A quick, heavy-snow hitting system passed over the Nebraska Panhandle producing heavy snowfall measuring up to 8 inches in some communities across the northern tier of counties in the panhandle during mainly the evening and early overnight of the 13th and 14th.
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 CYS wrote it up.
A quick, heavy-snow hitting system passed over the Nebraska Panhandle producing heavy snowfall measuring up to 8 inches in some communities across the northern tier of counties in the panhandle during mainly the evening and early overnight of the 13th and 14th.
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 Cheyenne, WY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 13, 4:50 AM MST, 2 hours 3 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Cheyenne WY
550 AM MDT Fri Mar 13 2020
.SHORT TERM...(Today through Saturday)
Issued at 410 AM MDT Fri Mar 13 2020
Split flow pattern continues with upper low along the southern CA
coast and active west-northwest flow aloft across northern half of
the CONUS. Surface low was situated over central UT with a trough
extending northeast into southeast WY. A cold front extended from
southwest MT through central SD into northern WI. South-southeast
upslope flow along the Cheyenne Ridge is producing areas of freezing
fog and drizzle. Visibilities ranged from less than 1/2 mile along
I-80 Summit west of Cheyenne, to 3 to 5 miles from Cheyenne to the
NE state line. WYDOT webcams indicated very low visibilities across
the South Laramie Range Foothills, and this zone was added to the
Freezing Fog Advisory valid until Noon MDT. Black ice with minor
ice accumulations on road surfaces will create very hazardous travel
for the morning commute.
Short range models/ensembles remain in good agreement with the CA
upper low transitioning to an open wave and lifting northeast across
the central/southern Rockies and High Plains later this afternoon
and tonight. Large scale lift and low level southeasterly upslope
will produce widespread light to moderate snow beginning late
this morning and continuing into early Saturday morning. Gusty
winds of 25 to 35 mph later this afternoon and evening will cause
patchy blowing snow along and east of the Laramie Range. Storm
total snow amounts were adjusted upward a bit from 18Z Thursday,
with 3 to 6 inches for much of the NE Panhandle, 1 to 4 inches for
much of southeast WY, and 4 to 8 inches over the Snowy/Sierra Madre
Ranges. Snow will taper off from west to east later Saturday morning,
but linger over the Sierra Madre Range into the afternoon. High
temperatures today will range from the upper 20s to upper 30s, and
mid 30s to mid 40s Saturday.
.LONG TERM...(Saturday night through Thursday)
Issued at 410 AM MDT Fri Mar 13 2020
A drier and milder pattern is shaping up Sunday and Monday courtesy
of a broad upper ridge from the central/southern Rockies eastward.
Temperatures will moderate to near seasonal normals. A shortwave
trough settling southeast into the Upper Midwest Tuesday will allow
slight cooling, followed by milder temperatures Wednesday. Meanwhile,
a potent upper low will meander south along the Pacific coast,
eventually moving inland over CA Wednesday. The flow aloft will back
to the south-southwest with subtropical moisture spreading north-
northeast over the Front Range and High Plains. Periods of light rain,
drizzle and snow are forecast, with PoPs increasing from chance
Tuesday and Wednesday to likely Thursday as large scale lift and low
level upslope result in more widespread coverage. Will need to monitor
future model trends with the CA upper low as it ejects northeast toward
the central Rockies Thursday night and central Plains Friday. Both the
Canadian and GFS depict a 543dm low over NE, whereas the ECMWF progs
a 540dm low over eastern CO, similar to the track of the March 2019
bomb cyclone.
&&
.AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Saturday morning)
Issued at 550 AM MDT Fri Mar 13 2020
IFR conditions continue with fog and mist across the southern
terminals. Snow will fill in later this afternoon bringing Low
visibility and LIFR cigs. Expect poor flying conditions through
the next 12 to 24 hours.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...
