An intense upper storm moved from the Four Corner region and interacted with an unseasonably cold air to produce a major blizzard across western Kansas. Cattle loss across western Kansas was estimated to be as much as 100,000 head.
Every event with a place to put it; 16 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 DDC wrote it up.
An intense upper storm moved from the Four Corner region and interacted with an unseasonably cold air to produce a major blizzard across western Kansas. Cattle loss across western Kansas was estimated to be as much as 100,000 head. It was still estimated as much of the livestock was not found from either being buried in canyons and washes or wandered into Oklahoma. One electric company alone had around $75 million in damages to its infrastructure and it will take at least 3 years to fully repair. This unusual late spring storm was made more destructive by the weight of the snow, since it was very wet and driven by 50 to 60 MPH wind gusts. All roads across the western fourth of the state were closed and impassable for 1 to 2 days.
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 Dodge City, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 29, 5:00 AM CST, 0 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Dodge City KS 600 AM CDT Sat Apr 29 2017 ...updated aviation... .SHORT TERM...(Today and tonight) Issued at 304 AM CDT Sat Apr 29 2017 Early morning steady light to moderate rain that was ongoing as of 08z was located along and south of a 700mb baroclinic zone based on the SPC mesoanalysis page. RAP, NAM, and GFS were all in good agreement in shifting this area of enhanced lift west and north today as the upper low, located near the four corners region at 00z Saturday, moves east across New Mexico. This steady precipitation may briefly weaken during the afternoon but occasional light precipitation will still be possible across all of western Kansas. RAP and NAM remain in good agreement with the rain changing over to snow early Saturday morning west of a Scott City to Hugoton line. This rain to snow line will then move east during the afternoon and approach Wakeeney, Ness City, Dodge City and Liberal by late day. Snow accumulations today remains somewhat unclear given the warm surface temperatures and timing of the change over from rain to snow. If all the snow that develops today does accumulate on the ground then locations west of a Garden City to Hugoton line could easily have 3 to 4 inches by evening. This plus the additional snowfall expected tonight into early Sunday given the location of the TROWAL/mid level deformation zone ahead of the approaching upper low then snow totals in excess of 9 inches will be possible before this event ends. At this time the areas favorable for these higher snow totals will be along and west of a Hugoton to Wakeeney line. A winter storm warning will be in effect for these locations through Sunday. Further east the main question on snow totals will be when the rain changes over to snow, and then when will the accumulating snow begin. Confidence still not very high but given the models run to run consistency and the agreement between the RAP, NAM and GFS this morning it appears that accumulating snow in excess of 2 inches will be possible west of a Hays to Meade line. Based on these snowfall totals will go ahead in issue a winter weather advisory for these locations. In addition to this snowfall over the next 36 hours a strong north wind can be expected across western Kansas. Wind speeds in the 25 to 35 mph range with gusts to 50 to 55 will be possible at times and this may create some blowing or drifting snow. Given that this will be a heavy wet snow the blowing and drifting is expected to be limited but these winds along with the heavy wet nature of the snow may cause tree limbs to break and power outages. .LONG TERM...(Sunday through Friday) Issued at 304 AM CDT Sat Apr 29 2017 By early Monday morning this winter storm system will be far enough east/northeast to allow for some clearing skies to occur as a surface ridge axis begins to build into western Kansas. Given the expect sun on May first a decent amount of snow melt should occur but given the expected snowfall from the weekend storm the highs on Monday appear too high. Lows may also be a little too warm early next week. This would lead to several mornings of freezing or near freezing temperatures. On Tuesday a cold front will move across western Kansas as an upper level trough approaches from the northwest. As this next upper level system crosses the Central High Plains Tuesday night into Wednesday there will be a chance for rain across most of western and central Kansas. Once this next system moves east mid week an upper level ridge will start to build east into the central and northern plains. This will result in a warming trend along with a period of dry conditions late week into next weekend. && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Sunday morning) Issued at 600 AM CDT Sat Apr 29 2017 Poor flight conditions through entire TAF pd. LIFR to IFR conditions will continue through today as a major weather system moves through with RA and SN and strong winds prevailing. Little/no improvement expected through the overnight. