Light to moderate snow fell across much of central and south central Kansas on February 19th into the 20th, 2020. Most locations received snow amounts of one half to 2 inches in depth, but a few isolated areas accumulated up to 3 inches.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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 ICT wrote it up.
Light to moderate snow fell across much of central and south central Kansas on February 19th into the 20th, 2020. Most locations received snow amounts of one half to 2 inches in depth, but a few isolated areas accumulated up to 3 inches.
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 Wichita, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 19, 3:28 PM CST, 2 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wichita KS 328 PM CST Wed Feb 19 2020 .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Saturday night) Issued at 325 PM CST Wed Feb 19 2020 Highlights: 1) Snow/rain this evening and tonight 2) Temperatures below normal for Thursday and Friday 3) Lower 50s for Saturday Headline: Winter Weather Advisory thru 6AM (Barton, Rice, Reno & Kingman counties) Throughout the morning and early afternoon today, radar imagery has depicted a broad swath of reflectivity across southern Kansas, though much of this was evaporating before it hit the ground due to a very dry layer of air at 850mb. This dry layer has slowly moistened from west to east across the state during the day, and as of mid-afternoon, light snow has finally started to precipitate to the ground west of I-135 in the Kingman area of south central Kansas. Expecting the dry air layer to continue to moisten over the next several hours, with the column finally saturating considerably by around 6PM or after. This will coincide with a secondary surge of increasing lift and mid-level frontogenesis to increase precipitation coverage this evening and especially overnight tonight. Model forecast soundings show a marginal/questionable temperature profile for an hour or two when light rain or a wintry mix of rain and snow will be possible initially. However, a fairly rapid transition over to all snow is expected this evening. Based on latest data, think that forecast accumulation amounts are still on track with a widespread swath of up to 1-2 inches. Omega and frontogenesis parameters still indicate that there could be a narrow corridor of higher amounts of up to 3 inches or so roughly between Highway 50 and the I-70. Although expanding the previously issued Winter Weather Advisory one row of counties to the east was considered, did not have enough confidence at this point to do so considering the inherited advisory already captures the location of greatest confidence in the higher amounts. Therefore, will continue it as is for now and continue to monitor for trends throughout the evening. Precipitation should rapidly end around 6AM for most locations. Temperatures during the day Thursday will be rather cold, topping out in the low to mid 30s area-wide. Cloud cover will likely linger throughout the morning before clearing during the afternoon hours. There is a subtle wave that will move over the Front Range on Friday and again on Saturday. The next more substantial system comes on shore over southern California on Saturday and quickly tracks to the Plains for Sunday. Temperatures should bump up to the lower 40s on Friday, but there is potential that they could be a tad higher as discussed in the previous discussion. .LONG TERM...(Sunday through Wednesday) Issued at 325 PM CST Wed Feb 19 2020 Highlights: 1) Rain chances Sunday with a possible mix Sunday night-Monday 2) Near normal temps Sunday and Monday 3) Possible rain, rain/snow or snow Monday eve to Tuesday eve Changes: Adjusted precipitation chances for Sunday-Monday As mentioned in the short term section, a system will move east from the Desert Southwest and make it to the Front Range then Plains on Sunday. This system will bring the next chances for precipitation. The trend remains for rain to move in Saturday night with brief potential for a rain/snow mix Sunday night into early Monday in central Kansas and portions of the Flint Hills. An even later arrival of precipitation is expected; there is a greater likelihood of precipitation based on the models during the day on Sunday thus the chances were increased from the previous forecast. The track of this system could be adjusted which could alter the type of precipitation but relative consistency in the track exists. Temperatures are forecast to be near normal for Sunday and Monday which is around 50 degrees. Another wave is shown to pass on the back side of the Sunday system for Tuesday, but there is little confidence in this system with the model differences. Precipitation chances remain relatively the same thus no changes were made to that element. At this point the types would be initially rain, possibly a mix then snow. Stay tuned as this system will probably adjust its track/amplitude which would alter precipitation chances. A cool down is expected next Wednesday after the wave moves through with highs back to the mid 30s to lower 40s. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Thursday afternoon) Issued at 1157 AM CST Wed Feb 19 2020 Latest radar imagery shows a broad area of reflectivity across southern and western Kansas. However, a layer of very dry air in the lower atmosphere is preventing at least a portion of this from reaching the ground. Models continue to show that the dry layer of air will continue to moisten throughout the afternoon and evening, however, which will increase chances for precipitation. It will likely begin as rain or a rain/snow mix before transitioning to all snow later in the evening. Timing still looks relatively unchanged from the previous forecast, other than a few small tweaks. In addition to snowfall potential, cigs will drop into the MVFR and IFR categories along with reductions in visibility, especially in heavier snow bands. Highest confidence in low cigs and reductions in visibility due to moderate snow roughly from KRSL, KGBD, and KRSL with lower confidence at KSLN, KICT, and KCNU. Most, if not all, precipitation should be winding down by around 12z, but MVFR cigs could linger for most sites throughout the rest of the morning. Snowfall amounts of generally 1-2" with locally higher amounts in central and southern Kansas that were mentioned in the previous aviation discussion still look realistic based on the latest model data received this morning. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Wichita-KICT 26 35 19 43 / 80 30 0 0 Hutchinson 22 33 18 42 / 90 30 0 0 Newton 23 33 18 41 / 80 20 0 0 ElDorado 25 34 18 42 / 80 20 0 0 Winfield-KWLD 29 37 19 44 / 50 20 0 0 Russell 19 34 18 45 / 80 10 0 0 Great Bend 19 32 17 44 / 100 10 0 0 Salina 21 35 18 44 / 80 10 0 0 McPherson 21 33 17 41 / 90 20 0 0 Coffeyville 30 37 18 44 / 50 10 0 0 Chanute 26 35 17 42 / 70 20 0 0 Iola 25 34 16 42 / 70 20 0 0 Parsons-KPPF 28 36 17 43 / 70 20 0 0 && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory until 6 AM CST Thursday for KSZ047-050- 067-082. && SHORT TERM...TAV/VJP LONG TERM...VJP AVIATION...TAV
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Wichita KS 441 AM CST Wed Feb 19 2020 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-201045- Russell-Lincoln-Barton-Ellsworth-Saline-Rice-McPherson-Marion-Chase- Reno-Harvey-Butler-Greenwood-Woodson-Allen-Kingman-Sedgwick-Harper- Sumner-Cowley-Elk-Wilson-Neosho-Chautauqua-Montgomery-Labette- 441 AM CST Wed Feb 19 2020 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of Central Kansas, South Central Kansas and Southeast Kansas. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Snow is expected to develop during the afternoon in central Kansas and spread south during the evening and overnight hours. Snowfall amounts between one and two inches are likely, with the greatest amounts south of a line from Great Bend to McPherson and north of a line from Kingman to Wichita. Isolated three inch totals are possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday Flurries may linger near the Oklahoma border in southeast Kansas Thursday morning. A mix of rain and snow is forecast Saturday night for areas north of highway 400. A changeover to rain is expected before noon on Sunday. Rain may mix with or change to snow prior to ending central Kansas Sunday night. There is another chance of snow for the area roughly north of highway 400 Monday night. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated today or tonight. && For a graphical version of this information, see our webpage at: https://weather.gov/crh/ghwo?sid=ict Howerton
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Snow amounts across the county ranged between 1 and 3 inches in depth.
Snow amounts across the county ranged between 1 and 3 inches in depth.
Snow amounts across the county ranged between 1 and 3 inches in depth.
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, February 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: 872235, 872236, 872237.