A winter storm produced heavy snowfall across Deuel and Perkins County during the afternoon and evening hours on December 24th. Although winds remained light during the event, total snowfall accumulations of 6 to 8 inches occurred.
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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 winter storm produced heavy snowfall across Deuel and Perkins County during the afternoon and evening hours on December 24th. Although winds remained light during the event, total snowfall accumulations of 6 to 8 inches occurred. A locally higher amount near 12 inches was reported near Grainton, in eastern Perkins County.
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 Dec 23, 10:52 AM MST, 1 hour 8 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service North Platte NE 1152 AM CST Sat Dec 23 2017 .SHORT TERM...(Today and tonight) Issued at 407 AM CST Sat Dec 23 2017 An area of reasonably strong frontogenesis and favorable thermodynamics is operating across ncntl Neb this morning. Snow appears to be falling at the rate of 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch per hour based on cameras. This area of frontogenesis is expected to move east and dissipate by mid morning. A second stronger area of frontogenesis develops farther south this afternoon which will cause widespread moderate to locally heavy snowfall along and near Interstate 80. The model consensus suggests around 0.25 inches of liquid but snow ratios will run around 20 to 1 given light winds and very favorable snow growth rates. The forecast uses a blend of models today and tonight for 4 to 6 inches of snow. The heavier snow might fall across Deuel and Keith counties but model errors can be 40 to 70 miles north or south. In fact, the RAP model suggests Perkins county and Srn Lincoln counties could be the benefactor of the heaviest snow but we would expected the models to wobble north and south with this prediction. The temperature forecast today uses blended guidance plus bias correction for highs in the teens and 20s. Bias corrected guidance was the basis for the temperature forecast tonight for lows mostly in the single digits. An area of subzero lows develops across the Wrn Sandhills where skies clear out before dawn. Bias corrected guidance was the basis for the wind forecast tonight. These winds become fairly light and allow for radiational cooling. Wind chills readings of minus 20 should develop across Sheridan and wrn Cherry counties. A wind chill advisory will likely be issued later today for this area. Note that precipitable water falls to less than 0.10 inches which is very favorable for radiational cooling. A period of clear skies develops toward morning and this could support double digit subzero lows across parts of wrn Neb. .LONG TERM...(Sunday through Friday) Issued at 407 AM CST Sat Dec 23 2017 The deep Hudson Bay low and a slowly building West Coast ridge keep Nebraska in broad northwest flow aloft for the next several days. Precip chances peak Monday with the combination of strong mid level fgen, a lee side sfc low developing in the southern Plains and associated warm front extending into northern Kansas, and upslope flow at H85. Temperatures will remain below normal through the week due to snow cover and shots of cold air from the northern Plains. Sunday... The sky clears out in the wake of Saturday's system as subsidence takes over and H85 flow transitions to downslope. In addition to the already trending cooler guidance, dropped highs slightly to account for anticipated snow cover. Also lowered Sunday night lows toward the cooler end of guidance. Am worried a little about increasing cloud cover as the next storm system approaches, but light winds and generally clear conditions through late evening should allow temps to drop rapidly before any stabilization overnight. Monday... Bumped PoPs up a bit, especially across the central Sandhills and I-80 corridor. Some disagreement exists in the model suite regarding low level moisture and the coverage of snow (NAM a little drier, GFS and ECM wetter). However, forecast soundings overall suggest at least a period of saturation and lift during the evening. With the temp profile below freezing and much of it below - 10C, there will be no problem keeping the ptype as all snow. Relatively high SLRs (over 20:1 in spots), a broad ribbon of H5-7 moisture, and an exiting H3 jet streak favor the potential for light accumulations. Stout CAA takes place through the day with H85 temps dropping to around -15C by 00z and -20C by 06z Tue. Thick cloud cover and northerly low level winds will keep highs primarily in the teens and lower 20s across the area. Monday night will feature some of the coldest lows during the period with subzero temps for most areas north of I-80. Tuesday... A 1040mb sfc high slides down the Plains, reinforcing the arctic air. Cannot completely rule out a stray snow shower due