Kansas, 2019

Winter Weather in Kansas, December 27 to 28, 2019

December 27 to 28, 2019 · NWS GLD · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

A light freezing rain event on December 27th, combined with some gusty winds on December 28th, led to power outages and road closures for parts of northwest Kansas on the evening of the 28th.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
7

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 GLD wrote it up.

A light freezing rain event on December 27th, combined with some gusty winds on December 28th, led to power outages and road closures for parts of northwest Kansas on the evening of the 28th.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Cheyenne

When
December 27, 2:00 PM CST to December 28, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Cheyenne forecast zone
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
39.786, -101.731 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Emergency management reported that there were numerous power outages in Cheyenne County, including in Bird City around 7 PM local time on the evening of the 28th. Light freezing rain had been observed the previous day on the 27th with the Goodland, KS ASOS (KGLD) recording 0.15 inches of ice accumulation, with an additional 0.05 inches of ice measured by the KGLD ASOS on the evening of the 28th. Winds on the 28th then gusted to about 40 mph which was enough to cause power outages as ice-covered power lines succumbed to the gusty winds.

Winter Weather, Rawlins

When
December 27, 2:00 PM CST to December 28, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Rawlins forecast zone
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
39.785, -101.076 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Emergency management reported that there were numerous power outages in Rawlins County, including in McDonald and Atwood around 7 PM local time on the evening of the 28th. Light freezing rain had been observed the previous day on the 27th with the Goodland, KS ASOS (KGLD) recording 0.15 inches of ice accumulation, with an additional 0.05 inches of ice measured by the KGLD ASOS on the evening of the 28th. Winds on the 28th then gusted to about 40 mph which was enough to cause power outages as ice-covered power lines succumbed to the gusty winds.

Winter Weather, Sherman

When
December 27, 1:00 PM MST to December 28, 10:00 PM MST
Where
Sherman forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
39.351, -101.720 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

NWKS KDOT reported that I-70 was closed in Sherman County on the evening of the 28th as icy road conditions from light freezing rain on the 27th and 28th were leading to car accidents. I-70 eventually reopened overnight that night.

Winter Weather, Thomas

When
December 27, 2:00 PM CST to December 28, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Thomas forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
39.351, -101.055 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

NWKS KDOT reported that I-70 was closed in Thomas County on the evening of the 28th as icy road conditions from light freezing rain on the 27th and 28th were leading to car accidents. I-70 eventually reopened overnight that night.

Winter Weather, Logan

When
December 27, 2:00 PM CST to December 28, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Logan forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
38.917, -101.148 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

NWKS KDOT reported that I-70 was closed in Logan County on the evening of the 28th as icy road conditions from light freezing rain on the 27th and 28th were leading to car accidents. I-70 eventually reopened overnight that night.

Winter Weather, Gove

When
December 27, 2:00 PM CST to December 28, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Gove forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
38.916, -100.483 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

NWKS KDOT reported that I-70 was closed in Gove County on the evening of the 28th as icy road conditions from light freezing rain on the 27th and 28th were leading to car accidents. I-70 eventually reopened overnight that night.

Winter Weather, Wallace

When
December 27, 1:00 PM MST to December 28, 10:00 PM MST
Where
Wallace forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
38.917, -101.764 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

NWKS KDOT reported that US Hwy 40 was closed in Wallace County on the evening of the 28th as icy road conditions from light freezing rain on the 27th and 28th were leading to car accidents. US Hwy 40 eventually reopened overnight that night.

What these are

Winter Weather
Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Kansas in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, December 2019

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 869827, 869828, 869829, 869830, 869831, 869832, 869833.