAS...SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES ARE LIKELY. ELSEWHERE...1 TO 4 INCH ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED. NORTHERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 15 TO 25 MPH OVERNIGHT...AND WILL PRODUCE AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WILL END ACROSS THE AREA BY LATE WEDNESDAY MORNING. ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS OF UP TO AN INCH ARE POSSIBLE. BEYOND WEDNESDAY...NO ADDITIONAL HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... COOPERATIVE OBSERVERS AND SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO PHONE IN SNOWFALL REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NORTH PLATTE. && GET YOUR WEATHER...HYDROLOGICAL...AND CLIMATE INFORMATION AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/NORTHPLATTE (ALL LOWERCASE) CLB
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
10 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
General public reported 9 inches of snowfall located 13 miles west of Tryon. Additional calls to general public indicated 6 to 9 inches of snowfall fell across McPherson County. North winds increased to 15 to 30 mph causing blowing and drifting with snow drifts up to 2 feet.
A cooperative observer reported 9 inches of snowfall located 5 miles west of Stapleton. Additional calls to general public indicated 7 to 9 inches of snowfall fell across Logan County. North winds increased to 15 to 30 mph causing blowing and drifting with snow drifts up to 2 feet.
A NWS employee reported 9 inches of snowfall with snowdrift to 2 feet located 15 miles north northeast of North Platte. Additional calls to general public indicated 5 to 9 inches of snowfall fell across the northern half of Lincoln County. North winds increased to 15 to 30 mph causing blowing and drifting with snow drifts up to 2 feet. Residents across the southern half of the county reported 2 to 4 inches of snowfall.
General public reported 6 inches of snowfall in Thedford. Additional calls to general public indicated 5 to 6 inches of snowfall fell across Thomas County.
A cooperative observer located 8 miles west southwest of Callaway reported 10 inches of snowfall. Additional calls to general public indicated 4 to 10 inches of snowfall fell across Custer County. North winds increasing to 15 to 30 mph caused blowing and drifting with snow drifts up to 2 feet.
A cooperative observer located 10 miles northeast of Oshkosh reported 6 inches of snowfall. Additional calls to general public indicated 4 to 8 inches of snowfall fell across Garden County.
General public reported 9 inches of snowfall located 10 miles south southeast of Ashby. Additional calls to general public indicated 7 to 9 inches of snowfall fell across Grant County.
General public reported 8 inches of snowfall located 10 miles southeast of Arthur. Additional calls to a cooperative observer and general public indicated 7 to 8 inches of snowfall fell across Arthur County.
A cooperative observer reported 6.3 inches of snowfall at Kingsley Dam. Additional calls to general public indicated 6 inches of snowfall fell across Keith County.
General public reported 7 inches of snowfall located 16 miles southwest of Mullen. Additional calls to general public indicated 6 to 7 inches of snowfall fell across Hooker County.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nebraska in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Nebraska, February 2015
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: 551405, 551406, 551407, 551410, 551412, 551402, 551403, 551404, 551408, 551409.