A winter storm hit western and central Kansas, starting out with a prolonged duration of light drizzle and freezing drizzle for about 12 hours prior to the onset of heavier precipitation which included heavier freezing drizzle and a changeover to snow from north to south. As cold air poured in from the north, winds became a serious impact reducing visibility in the snow and blowing snow.
Every event with a place to put it; 12 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 winter storm hit western and central Kansas, starting out with a prolonged duration of light drizzle and freezing drizzle for about 12 hours prior to the onset of heavier precipitation which included heavier freezing drizzle and a changeover to snow from north to south. As cold air poured in from the north, winds became a serious impact reducing visibility in the snow and blowing snow. An ice measurement from the NWS office just under one tenth of an inch. Some of the easternmost counties in the DDC area were included in a much larger Blizzard Warning that stretched all the way into northern Missouri. By the end of the episode, upwards of 10 inches of snow were reported over eastern Ellis county, with a more broad 5 to 6 inches of snow from LaCrosse to Dodge City, Greensburg and Stafford.
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 4, 2:57 PM CST, 1 hour 49 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Dodge City KS 257 PM CST Sat Jan 4 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Freezing drizzle, freezing rain, and freezing fog will be possible through this evening with some accumulation - Precipitation changes over to snow overnight. Forecast remains on track for northcentral Kansas to receive the majority of the snow accumulation - Strong northerly winds will allow for blowing snow tomorrow - Wind chills in the negative teens possible across central Kansas Monday morning && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 256 PM CST Sat Jan 4 2025 The current weather system remains on track to give the forecast area wintery precipitation through tomorrow. Freezing rain and drizzle with lowered visibilities are expected throughout the remainder of the day into this evening. Winds will generally be form the northeast, increasing in speed this evening. Some ice accumulation is expected through tonight, especially across central Kansas with of exceeding a tenth of ice over 30 percent east of a line from Russel to Meade. Probabilities of exceeding over a quarter of an inch of ice is around 10-30 percent across portions of south central Kansas. Mid levels of the atmosphere moisten up overnight allowing for precipitation to fall as snow. This snow will continue through tomorrow as moisture wraps around the disturbance with snow ending from west to east in the morning. Precipitation may remain as freezing rain across south central Kansas through tomorrow. A few lingering snow showers will be possible across central Kansas tomorrow afternoon with clearing skies form west to east. In addition, strong northerly winds are expected tonight into tomorrow which will cause areas of blowing snow. As of now, we do not think blizzard conditions will be reached but there may be a few instances where visibilities could fall below a quarter of a mile due to the snow and blowing snow. The area that looks to receive the most snow with this system continues to be across north central and northeastern Kansas with lesser amounts as you head west. Well below temperatures are expected with lows tonight ranging from the single digits across west central Kansas to around 20 degrees across south central Kansas. Highs tomorrow look to only reach into the teens with the exception of far western Kansas and south central Kansas where 20s may be found. Winds become light tomorrow night with skies becoming mostly clear. This will allow for maximum radiational cooling with lows ranging from the negative single digits across north central Kansas with positive single digits elsewhere. Wind chills Monday morning look to dip into the negative single digits with negative teens across central Kansas. As of now we do not expect a wind chill advisory for central Kansas but will keep an eye out if conditions look more favorable in future model runs. Dry conditions are then expected for the early to mid part of next week. A few long range ensemble models show a disturbance moving south of the area as we head into the late part of next week. As of now the NBM keeps the forecast area dry but will need to be watched as we head closer to the event. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SUNDAY/... Issued at 1108 AM CST Sat Jan 4 2025 A mix of wintery precipitation and clouds will continue tonight through tomorrow bringing IFR to VIFR ceilings and visibilities to the TAF sites. Winds will generally be form an easterly direction this afternoon, shifting to the northeast and increasing in speed overnight. Blowing snow may be a problem tomorrow morning into tomorrow afternoon where the snow is the heaviest. && .DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Storm Warning until 6 PM CST Sunday for KSZ030-031- 043>046-063>066-077>081. Winter Weather Advisory until 6 PM CST /5 PM MST/ Sunday for KSZ061-062-074>076-084>090. && DISCUSSION...Hovorka_42 AVIATION...Hovorka_42
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Dodge City KS 351 AM CST Sat Jan 4 2025 KSZ030-031-043>046-061>066-074>081-084>090-051000- 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- 351 AM CST Sat Jan 4 2025 /251 AM MST Sat Jan 4 2025/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Kansas, south central Kansas, southwest Kansas, and west central Kansas. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Freezing drizzle starting This Morning. Icy mix will transition to snow and blowing snow during the late evening and overnight. Hazardous driving conditions including closures and disruptions to infrastructure may occur. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday Wind gusts over 40 mph and accumulating snowfall will lead to terrible travel conditions on Sunday and possible damage to power lines with icing accumulation. Untreated secondary roads will likely be impassable. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Snowfall, ice and damage reports are appreciated. Mr
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
8 winter storm, 2 winter weather, 2 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.
Ice accumulation from the previous 6 to 12 hours as measured on the snow board at the NWS. Mostly from freezing drizzle.
An estimated three inches of snow fell overnight.
Measured snow as of 8 am this morning at the NWS office.
A report from social media indicated an estimated three inches of snow.
Observed snowfall of 7.1 inches as of midnight.
Nine inches of snow was reported at Timken by Rush county Emergency management.
A snow report of 8 inches of snow at 2 miles south of Antonino was received through social media.
Five inches of snow was reported at Garden city by Finney County Emergency Management.
Five inches of snow was reported by Kiowa County Emergency Management.
A report of 5 inches of new snow at Kinsley was received from the Public though social media.
Nearly 4 hours of one quarter mile visibility in snow and frequent gusts around 35mph of were observed by the DDC ASOS at the Dodge City airport.
Three hours of one quarter mile visibility in snow and frequent gusts around 35 mph. The ASOS was not reporting wind or gusts at the time, however wind gust observations in all directions were representative of the criterion.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, January 2025
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: 1227839, 1227840, 1227841, 1227842, 1227843, 1227844, 1227846, 1227847, 1227849, 1227850, 1228024, 1228025.