Despite near to slightly above normal precipitation occurring over Northwest Kansas, the D2 Severe to D3 Extreme Drought status did not change for December. 25 to 1 which is near normal for December.
Every event with a place to put it; 12 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 GLD wrote it up.
Despite near to slightly above normal precipitation occurring over Northwest Kansas, the D2 Severe to D3 Extreme Drought status did not change for December. Precipitation amounts ranged from 0.25 to 1 which is near normal for December. Counties in the D2 Severe Drought include Wichita, Sheridan, the southeastern half of Logan and Norton counties, and the northwestern half of Graham. The rest of Northwest Kansas was in D3 Extreme Drought.
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 Goodland, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Nov 30, 10:58 PM CST, 1 hour 2 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Goodland KS 958 PM MST Mon Nov 30 2020 .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Tuesday night) Issued at 105 PM MST Mon Nov 30 2020 Northwest flow aloft persists over the Central High Plains today. An upper ridge continues to progress eastward through the day. Afternoon temperatures will reach the 50s in many areas with upper 50s expected in extreme northwestern Kansas and eastern Colorado. Elevated to near critical fire weather conditions are expected for a few hours this afternoon , mainly along and west of a line from Leoti to Benkelman. Relative humidity values will fall into the teens. Areas with the lowest RH values will not coincide with areas with the strongest winds. Fire weather highlights are not anticipated to be needed this afternoon. Dry conditions will persist this evening and into the overnight hours. Temperatures will not be as cold as last night, with most areas in the teens. Concerns about radiational cooling continue as clear skies and light winds will allow for temperatures to drop. No drastic changes have been made to overnight lows for now, however, this will need to be monitored over the coming hours. Tuesday morning, an upper trough will move over the Bighorns before pushing into eastern Colorado. A cold front is expected to move through the region from the north during the morning hours with winds shifting to the north in the afternoon. Models have the front moving through the Tri-State area a little later than previous runs, so have slightly adjusted temperatures up. High temperatures will be much cooler, ranging from the low 40s in Eastern Colorado to the low 50s across the eastern part of the CWA. Dry conditions will persist despite the front and trough in the region. Soundings still do not support the potential for precipitation until early Wednesday morning. Overnight low temperatures will range from the mid teens to mid 20s. .LONG TERM...(Wednesday through Monday) Issued at 110 PM MST Mon Nov 30 2020 Main problem will be snow chances on Wednesday and Thursday. Currently only expecting light amounts, less than one inch, with low probabilities of up to 3 inches in far eastern counties of Norton and Graham in northwest Kansas. A couple of shortwave troughs rounding the top of the western ridge will merge into a broad, closed upper low over the central high plains by midday Wednesday. The system will slowly migrate into the southern plains by Thursday, with a couple of embedded vort lobes evident. Surface temperatures and thermal/moisture profiles cold enough to support all snow for this event, beginning Wednesday morning and continuing through Thursday afternoon. Occasional light snow will be possible during that time frame. Temperatures will be in the low to mid 30s, and with breezy north winds on Wednesday wind chills will be in the teens through the day. Winds diminish by Thursday with wind chills recovering into the 20s. Snow amounts do not appear to be adequate for blowing and drifting to be a problem on Wednesday. Some model outliers suggest a bit more snow possible in Norton and Graham counties, up to 3 inches, but most models keep the amounts less than one inch even there. Large upper ridge will build in the wake of that system for Friday and the remainder of the forecast period. Dry conditions are expected and slowly moderating temperatures, near normal Friday to slightly above normal by Monday. Due to light winds, no fire weather issues expected, though relative humidity will occasionally drop into the teens and 20s during the afternoon. && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Tuesday night) Issued at 955 PM MST Mon Nov 30 2020 VFR conditions will prevail through the majority of the TAF period -- through sunset Tuesday. Cirrus will increase from west- east Tuesday morning, with ceilings lowering to 8-12 KFT by 00Z Wed. MVFR ceilings (2000-2500 ft AGL) may rapidly develop near the end of the TAF period (Tuesday evening).. particularly at the GLD terminal. Light W-SW winds will prevail overnight, shifting to the NW-NNW at 12-17 knots after sunrise, strengthening to 20-30 knots by late morning (~17-18Z).. with gusts as high as 35-40 knots during the afternoon. && .GLD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KS...NONE. CO...NONE. NE...NONE. && SHORT TERM...AW LONG TERM...024 AVIATION...VINCENT
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Goodland KS 1000 PM MST Mon Nov 30 2020 COZ090>092-KSZ001>004-013>016-027>029-041-042-NEZ079>081-020500- Yuma-Kit Carson-Cheyenne-Rawlins-Decatur-Norton-Sherman-Thomas- Sheridan-Graham-Wallace-Logan-Gove-Greeley-Wichita-Dundy-Hitchcock- Red Willow- 1000 PM MST Mon Nov 30 2020 /1100 PM CST Mon Nov 30 2020/ This hazardous weather outlook is for extreme southwest Nebraska... northwest Kansas and east central Colorado. .DAY ONE...THROUGH TONIGHT... No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH MONDAY... Occasional light snow and flurries are expected Wednesday and Thursday. Accumulations of less than one inch are currently forecast. Brisk north winds on Wednesday will result in wind chills in the teens throughout the day. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed. Vincent
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
12 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Precipitation across the county ranged from 0.50 to 1. This was near the normal precipitation range of 0.25 to 1. Key impacts: drought.
Precipitation across the county ranged from 0.25 to 1. This was near the normal precipitation range of 0.50 to 1. Key impacts: drought.
Precipitation across the county ranged from 0.25 to 1. This was near the normal precipitation range of 0.25 to 1. Key impacts: drought.
Precipitation across the county ranged from 0.25 to 0.50. This was near the normal precipitation range of 0.25 to 0.50. Key impacts: drought.
Precipitation across the county ranged from 0.25 to 0.50. This was near the normal precipitation range of 0.50 to 1. Key impacts: drought.
Precipitation across the county ranged from 0.25 to 0.50. This was near the normal precipitation range of 0.25 to 1. Key impacts: drought.
Precipitation across the county ranged from 0.25 to 0.50. This was near the normal precipitation range of 0.25 to 1. Key impacts: drought.
Precipitation across the county ranged from 0.25 to 1. This was near the normal precipitation range of 0.50 to 1. Key impacts: drought.
Precipitation across the county ranged from 0.10 to 0.50. This was near the normal precipitation range of 0.50 to 1. Key impacts: drought.
Precipitation across the county ranged from 0.50 to 1. This was near the normal precipitation range of 0.25 to 0.50. Key impacts: drought.
Precipitation across the county ranged from 0.25 to 1. This was near the normal precipitation range of 0.25 to 0.50. Key impacts: drought.
Precipitation across the county ranged from 0.25 to 0.50. This was near the normal precipitation range of 0.25 to 1. Key impacts: drought.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, December 2020
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: 933584, 933588, 933589, 933590, 933591, 933592, 933593, 933594, 933595, 933585, 933586, 933587.