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DDC 38 33 39 34 / 100 90 70 30 GCK 35 32 37 31 / 100 90 80 30 EHA 34 30 40 31 / 100 90 60 10 LBL 38 31 40 31 / 100 90 60 10 HYS 39 35 36 34 / 100 100 90 40 P28 48 38 46 36 / 100 80 50 20 && .DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory from 7 PM this evening to 7 PM CDT Sunday for KSZ031-045-064-077-078-086-087. Winter Storm Warning until 7 PM CDT /6 PM MDT/ Sunday for KSZ043- 061>063-074>076-084-085. Winter Storm Warning from 7 PM this evening to 7 PM CDT Sunday for KSZ030-044. && SHORT TERM...Burgert LONG TERM...Burgert AVIATION...Sugden
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Dodge City KS 502 AM CDT Sat Apr 29 2017 KSZ030-031-043>046-061>066-074>081-084>090-301200- Trego-Ellis-Scott-Lane-Ness-Rush-Hamilton-Kearny-Finney-Hodgeman- Pawnee-Stafford-Stanton-Grant-Haskell-Gray-Ford-Edwards-Kiowa- Pratt-Morton-Stevens-Seward-Meade-Clark-Comanche-Barber- 502 AM CDT Sat Apr 29 2017 /402 AM MDT Sat Apr 29 2017/ This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of central...south central...southwest and west central Kansas. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Day 1 Discussion ---------------- A winter storm warning and winter weather advisory is in effect. See message for details. Day 1 Hazards ------------- * Lightning: Limited risk * Non-thunderstorm wind: Elevated risk * Freeze: Significant risk * Freezing rain: Limited risk * Snow: Extreme risk .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. Days 2-7 Discussion ------------------- Moderate snow accumulations are still possible on Sunday. The weather system will be winding down through the day. Frost and freeze conditions are possible Monday and Tuesday. Days 2-7 Hazards ---------------- * Sunday - Non thunderstorm wind: Elevated risk - Freeze: Significant risk - Snow: Elevated risk - Fire weather: Limited risk * Monday - Freeze: Significant risk * Tuesday - Lightning: Limited risk - Freeze: Elevated risk * Wednesday - Lightning: Limited risk - Freeze: Limited risk * Thursday No hazards. * Friday No hazards. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed through tonight. && For more details visit our webpage http://weather.gov/ddc/ehwo
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
16 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.
Snowfall of 24 to 30 inches was reported across the county. Drifts were 10 to 12 feet high. Cattle loss was over 10,000 head.
Snowfall of 24 to 30 inches was reported across the county. Drifts were 10 to 12 feet high. Cattle loss was over 10,000 head.
Snowfall of 18 to 20 inches was reported across the county. Drifts were 8 to 12 feet high. Cattle loss was over 5,000 head.
Snowfall of 14 to 20 inches was reported across the county. Drifts were 8 to 12 feet high. Cattle loss was over 5,000 head.
Snowfall of 15 to 22 inches was reported across the county. Drifts were 8 to 12 feet high. Cattle loss was over 15,000 head.
Snowfall of 15 to 22 inches was reported across the county. Drifts were 8 to 12 feet high. Cattle loss was over 5,000 head.
Snowfall of 16 to 26 inches was reported across the county. Drifts were 8 to 12 feet high. Cattle loss was over 10,000 head.
Snowfall of 10 to 18 inches was reported across the county. Drifts were 4 to 6 feet high. Cattle loss was over 5,000 head.
Snowfall of 8 to 16 inches was reported across the county. Drifts were 4 to 6 feet high. Cattle loss was over 15,000 head.
Snowfall of 2 inches across the far southeast part of the county to as much as 16 inches across the northwest sections was reported across the county. Drifts were 4 to 6 feet high across the northwest part of Seward County. Cattle loss was over 2,500 head.
Snowfall of 8 to 14 was reported across the county. Drifts were 4 feet high. Cattle loss was over 2,500 head.
Snowfall of 2 inches across extreme southeast Gray county to 9 inches across the remainder of the area was observed. Drifts were 2 to 4 feet high.
Snowfall was mostly 2 to 3 inches except from western Dodge City to the Gray county line amounts were 5 to 7 inches.
Snowfall of 6 to 10 inches was reported across the western half of the county while amounts across eastern Trego county were around 2 inches.
Snowfall of around 12 inches was reported across the northwest half of the county while amounts tapered to around 2 inches across southeast sections.
Snowfall of around 10 inches was reported across the west half of the county while amounts tapered to around 1 to 2 inches across far eastern sections.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, April 2017
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: 697289, 699520, 699521, 699522, 699523, 699524, 699525, 699526, 699529, 699530, 699531, 699533, 699535, 699536, 699537, 699538.