Blizzard of 2011

The Monster Blizzard of 2011

January 31st - February 1st, 2011

What happened: A blizzard impacted Kansas on the evening of January 31st and all day February 1st, 2011. Extreme northerly winds caused whiteout conditions across parts of south central and much of southeastern Kansas. Snowfall totals up to 18 inches were recorded in southeast Kansas.

Overview: Blizzard conditions impacted states from New Mexico to Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and beyond. Snowfall totals of a foot to 18 inches were felt across the region. Here at home in central, south central and southeastern Kansas snowfall totals ranged from 1-2 inches in western sections of central Kansas to 18 inches in extreme southeast Kansas.

Meteorological Background: An extremely potent winter storm moved into the Southern and Central Plains from New Mexico. As this storm approached the southwestern United States, south winds ahead of the storm allowed moisture to stream northward. Meanwhile a shallow arctic airmass dove south over the Northern and Central Plains. As this system pushed northeast, the resulting instability produced thunderstorms in the warmer air to the south, as well as thunder sleet and thunder snow across Oklahoma, Missouri, and Illinois. The greatest snow totals occurred where this instability was located with the colder air. South central and southeastern Kansas were just north of this instability, but extreme moisture allowed intense snowfall rates across this region. Accumulations up to 18 inches were reported in southeast Kansas, with smaller amounts to the west. Ultimately, this storm system will have impacted much of the country from the Southern Plains northeast to New York City. The combination of Heavy snow and very strong winds caused blizzard conditions. Visibilities were reduced to near zero, and significant drifting occurred.

Overview loop of water vapor satellite imagery as the snowstorm approached and moved overhead.

Storm total snowfall as of 7am February 2nd, 2011

Images

The snow drift outside of the NWS Wichita office at 5pm February 1st. The drift measured around 2 feet high. Picture courtesy of Mick McGuire.

Image of blowing snow and reduced visibility in Wichita. Picture courtesy of Jim Reed.

Image of blowing snow and reduced visibility in Wichita. Note headlights of oncoming car on the left. Picture courtesy of Jim Reed.

Image of the snow and drifts around cars at the NWS Wichita office.

Image of snow from Caney. Photo courtesy of Pascal Vanschijndel.

Image of snow blowing by a light at the NWS Wichita office.

Image of the snow and drifts around cars at the NWS Wichita office.

Near the Russell I-70 exit. Picture taken by KDOT.

Snow in Wichita on February 1st, 2011. Picture taken by KDOT.

An animated image showing a time lapse of blowing snow from a web camera near Clearwater, Kansas.

Summary of Snowfall Reports

  THE TOTALS BELOW ARE
 SEPARATED INTO SNOW...AND ICE AND SLEET
 CATEGORIES...THEN BY AMOUNT...AND ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE
 FINAL AMOUNT FOR EACH LOCATION.
 