to some remnant low level moisture and some upslope flow, but confidence is too low for a PoP mention. Wednesday and beyond... Highs rebound somewhat into the 20s and lower 30s far SW as precip chances remain minimal (except Friday with another sfc low coming off the Rockies). && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Sunday afternoon) Issued at 1151 AM CST Sat Dec 23 2017 The major concern for both terminals will be the chance of snow across the region through Sunday morning. KLBF will see the greatest impact from the system with visibility reductions down to a half mile late Saturday evening due to snow. Winds are expected to remain under 10 knots and therefore blowing snow will be a minimal hazard. At KVTN, snow will mainly remain south of the site, however, snow will likely be in the area and an isolated snow shower over the terminal cannot be completely ruled out. Visibility restrictions will be minimal with lowering ceilings being the main impact at KVTN. Conditions begin to improve by 09Z across KVTN and by 10Z at KLBF. Ceilings and visibilities rise with VFR conditions returning. Northwest winds increase Sunday morning as well. Expect sustained winds up to 13 knots and gusts up to 20 knots across the region by noon Sunday. && .LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory until 6 AM CST /5 AM MST/ Sunday for NEZ037-038-056>059-069>071. Winter Weather Advisory until midnight CST /11 PM MST/ tonight for NEZ004-022>024-035-036-094. && SHORT TERM...CDC LONG TERM...Snively AVIATION...Kulik
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service North Platte NE 500 AM CST Sat Dec 23 2017 NEZ004>010-022>029-035>038-056>059-069>071-094-241100- 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- 500 AM CST Sat Dec 23 2017 /400 AM MST Sat Dec 23 2017/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of western and north central Nebraska. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. A winter weather advisory is in effect for all of Western Nebraska and parts of North Central Nebraska. See the latest forecast and winter weather bulletin for details in your area. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. Potentially dangerous wind chills are likely Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings across Sheridan and Western Cherry counties. A wind chill advisory may be issued for these areas. If the predicted snowfall occurs in other areas of Western Nebraska and North Central Nebraska, very low wind chill readings could develop this week. Light snow is possible Christmas Day and Christmas night. Snowfall amounts are uncertain at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed through tonight. && Get your weather, hydrological, and climate information at http://www.weather.gov/northplatte
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
943 AM CST SAT DEC 23 2017
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0800 AM SNOW NEWPORT 42.60N 99.33W
12/23/2017 M0.5 INCH ROCK NE CO-OP OBSERVER
24-HOUR SNOW TOTAL
&&
JURGENSENPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
944 AM CST SAT DEC 23 2017
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0800 AM SNOW LISCO 41.50N 102.62W
12/23/2017 M1.5 INCH GARDEN NE CO-OP OBSERVER
24-HOUR SNOW TOTAL
&&
JURGENSENPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
945 AM CST SAT DEC 23 2017
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0900 AM SNOW 10 NE OSHKOSH 41.51N 102.21W
12/23/2017 M1.0 INCH GARDEN NE CO-OP OBSERVER
24-HOUR SNOW TOTAL
&&
JURGENSENPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
1039 AM CST SAT DEC 23 2017
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1035 AM SNOW ARTHUR 41.57N 101.69W
12/23/2017 M1.0 INCH ARTHUR NE CO-OP OBSERVER
24-HOUR SNOW TOTAL
&&
JURGENSENPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
1114 AM CST SAT DEC 23 2017
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1100 AM SNOW 1 NE KILGORE 42.95N 100.94W
12/23/2017 M1.0 INCH CHERRY NE CO-OP OBSERVER
24-HOUR TOTAL SNOW
&&
JURGENSENPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
1115 AM CST SAT DEC 23 2017
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1100 AM SNOW MULLEN 42.04N 101.04W
12/23/2017 M2.5 INCH HOOKER NE CO-OP OBSERVER
24-HOUR TOTAL SNOW
&&
JURGENSENThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
A Cooperative observer near Big Springs reported a storm total snowfall of 6.5 inches. Snowfall amounts range from 6 to 8 inches across Deuel County.
General public in Grant reported 8 inches of snowfall. A locally high snowfall amount of 12.5 inches was reported by a CoCoRaHS observer near Grainton. Snowfall amounts range from 6 to 8 inches and locally to around 12 inches across Perkins County.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nebraska in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Nebraska, December 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: 728672, 728673.