Snow developed during the overnight hours on February 2nd and continued into midday. Temperatures were in the teens which when combined with northeast winds of 20 to 30 mph caused reduced visibility and blowing and drifting of the dry powdery snow.
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 TOP wrote it up.
Snow developed during the overnight hours on February 2nd and continued into midday. Temperatures were in the teens which when combined with northeast winds of 20 to 30 mph caused reduced visibility and blowing and drifting of the dry powdery snow. Parts of central and east central Kansas received 4 to 7 inches of snow from this storm.
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 Topeka, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 31, 10:35 PM CST, 2 hours 25 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Topeka KS 1035 PM CST Mon Jan 31 2022 ...Update to aviation forecast discussion... .DISCUSSION... Issued at 222 PM CST Mon Jan 31 2022 Recent water vapor imagery showing riding over the northern Plains though several waves were moving southeast out of the Pacific Northwest. Lee surface low pressure has continued the low-level warm air advection with 1 PM temps already in the upper 50s to mid 60s. There remains good agreement in a stronger wave pushing east across the US/Canadian border tonight into Tuesday as a broad upper trough takes shape over the Great Basin. A cold front with the former wave slides southeast through eastern Kansas late tonight into midday Tuesday. Low-level moisture in eastern Texas early today pushes north-northeast ahead of the front and brings some potential for drizzle and light rain mainly south of the Kansas Turnpike late tonight into Tuesday afternoon with highs still able to reach the middle to upper 40s under increasing clouds. The main concerns for this package continue to be for a winter storm Tuesday night into Thursday. As the upper trough digs out west and Arctic surface high pressure builds into the northern Plains, isentropic upglide slowly increases in the 290-280 K layer with frontogenesis peaking early Wednesday morning as the left-front quadrant of a strong jet steak moves in. Precipitation should become rather widespread overnight into midday Wednesday and could be at least moderate at times with some weak mid-level equivalent potential vorticity weakening stability, however the initial snow, especially in light rates, may struggle to accumulate with ground conditions currently above freezing, today's warm and sunny conditions, and above-freezing air temps through sunset Tuesday. Cooling near-surface conditions keep most of the troposphere below freezing and plenty of mid/upper level humidity for ice crystal formation, though the warm nose may be just warm enough for some rather light freezing rain or sleet in far southeast locations before dawn Wednesday. The cold/dry airmass to the north and a weak mid-level trough potentially bring a rather sharp cutoff to the northern end of precipitation, which could be over the far northern counties. Lighter precipitation looks to continue Wednesday afternoon into early Thursday morning as the upper trough advances into the southern Rockies though the nearby mid- level trough passes through and brings steadily-drier air and should end by late Thursday. Overall amounts haven't changed much, but model spread continues to be concerning with differences on the early/likely more robust precipitation amounts and the southwest dry air intrusion and confidence is still low enough to continue the Winter Storm Watch. North to northeast winds sustained around 20 MPH with gusts near 30 MPH will likely create some blowing and drifting of the heavier snows. The cold air building in keeps apparent temps below 10 F Wednesday morning through Friday morning with Thursday morning values in the -5 to -20 range. The remainder of the forecast is much more benign. The western upper trough progresses east across the southern Plains with northern branch energy remaining to the north, allowing for moderating temps. && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Tuesday night) Issued at 1028 PM CST Mon Jan 31 2022 VFR prevails at terminals with main concern being directional LLWS through 11Z. A fropa veers winds to the north by mid morning. Expect northerly winds above 10 kts through the remainder of the forecast period as low level moisture and light showers advect northward into the afternoon. Low level dry air advection may initially limit precipitation aft 00Z before the main system arrives and rain quickly changes to snow at all terminals from 03Z- 06Z. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 222 PM CST Mon Jan 31 2022 Temperatures have pushed well into the 60s, with the deeper mixing allowing for occasional gusts near 25 MPH. Elevated fire danger will continue through the late afternoon today. && .TOP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Storm Watch from Tuesday evening through Thursday morning for KSZ022>024-026-035>040-054>056-058-059. && DISCUSSION...65 AVIATION...22 FIRE WEATHER...65
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Topeka KS 650 PM CST Mon Jan 31 2022 KSZ008>012-020>024-026-034>040-054>056-058-059-020100- Republic-Washington-Marshall-Nemaha-Brown-Cloud-Clay-Riley- Pottawatomie-Jackson-Jefferson-Ottawa-Dickinson-Geary-Morris- Wabaunsee-Shawnee-Douglas-Lyon-Osage-Franklin-Coffey-Anderson- 650 PM CST Mon Jan 31 2022 This hazardous weather outlook is for east central...north central and northeast Kansas. .DAY ONE...Tonight No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. Accumulating wintry precipitation is likely Tuesday night through late Wednesday night. Snowfall amounts of over four inches are possible for much of the area. Light accumulations of freezing rain and sleet are also possible south of Interstate 35. Some blowing and drifting snow is also possible. A Winter Storm Watch is in effect for east central and portions of northeast and central Kansas. Wind chill values of negative 5 to negative 20 are forecast for Thursday morning. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed through tonight. && More detailed information can be accessed at... http://www.weather.gov/media/top/DssPacket.pdf
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
A combination of CoCoRaHS, COOP and public reports measured or estimated around 5 inches of snow across the northern half of the county. North winds of 20 to 30 mph caused widespread blowing and drifting of the snow. KS-LY-8: Americus 5.8 NNE reported 5 inches of snow.
A combination of CoCoRaHS, COOP and public reports measured or estimated around 5 inches of snow across the county. North winds of 20 to 30 mph caused widespread blowing and drifting of the snow. KS-OS-13: Scranton 6.7 SE measured 5 inches of snow.
KVOE radio station measured 5 inches of snow in Emporia. North winds of 20 to 30 mph caused widespread blowing and drifting of snow especially outside of the city.
A combination of CoCoRaHS, COOP and NWS reports measured or estimated around 5 inches of snow across the county. North winds of 20 to 30 mph caused widespread blowing and drifting of the snow. NWS employees measured between 4.5 and 5 inches of snow and the official NWS Topeka observation measured near 5 inches.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, February 2022
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: 994958, 994959, 994960, 994961.