An upper level low again tracked across the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles, allowing for several inches of snow across much of the southern half of the CWA with highest reports near the Oklahoma state line. Broad banding of snow with the 700mb trough stretched across Seward to Clark Counties to include Meade, where the highest amounts fell up to 12-14 inches.
Every event with a place to put it; 23 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 upper level low again tracked across the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles, allowing for several inches of snow across much of the southern half of the CWA with highest reports near the Oklahoma state line. Broad banding of snow with the 700mb trough stretched across Seward to Clark Counties to include Meade, where the highest amounts fell up to 12-14 inches. Couple with the weak upslope easterly flow near the surface, this helped to aid in the widespread snow.
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 Dec 12, 5:38 PM CST, 4 hours 22 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Dodge City KS 538 PM CST Sat Dec 12 2020 ...Updated Aviation Discussion... .SHORT TERM...(This afternoon through Sunday night) Issued at 1220 PM CST Sat Dec 12 2020 ...Widespread Accumulating Snow Tonight... A strong cold closed cyclone was over Wyoming at midday. A strong vorticity maximum swinging down the backside of this trough will rapidly carve out another closed midlevel cyclone over northern New Mexico by midnight tonight. As this occurs, forcing for ascent will increase rapidly after sunset this evening, first across the western zones adjacent to Colorado, then rapidly expanding eastward this evening. The highest impacts from the heaviest snow are expected after midnight through sunrise Sunday. This fortunate nocturnal timing (and not a work/school day) will help minimize travel impacts. Still, snow is expected to rapidly accumulate tonight given a cold ground and nocturnal timing, and cold roadways are expected to accept rapid snow accumulations easily. Expect most roadways in the advisory/warning areas to be snowpacked by sunrise. This storm will be moving quickly, such that while forcing will be quite strong, producing impressive snowfall rates, the height of the storm/worst impacts will only last about 9 hours or less at any one location. This will serve to limit snowfall accumulations to an extent. That being said, model consensus is focusing on higher snowfall amounts across the western/SW zones, with many areas expected to approach/achieve winter storm warning criteria (6 inches). As such, after coordinating with WFO Pueblo/Amarillo, expanded the inherited winter storm warning westward to the Colorado line. Also expanded the warning one row of counties north, but confidence of warning criteria being achieved in the northern portions of the US 50 corridor is much less, compared to the southern portions of these counties. In other words, there will another tight snowfall gradient from south to north. Used a winter weather advisory to buffer the northern border of the warning, but still expect little if any snowfall along the I-70 corridor. Used a blend of 12z NAM, ECMWF and WPC QPF, with a slightly higher snow/liquid ratio of 12:1 to obtain the snowfall amounts. With cold advection (temperatures falling through the 20s) increased the ratio to 12:1. Storm total snow grid has near 6 inches for many locations west through south of Dodge City, with amounts tapering rapidly north of Dodge City. Also needed to expand the warning to Kiowa/Barber, where amounts to near 6 inches are appearing likely through Sunday morning. North winds will increase some while the snow falls, in response to a surface high in Nebraska, and surface low pressure in eastern New Mexico. Some gusts to near 30 mph are expected, with the strongest winds along the preferred US 83 corridor. These winds will be sufficient for some blowing/drifting (especially open areas of western zones) but overall winds are expected to be less than impressive with this snowfall. Strong subsidence behind the departing storm will rapidly clear the sky daylight Sunday, with full sunshine by afternoon. Significantly undercut afternoon temperature guidance with the fresh snowpack. Expecting intense radiational cooling over the snowpack Sunday night/Monday morning, with high pressure and a clear sky sending many locations plummeting to the single digits. Undercut guidance, but probably not enough. .LONG TERM...