Issued at 315 AM MDT Fri Mar 13 2020
Fire weather concerns will be low into early next week. Areas of
freezing fog and drizzle will prevail early this morning along the
Cheyenne Ridge of southeast Wyoming and the southern Nebraska Panhandle.
Snow will develop later this morning and increase in coverage and
intensity this afternoon and evening, with several inches expected
across the high plains as well as the southern Wyoming mountains. The
snow will taper off Saturday morning, followed by drier and milder
conditions into Sunday and Monday.
&&
.CYS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WY...Freezing Fog Advisory until noon MDT today for WYZ116-117.
NE...Winter Weather Advisory until noon MDT Saturday for NEZ002-003-
019>021-054-055-095-096.
&&
SHORT TERM...MAJ
LONG TERM...MAJ
AVIATION...AL
FIRE WEATHER...MAJHazardous Weather Outlook...CORRECTED National Weather Service Cheyenne WY 427 AM MDT Fri Mar 13 2020 WYZ116>119-141030- South Laramie Range-South Laramie Range Foothills- Central Laramie County-East Laramie County- 427 AM MDT Fri Mar 13 2020 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of southeast Wyoming. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT Areas of freezing fog and drizzle will continue this morning. Low visibilities and minor ice accumulations on road surfaces will result in very hazardous travel, including Interstate 80 from the Summit east through Cheyenne to the Nebraska border. A Freezing Fog Advisory is in effect until Noon MDT for the South Laramie Range and Foothills. Periods of light snow will develop this afternoon and continue tonight. Total accumulations of one to three inches are expected. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY Snow will taper off from west to east later Saturday morning. Periods of rain and snow are forecast Tuesday through Thursday. .Spotter information statement... Spotter activation will not be required. WYZ101>115-141030- Converse County Lower Elevations-Niobrara County- North Laramie Range-Ferris/Seminoe/Shirley Mountains- Shirley Basin-Central Laramie Range and Southwest Platte County- East Platte County-Goshen County-Central Carbon County- North Snowy Range Foothills-Southwest Carbon County- Sierra Madre Range-Upper North Platte River Basin-Snowy Range- Laramie Valley- 427 AM MDT Fri Mar 13 2020 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of east central Wyoming...south central Wyoming and southeast Wyoming. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT Periods of light snow will develop this afternoon and continue tonight. Total accumulations of one to four inches are expected for lower elevations, with four to eight inches over the Snowy and Sierra Madre Ranges. Winds gusting to 25 mph will produce patchy blowing snow east of the Laramie Range. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY Snow will taper off from west to east later Saturday morning. Periods of rain and snow are forecast Tuesday through Thursday. .Spotter information statement... Spotter activation will not be required. NEZ002-003-019>021-054-055-095-096-141030- Dawes-Box Butte-Scotts Bluff County-Banner County-Morrill- Kimball County-Cheyenne-North Sioux-South Sioux- 427 AM MDT Fri Mar 13 2020 This hazardous weather outlook is for the western Nebraska Panhandle. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT Patchy freezing drizzle and fog will develop early this morning along the Cheyenne Ridge, including the Interstate 80 corridor from the Nebraska border to Sidney. Occasional low visibility and slick roadways will impact the morning commute. Periods of light to moderate snow will develop this afternoon and continue tonight. Winds gusting between 25 and 35 mph will create patchy blowing snow. Total accumulations of two to six inches are expected. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect from 6 AM this morning through Noon MDT Saturday. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY Snow will taper off from west to east later Saturday morning. Periods of rain and snow are forecast Tuesday through Thursday. .Spotter information statement... Spotter activation will not be required.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Observers near Marsland and Chadron State Park reported snowfall measurement of 7.0 and 8.0 inches respectively.
Heavy snow reports of 6.0 inches in Alliance and 8.0 inches in Hemingford were reported.
Observer located ten miles south of Fort Robinson measured snowfall of 6.0 inches.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nebraska in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Nebraska, March 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: 873365, 873364, 873367.