A strong winter storm system affected much of central and southwest Kansas starting as early as Friday, January 13th, at some locations, and ended early Monday, January 16th, 2017. The greatest ice accretion did not occur until late Saturday evening on the 14th and continued into late afternoon on Sunday the 15th.
Every event with a place to put it; 27 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.
A strong winter storm system affected much of central and southwest Kansas starting as early as Friday, January 13th, at some locations, and ended early Monday, January 16th, 2017. The greatest ice accretion did not occur until late Saturday evening on the 14th and continued into late afternoon on Sunday the 15th. Surface winds increased during Sunday evening and continued through much of Monday the 16th. However, impacts were felt throughout the week due to power loss, school closings, tree and power line damage, etc.. The greatest accretion of Ice stretched from Liberal and Ashland, north through Dodge City, Jetmore, Greensburg and Larned. Water equivalent was 2 to as much as 4 1/2 inches.
Dollar amount of damage was still not know as of the end of March, 2017. But, early estimates were well over $15 million done to power poles, power lines, tree damage and removal, and damage to structures from falling tree limbs. Some areas were without electricity for a week.
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 Jan 13, 11:51 AM CST, 3 hours 9 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Dodge City KS 1151 AM CST Fri Jan 13 2017 ...Updated for aviation discussion... .SHORT TERM...(Today and tonight) Issued at 450 AM CST Fri Jan 13 2017 Stratus clouds this morning, judging by the HRRR in the immediate timeframe and the RAP/WRF by afternoon suggest a limit to the northward expansion of low clouds to around the K96 corridor, or generally south of the Scott City-Ness City-Rush Center line. Also there is some reasonably good consensus for sub-freezing highs across the entire forecast area today, outside of the outlier WRF-NMM which develops warmer high well above freezing over southwestern section. In additions to the temperatures and timing/northward extend of stratus, the onset of precipitation, at least in light brief periods appears from the 12km WRF and to develop as early as 00 UTC, and more favored in the east or south east, certainly qualifying as freezing drizzle or freezing rain at that time. The greatest threat areas for any light freezing rain will be overnight mainly along the KS/OK line. .LONG TERM...(Saturday through Thursday) Issued at 450 AM CST Fri Jan 13 2017 A deeply entrenched cold surface airmass will be in place Saturday, where the coldest axis will run from the Missouri valley into south central Kansas and central Oklahoma. Highs out in our western counties will may rise above freezing, maybe approaching 40 degrees in the afternoon, however crashing quickly towards evening. Also the WRF family of models ramp up overrunning precipitation late in the day Saturday, still in the liquid phase as the models show very warm temperatures aloft as warm as 5 to 7 degrees. This is already showing it's hand in the impressive 850 mb moisture transport field over west Texas and the strong temperature gradient deep into se New Mexico at this time. From that point forward it will be a matter of periodic moderate to heavy rain bands lifting north across the region with the warm intrusion aloft. Models continue to support a cold surface despite shear volume of rain and potential for latent heat release boundary layer warming. The GFS and ECMWF show the potential for heavy freezing rain continuing into Sunday. In fact although the GFS is on the fence for freezing temperatures Sunday afternoon it climbs that hill from much colder morning temperatures, while the ECMWF remains well in the freezing rain accum zone of upper 20s. Finally, the upper low races from west Texas toward central Kansas, eventually somewhat eroding the cold layer across south central Kansas late Sunday, allowing a changeover to rain. Still the upper low will continue northeast on Sunday night, dragging the deformation axis and narrower axis of cold air aloft farther east and likely accumulating snow across the west. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Saturday afternoon) Issued at 1148 AM CST Fri Jan 13 2017 LOW VFR/MVFR CIGS are expected to develop/persist through the period as an upper level storm system approaches. Some light freezing rain may develop at KDDC/KGCK by the end of the period but conditions are expected to deteriorate quickly after the end of the period with wideapread freezing rain at the TAF sites. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DDC 28 22 29 25 / 10 30 80 70 GCK 29 22 30 26 / 10 10 80 70 EHA 33 26 34 28 / 10 20 70 70 LBL 29 25 31 27 / 10 30 90 70 HYS 28 20 29 25 / 0 10 40 60 P28 31 25 30 28 / 20 50 90 80 && .DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Ice Storm Warning from 6 AM Saturday to 6 AM CST Monday for KSZ030-031-043>046. Ice Storm Warning from 6 PM CST /5 PM MST/ this evening to 6 AM CST /5 AM MST/ Monday for KSZ061>066-074>081-084>090. && SHORT TERM...Russell LONG TERM...Russell AVIATION...Finch
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS 548 AM CST FRI JAN 13 2017 KSZ030-031-043>046-061>066-074>081-084>090-141200- 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- 548 AM CST FRI JAN 13 2017 /448 AM MST FRI JAN 13 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 ---------------- FREEZING RAIN WITH HEAVY ICE ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED FROM LATE FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH EARLY MONDAY. SEE THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE FOR DETAILS. DAY 1 HAZARDS ------------- * EXCESSIVE COLD: LIMITED RISK * FREEZING RAIN: ELEVATED RISK .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. DAYS 2-7 DISCUSSION ------------------- FREEZING RAIN WITH HEAVY ICE ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED FROM LATE FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH EARLY MONDAY. SEE THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE FOR DETAILS. DAYS 2-7 HAZARDS ---------------- * SATURDAY - ICE ACCUMULATION: SIGNIFICANT RISK * SUNDAY - ICE ACCUMULATION: EXTREME RISK - SNOW: LIMITED RISK * MONDAY - ICE ACCUMULATION: ELEVATED RISK - SNOW: LIMITED RISK * TUESDAY NO HAZARDS. * WEDNESDAY NO HAZARDS. * THURSDAY 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.