(Monday through Saturday) Issued at 214 PM CST Sat Dec 12 2020 Transient shortwave ridging will pass early Monday, before the next vigorous shortwave dives through the Great Basin late Monday. Increasing clouds are expected Monday with SWly flow aloft establishing. Southeast winds will increase markedly in response to the approaching system, averaging near 20 mph across the western counties. Daylight Monday will be dry, and again undercut temperature guidance on the expected snowpack. Another vigorous midlevel closed cyclone will deliver another round of snow on Tuesday. Progressive nature of this system and a less than impressive moisture supply is expected to keep snow amounts modest. Still, the limited window of dynamic forcing appears impressive, with 1-3 inch snow accumulations likely, limited by short duration. Temperatures will spend most of Tuesday in the 20s. Accepted NBM's likely pop grids, but north winds are likely not strong enough. Another very cold morning Wednesday, once again falling to the single digits and teens with snow covered ground enhancing radiational cooling. Wednesday and Thursday will be dry and quiet, with slowly moderating afternoon temperatures. 12z ECMWF suggests another sharp progressive trough/associated cold front around Friday, but precipitation appears limited. && .AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Sunday evening) Issued at 506 PM CST Sat Dec 12 2020 The Latest BUFR soundings were in good agreement with MVFR ceilings this evening lowering into to the IFR category between 03z and 06z Sunday as areas of light snow develops across southwest Kansas. The snow will become steadier and heavier at times between 06z and 12z in the Garden City and Dodge City area with snowfall rates of at least one inch an hour being possible. In Liberal the best time for the steadier and heavier snowfall will be mainly between 09z and 18z Sunday. Hays can also expect a period of snowfall overnight but the snowfall here will be light. The chance for snow will then continue at all TAF sites into the early afternoon and then begin to taper off. Easterly winds at around 10 knots will shift to the north and increase to around 15 knots late tonight and early Sunday. Visibilities less than one mile can be expected overnight and early Sunday due to the heavier snowfall and area of blowing snow. Snowfall totals from this evening tonight into Sunday will range from less than one inch at Hays to around 7 inches in the Liberal area. At Garden City and Dodge City the snowfall totals currently are expected to be from 5 to 7 inches. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DDC 23 34 10 34 / 100 100 0 0 GCK 23 35 9 32 / 100 80 0 0 EHA 24 35 13 36 / 90 90 0 0 LBL 23 35 9 34 / 90 90 0 0 HYS 21 42 17 39 / 30 20 0 0 P28 28 37 17 32 / 100 100 0 0 && .DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory until 3 PM CST Sunday for KSZ043>045-064- 079-081. Winter Storm Warning until 3 PM CST /2 PM MST/ Sunday for KSZ061>063-074>078-080-084>090. && SHORT TERM...Turner LONG TERM...Turner AVIATION...Burgert
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Dodge City KS 145 AM CST Sat Dec 12 2020 KSZ030-031-043>046-061>066-074>081-084>090-131200- 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- 145 AM CST Sat Dec 12 2020 /1245 AM MST Sat Dec 12 2020/ 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 system will begin to influence the area tonight and through Sunday. A winter storm warning and winter weather advisory is in effect. See message for details. Day 1 Hazards ------------- * Snow: Elevated risk .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. Days 2-7 Discussion ------------------- A winter storm warning and winter weather advisory is in effect. See message for details. Days 2-7 Hazards ---------------- * Sunday - Excessive cold: Limited risk - Snow: Elevated risk * Monday - Excessive cold: Limited risk - Non thunderstorm wind: Limited risk - Snow: Elevated risk * Tuesday - Excessive cold: Limited risk - Non thunderstorm wind: Limited risk - Snow: Limited risk * Wednesday - Excessive cold: 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 https://weather.gov/crh/ghwo?sid=ddc
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
12 winter storm, 11 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Snowfall of 9 inches was observed at a location 12 miles NW of Englewood.
Snowfall of 9 inches was observed in Ulysses.
Snowfall of 8 inches was observed in Meade.
Snowfall of 8 inches was observed in Coldwater.
Snowfall of 7 inches was observed in Elkhart.
Snowfall of 7 inches was observed in Hugoton.
Snowfall of 6 inches was observed in Liberal.
Snowfall of 6 inches was observed in Minneola.
Snowfall of 6 inches was observed at a location 11 miles north of Tice.
Snowfall of 6 inches was observed in Sublette.
Snowfall of 6 inches was observed in Johnson.
Snowfall of 6 inches was observed in Johnson.
Snowfall of 5.3 inches was reported in Ulysses.
Snowfall of 5 inches was reported in Bloom.
Snowfall of 5 inches was reported in Dodge City.
Snowfall of 5 inches was reported in Copeland.
Snowfall of 4 inches was reported in Greensburg.
Snowfall of 4 inches was reported across southern Finney County.
Snowfall of 3.5 inches was reported in Lakin.
Snowfall of 3 inches was reported in Syracuse.
Snowfall of 3 inches was reported in Medicine Lodge.
Snowfall of 2.5 inches was reported in Pratt.
Snowfall of 2 inches was reported in Larned.
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: 937040, 937041, 937042, 937043, 937044, 937045, 937046, 937047, 937048, 937049, 937050, 937051, 937052, 937053, 937054, 937055, 937056, 937057, 937058, 937059, 937060, 937061, 937062.