PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY 1035 AM CST TUE JAN 27 2004 EASTERN NEBRASKA AND SOUTHWEST IOWA IS DIGGING OUT FROM THE WORST WINTER STORM SO FAR THIS SEASON. THIS STORM DROPPED THE HEAVIEST SNOW IN OMAHA...13.5 INCHES...SINCE THE WINTER STORM OF MARCH 28-29 1987 WHEN 14.1 INCHES FELL. THIS STORM WAS VERY UNIQUE. IT ACTUALLY CONSISTED OF TWO DIFFERENT LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS THAT MOVED THROUGH THE PLAINS...WHICH IS WHY THE STORM APPEARED TO LAST SO LONG. THIS FIRST SYSTEM MOVED OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST AND SET THE STAGE FOR OUR MAJOR WINTER STORM. IT HELPED BRING MOISTURE FROM THE SOUTH INTO THE REGION...RESULTING IN AN ICE STORM FOR AREAS SOUTH OF NEBRASKA AND IOWA. THERE WERE ALSO BRIEF PERIODS OF FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET THROUGHOUT MUCH OF SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA AND SOUTHWEST IOWA SUNDAY MORNING...ESPECIALLY NEAR THE KANSAS AND MISSOURI BORDERS. ACCUMULATING SNOW BEGAN TO FALL ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION SUNDAY MORNING AND SUNDAY AFTERNOON...WITH A FEW HEAVY SNOW-BANDS SETTING UP FROM THE ELKHORN AREA INTO SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA. THEN THE SECOND LOW PRESSURE MOVED OUT OF THE NORTHERN ROCKIES SUNDAY NIGHT...WHICH BROUGHT THE ARCTIC AIR FROM CANADA. THE COMBINATION OF ARCTIC AIR WITH THE ABUNDANT MOISTURE FROM THE SOUTH RESULTED IN THE HEAVY SNOWFALL RATES. ALL OF EASTERN NEBRASKA AND SOUTHWEST IOWA RECEIVED SIGNIFICANT SNOWS SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. THE SECOND SYSTEM ALSO MOVED RATHER SLOWLY THROUGH THE PLAINS...AND CONTINUED TO PUSH COLDER AIR INTO THE REGION. EVENTUALLY THE LOW MOVED TO OUR EAST...WHICH CAUSED THE WINDS TO INCREASE DRASTICALLY. WITH FAIRLY LIGHT AND FLUFFY SNOW...THE GUSTY WINDS WERE ABLE TO BLOW THE SNOW AROUND AND CREATE LOW VISIBILITIES...LARGE SNOW DRIFTS...AND DANGEROUSLY COLD WIND CHILLS. ...SNOW DEPTH FROM THE JANUARY 25-26 WINTER STORM... TUE AM SELECTED COUNTY CITY/TOWN SNOWDEPTH/INCHES SNOWFALL (STORM TOTAL) ANTELOPE NELIGH 6 BOONE LORETTO 4 BUTLER DAVID CITY 11 CASS PLATTSMOUTH 14 CEDAR RANDOLPH 5 COLFAX SCHUYLER 9 CUMING WEST POINT 9 DODGE FREMONT 12 DODGE UEHLING 12 DOUGLAS ELKHORN 15 15.0 DOUGLAS EPPLEY AIRPORT 13 13.5 DOUGLAS DODGE PARK AREA 12 DOUGLAS BEMIS PARK 12 DOUGLAS BENNINGTON 12 DOUGLAS FLORENCE 12 DOUGLAS VALLEY 13 13.8 GAGE BEATRICE 9 GAGE VIRGINIA 9 GAGE WYMORE 8 JEFFERSON FAIRBURY 9 JOHNSON TECUMSEH 8 KNOX BLOOMFIELD 4 LANCASTER NE LINCOLN 13 LANCASTER SW LINCOLN 12 LANCASTER HICKMAN 12 LANCASTER LINCOLN AIRPORT 10 10.1 LANCASTER RAYMOND 12 MADISON MADISON 8 MADISON NORFOLK 5 5.5 NEMAHA AUBURN 8 OTOE SYRACUSE 9 PAWNEE PAWNEE CITY 5 PAWNEE TABLE ROCK 7 PIERCE PIERCE 4 PLATTE COLUMBUS 10 RICHARDSON SALEM 6 RICHARDSON RULO 5 SARPY GRETNA 15 15.5 SARPY OFFUTT AFB 11 SARPY PAPILLION 12 SARPY SPRINGFIELD 12 SALINE FRIEND 12 SEWARD SEWARD 7 SEWARD UTICA 7 STANTON STANTON 7 THURSTON WALTHILL 11 WAYNE WAYNE 6 WASHINGTON FORT CALHOUN 12 FREMONT IA SIDNEY 7 FREMONT IA RANDOLPH 10 HARRISON IA LITTLE SIOUX 12 HARRISON IA LOGAN 10 MILLS IA GLENWOOD 14 MONONA IA MAPLETON 11 MONONA IA KENNEBEC 9 MONONA IA CASTANA 12 MONTGOMERY IA RED OAK 6 PAGE IA SHENANDOAH 6 PAGE IA CLARINDA 6 POTTAWATTAMIE IA UNDERWOOD 11 POTTAWATTAMIE IA OAKLAND 13 SHELBY IA HARLAN 12 |
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University of Nebraska-Lincoln High Plains Regional Climate Center |