27 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Ice accretion was 0.5 to 0.75 inches. Water equivalent was over 4 inches.
Ice accretion was 0.75 to 1.0 inches. Water equivalent was over 3 to 4 inches.
Ice accretion was 1 to 1 1/2 inches. Water equivalent was 2 to 3 inches. Tree and power line damage was extensive.
Ice accretion was 3/4 to 1 inch. Water equivalent was 1 to 2 inches.
Ice accretion was 1 to 1 1/2 inches. Water equivalent was 3 to 4 inches. Tree and power line damage was extensive.
Ice accretion was 0.5 to 0.75 inches. Water equivalent was 1 to 2 inches.
Ice accretion was 1.5 to 1.75 inches. Water equivalent was 2 to 4 inches. Tree and power line damage was extensive.
Ice accretion was 1/2 to 1 inch. Water equivalent was 1 to 2 inches.
Ice accretion was 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches. Water equivalent was 2 to 3 inches. Tree and power line damage was extensive.
Ice accretion was around 1/2 inch. Water equivalent was 0.5 to 0.75 inches.
Ice accretion was around 3/4 to 1 inch. Water equivalent was 1.5 to 2.5 inches.
Ice accretion was around 1 to 1 1/2 inches. Tree and power line damage was extensive. Water equivalent was 2 to 3 inches.
Ice accretion was around 1/2 to 3/4 inches. Water equivalent was 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches.
Ice accretion was around 1 to 1 3/4 inches. Tree and power line damage was extensive. Water equivalent was 2 to 3 inches.
Ice accretion was around 1/2 to 3/4 inches. Water equivalent was 1 to 2 inches.
Ice accretion was around 1 to 1 1/2 inches. Tree and power line damage was extensive. Water equivalent was 2 to 4 inches.
Ice accretion was 1/2 to 3/4 inches. Water equivalent was 1 to 2 inches.
Ice accretion was 3/4 to 1 inch. Water equivalent was 2 to 3 inches.
Ice accretion was 1 to 1 1/2 inches. Water equivalent was 2 to 3 inches. Tree and power line damage was extensive.
Ice accretion was 1/2 to 1 inch. Water equivalent was 2 to 3 inches.
Ice accretion was 3/4 to 1 inch. Water equivalent was 2 to 3 inches.
Ice accretion was around 1/2 inch. Water equivalent was 1/2 to 1 inch.
Ice accretion was 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches. Water equivalent was 1 1/2 to 3 inches. Tree and power line damage was severe.
Ice accretion was 1/2 to 1 inch. Water equivalent was 2 to 3 inches.
Ice accretion was 1/2 to 3/4 inch. Water equivalent was 1/2 to 1 inch.
Ice accretion was 3/4 to 1 inch. Water equivalent was 1 to 2 inches.
Ice accretion was 3/4 to 1 inch. Water equivalent was 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches.
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, January 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: 678074, 678075, 678076, 678077, 678080, 678081, 678082, 678083, 678084, 678085, 678086, 678087, 678088, 678089, 678090, 678091, 678092, 678093, 678094, 678095, 678096, 678097, 678098, 678099, 678100, 678101, 678102.