A shortwave trough pushed from the southwest across much of the area and combined with a retreating warm front. That set the stage for a shallow warm layer just above the surface resulting in a freezing rain event for many counties.
Every event with a place to put it; 11 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.
A shortwave trough pushed from the southwest across much of the area and combined with a retreating warm front. That set the stage for a shallow warm layer just above the surface resulting in a freezing rain event for many counties.
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 Jan 16, 3:57 PM CST, 1 hour 3 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Dodge City KS 357 PM CST Thu Jan 16 2020 .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Friday) Issued at 355 PM CST Thu Jan 16 2020 The magnitude of cold airmass and cloud cover has kept temperatures colder than some of the recent models and forecasts had for today, and perhaps the area around Elkhart may be the only areas that briefly see temperatures above freezing this afternoon before diurnal curve has an effect. Radar already showing the elevated echos across far western Kansas with most of precip likely evaporating under the 10 to 15 + degree dew point depressions. Liberal was reporting already, so the first round of light Pcpn may be seen along the state line south of highway 400 before the advisory timeframe begins by 5 pm. No significant changes we're made to the current forecast for tonight's sleet an freezing rain event. Models have consistently indicated initial possibility for snow and sleet with a turn to a deeper warm layer and high certainty for widespread freezing rain. Total liquid precipitation of converted to ice would be in the warning criterion range, however the rain rates, (low snow to liquid ratios) coupled withe the NAM/HiRES models consistent with wind speeds below 10 knots for until the end of the event would generally negate the drop shedding that typically leads to higher ice accretion. The timing of the winter weather advisory was moved up a couple of hours to be in effect now as some light perception has begun. .LONG TERM...(Friday night through Thursday) Issued at 355 PM CST Thu Jan 16 2020 Gusty northwest winds will return on Friday which will create some downslope and much greater potential for highs in the upper 50s and 60s in the far west and cooler 40s in central Kansas as the clouds take much of the day to clear. By saturday , broad high pressure should dominate the region, followed by reinforcing surface high pressure from the northern Plains. This should relegate high temperatures to the 40s for most of the week. The next precipitation producing wave in the EC model moves though mid week. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Friday afternoon) Issued at 1111 AM CST Thu Jan 16 2020 A rapid onset of wintry mix of precipitation is likely by late afternoon across the southwest sections of the forecast area. Sleet of freezing rain showers could develop as early as 00 UTC with IFR ceilings moving out of the panhandles and overspreading all the terminals terminals in the 03 to 06 timeframe. Periods of freezing rain will then prevail during the overnight hours before the warm conveyor precipitation belt lifts eastward out of the area into central Kansas likely between 09 and 12 UTC. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DDC 27 47 27 44 / 90 30 0 0 GCK 26 52 25 45 / 80 10 0 0 EHA 29 59 24 46 / 70 0 0 0 LBL 28 57 23 45 / 80 10 0 0 HYS 26 42 26 43 / 90 50 10 0 P28 30 44 29 45 / 100 80 0 0 && .DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory until 9 AM CST /8 AM MST/ Friday for KSZ030-031-043>046-061>066-074>081-084>090. && SHORT TERM...Russell LONG TERM...Russell AVIATION...Russell
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Dodge City KS 504 AM CST Thu Jan 16 2020 KSZ030-031-043>046-061>066-074>081-084>090-171100- 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- 504 AM CST Thu Jan 16 2020 /404 AM MST Thu Jan 16 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 ---------------- Wintry weather is expected to develop across across southwest, central and south central Kansas later this afternoon and continue through tonight and early Friday. This is expected to cause hazardous travel conditions. There is still some uncertainty as to expected amounts of ice accumulation. Portions of south central Kansas could see more accumulation if freezing rain becomes more predominant in that area. Check back for later updates. Day 1 Hazards ------------- * Non-thunderstorm wind: Limited risk * Freezing rain: Significant risk * Snow: Limited risk .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. Days 2-7 Discussion ------------------- Freezing rain and sleet are expected to be ongoing over central and south central Kansas first thing Friday morning but the freezing rain and sleet will be coming to an end during the morning as the storm system moves out of the area and temperatures rise above freezing. Days 2-7 Hazards ---------------- * Friday - Non thunderstorm wind: Elevated risk - Ice accumulation: Elevated risk - Fire weather: Significant risk * Saturday - Non thunderstorm wind: Limited risk * Sunday No hazards. * Monday No hazards. * Tuesday No hazards. * Wednesday - Non thunderstorm wind: Limited risk .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.
11 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Ice accumulation of 1/4 to 1/2 of an inch across the county.
Ice accumulation of around 1/4 of an inch across the entire county.
Ice accumulation of around 1/4 of an inch across the entire county.
Ice accumulation of around 1/2 of an inch in Kismet.
Ice accumulation of a little less than 1/2 of an inch 12 miles northwest of Coldwater.
Ice accumulation of a little less than 1/4 of an inch 5 miles SW of Howell (just into Gray county).
Ice accumulation of a little less than 1/3 of an inch 5 miles north of Dodge City.
Ice accumulation of 1/4 of an inch 8 miles ESE of Acres.
Power lines were brought down by the weight of ice 4 miles NW of Rozel.
Ice accumulation of 1/3 to 1/2 inch near Haviland.
Ice accumulation of 1/3 to 1/2 inch near Haviland.
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, January 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: 874156, 874157, 874158, 874160, 874161, 874162, 874163, 874164, 874165, 874166, 874167.