A storm system moved across the southern plains and across northeast Oklahoma during the morning hours of February 5th, 2020. Cold air on the north side of the system and copious moisture from the storm system, led to light snow falling over southeast Kansas during the morning of February 5th.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 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.
A storm system moved across the southern plains and across northeast Oklahoma during the morning hours of February 5th, 2020. Cold air on the north side of the system and copious moisture from the storm system, led to light snow falling over southeast Kansas during the morning of February 5th. Snowfall amounts were mainly in the 1 to 3 inch range.
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 5, 5:21 AM CST, 39 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wichita KS 521 AM CST Wed Feb 5 2020 .SHORT TERM...(Today through Saturday) Issued at 309 AM CST Wed Feb 5 2020 Shallow cold air continues to dominate the weather pattern, with the first round of wintry precipitation already a memory. But, this will mainly be a lull in the precipitation, as a southern stream shortwave currently over extreme wrn TX lifts NE across OK into the Ozarks today. Already seeing a large expanse of precip returns over central OK at this time, lifting rapidly to the N-NE towards KS. Lots of moisture and lift associated with this shortwave as it lifts north, for a widespread snow chance today for areas mainly east of the KS Turnpike. Latest bufkit soundings suggest deep saturation will occur as this shortwave lifts north, with good mid level frontogenesis in the main snow growth region. Forecast soundings suggest an all snow event, as lots of cold air (below 0 deg C) is located across KS. The main concern today will be snow amounts expected today through this evening, with the heaviest snowfall expected near the intersection of the OK/KS and MO border. Could see some 1"/hour snowfall rates across portions of SE KS, especially for Labette, Neosho and Montgomery Co's during the 9am to 2pm time frame, as impressive mid level frontogenesis sits over SE KS, with deep saturation in this layer. This will be the time frame with the heaviest snowfall rates. Think 4 to 6 inches still looks possible in the extreme SE portions of the forecast area, with the current winter storm warning looking fine. Think snowfall gradient will fall off, the further west you go into the Flint Hills, with Greenwood, Butler and Cowley co's seeing snowfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches. So will keep a winter weather advisory going for counties just to the west of the warning. The big question is how far back to the west to go with the advisory, as a sharp snowfall gradient will exist the further west you go, given lots of low level dry air currently over areas west of the KS Turnpike. Latest Hi-rez models suggest areas west of the KS Turnpike, including the Wichita Metro, will see a burst of light snow this morning, with mainly a dusting of snowfall with amounts less than a half an inch. Also the same for Newton and Marion and Harper. So gonna cancel the advisory for these counties west of the Turnpike, as travel impacts will be minimal or none at all. Tonight: most of the snow should be winding down rather rapidly for the evening hours, with a cold night expected for most of the region. Expect some of the coldest minimum temperatures over SE KS, where weak ridging will move over the area by Thu morning, with fresh snow cover in place. Went a little below guidance numbers for min temperatures, given the fresh snow cover. Thu-Sat: After the southern stream shortwave pushes northeast, expect a modest warmup for Thu thru Sat, as West to NW flow in its wake leads to downslope flow and weak warm advection and dry conditions for the end of the week. One exception to the warmup on Thu and probably Fri, will be over eastern and southeast KS as fresh snow cover and some lingering cloud cover will keep max temps in the lower 30s. Ketcham .LONG TERM...(Saturday night through Tuesday) Issued at 309 AM CST Wed Feb 5 2020 Warm advection and the warmup looks to really get going for the end of the weekend, as westerly flow leads to southerly breezes returning to the area by Sat evening into Sun. Expect max temperatures to climb back above normal by the end of the weekend. Another cold front looks to push south across the forecast area for late Sun night or early Mon. Moisture is lacking as this front pushes south, but some limited moisture may lead to either rain or a mix of rain and snow for SE KS, on Monday. Ketcham && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Thursday morning) Issued at 517 AM CST Wed Feb 5 2020 Light to moderate snow will impact southeast Kansas for this morning and afternoon with reduced visibilities and accumulating snowfall. Snow will slowly shift east of southeast Kansas with low clouds scattering out from west to east across the region today. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Wichita-KICT 32 18 39 27 / 40 10 0 0 Hutchinson 31 17 40 26 / 20 0 0 0 Newton 30 17 38 26 / 40 10 0 0 ElDorado 31 17 37 26 / 70 10 0 0 Winfield-KWLD 32 17 38 26 / 70 20 0 0 Russell 32 14 41 26 / 10 0 0 10 Great Bend 33 14 43 26 / 10 0 0 0 Salina 31 16 40 26 / 10 0 0 0 McPherson 30 16 38 25 / 20 0 0 0 Coffeyville 32 16 35 23 / 90 50 0 0 Chanute 31 16 33 24 / 90 40 0 0 Iola 30 16 33 24 / 90 40 10 0 Parsons-KPPF 32 16 34 23 / 90 40 0 0 && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory until midnight CST tonight for KSZ053- 069>072-092>095-098. Winter Storm Warning until midnight CST tonight for KSZ096-099- 100. && SHORT TERM...Ketcham LONG TERM...Ketcham AVIATION...CDJ
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Wichita KS 436 AM CST Wed Feb 5 2020 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-061045- 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- 436 AM CST Wed Feb 5 2020 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of Central Kansas, South Central Kansas and Southeast Kansas. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Another chance of snow is expected for areas east of the Kansas Turnpike today, especially across southeast Kansas. The heaviest snowfall is expected in southeast Kansas where four to six inches is possible. Snow accumulations of two to five inches are possible across the Flint Hills by tonight. See the latest winter weather advisory and winter storm warnings for details. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday There is a slight chance for a mix of rain and snow for Monday night through Tuesday. Little if any snow accumulations are expected. .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 Ketcham
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Snowfall amounts generally ranged from 1 to 3 inches, with the highest amount reported 1 mile northeast of Caney, Kansas of 2.5 inches.
Snow amounts were generally 1 to 3 inches, with the highest amounts reported in Parsons, Kansas of 2.5 inches, and Bartlett, Kansas with 2 inches.
Snowfall amounts were generally one to two inches, with the heaviest amount reported in Erie, Kansas, of 2 inches.
Snowfall amounts were generally one to two inches. A COOP observer in Chautauqua, Kansas, reported 1.5 inches.
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: 875552, 875553, 875554, 875555.