 
 SNOW REPORTS LISTED BY AMOUNT
 
  INCHES  LOCATION                 ST  COUNTY           TIME
  ------  -----------------------  --  --------------   -------
  13.00   1 W PARSONS              KS  LABETTE          0300 PM
                  SPOTTER REPORTS 13 INCHES OF SNOW WITH A 29
                  INCH SNOW DRIFT.
  10.00   HOWARD                   KS  ELK              0517 PM
                  LAW ENFORECEMENT REPORTS 8-10 INCHES OF SNOW
                  WITH 4 TO 5 FOOT SNOW DRIFTS ON COUNTY ROADS.
  10.00   ARKANSAS CITY            KS  COWLEY           0445 PM
                  BLOWING SNOW WITH 3/4 MILE VISIBILITY.
  10.00   CANEY                    KS  MONTGOMERY       0246 PM
                  TRAINED SPOTTER MEASURES 10 INCHES OF SNOW
                  WITH DRIFTS UP TO 21 INCHES.
   9.50   ARKANSAS CITY            KS  COWLEY           0128 PM
                  ACCORDING TO THE EMERGENCY MANAGER...9.5
                  INCHES OF SNOW HAS FALLEN WITH VISIBILITIES
                  OF A QUARTER OF A MILE.
   7.50   WINFIELD                 KS  COWLEY           0400 PM
                  14 INCH DRIFTS ACROSS TOWN.
   7.00   EL DORADO                KS  BUTLER           0445 PM
   7.00   WINFIELD                 KS  COWLEY           0207 PM
                  EMERGENCY MANAGER ESTIMATES 7 INCHES OF SNOW
                  WITH DRIFTS OVER A FOOT.
   6.50   4 SE DOWNTOWN WICHITA    KS  SEDGWICK         0357 PM
                  PUBLIC REPORTS 6.5 INCHES OF SNOW WITH DRIFTS
                  RANGING FROM 11 INCHES TO 2 FEET.
   6.00   AUGUSTA                  KS  BUTLER           0445 PM
   6.00   ROSE HILL                KS  BUTLER           0445 PM
   6.00   HAVEN                    KS  RENO             0445 PM
   6.00   WELLINGTON               KS  SUMNER           0441 PM
                  5 TO 6 INCHES. 2 TO 4 FOOT DRIFTS.
   6.00   DEXTER                   KS  COWLEY           0440 PM
   6.00   FLORENCE                 KS  MARION           0434 PM
   6.00   COTTONWOOD FALLS         KS  CHASE            0426 PM
                  LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTS 5 TO 6 INCHES OF SNOW
                  HAS FALLEN WITH DRIFTS UP TO 3.5 FEET.
   6.00   EUREKA                   KS  GREENWOOD        0222 PM
                  LAW ENFORCEMENT ESTIMATES 6 INCHES OF SNOW
                  WITH DRIFTS OF UP TO 2 FEET IN TOWN AND
                  VISIBILITY DOWN TO A BLOCK.
   6.00   WELLINGTON               KS  SUMNER           0209 PM
                  EMERGENCY MANAGER ESTIMATES 6 INCHES OF SNOW
                  AND DRIFTS UP TO 2 FEET. VISIBILITY HAS BEEN
                  REDUCDED TO 200 FEET.
   5.00   EL DORADO                KS  BUTLER           0513 PM
   5.00   DEXTER                   KS  COWLEY           1237 PM
                  PUBLIC ESTIMATES 5 INCHES OF SNOW WITH
                  VISIBILITIES OF 2 BLOCKS.
   4.60   MCPHERSON                KS  MCPHERSON        0459 PM
   4.50   4 S MAIZE                KS  SEDGWICK         0330 PM
                  1 FOOT DRIFTS.
   4.00   HARPER                   KS  HARPER           0532 PM
                  2 TO 4 INCHES WITH 1 FOOT DRIFTS.
   4.00   SPIVEY                   KS  KINGMAN          0445 PM
                  SPOTTER REPORTS BETWEEN 2 TO 4 INCHES OF
                  SNOW.
   4.00   2 W WEST WICHITA         KS  SEDGWICK         0445 PM
   4.00   SALINA                   KS  SALINE           0444 PM
                  LAW ENFOREMENT REPORTS 3 TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW
                  WITH DRIFTS OVER A FOOT.
   4.00   MARION                   KS  MARION           0434 PM
   4.00   TOWANDA                  KS  BUTLER           0236 PM
                  PUBLIC REPORT VIA KAKE IS 4 INCHES OF SNOW
                  WITH 12 INCH DRIFTS.
   4.00   6 N EL DORADO            KS  BUTLER           0106 PM
                  EMERGENCY MANAGER ESTIMATES 4 INCHES OF SNOW.
   3.50   1 SW WINFIELD            KS  COWLEY           1240 PM
                  EM VOLUNTEER ESTIMATES 3.5 INCHES OF SNOW.
   3.00   HUTCHINSON               KS  RENO             0445 PM
   3.00   MCPHERSON                KS  MCPHERSON        0436 PM
   3.00   KINGMAN                  KS  KINGMAN          0433 PM
                  6 INCH DRIFTS.
   2.90   SALINA                   KS  SALINE           1200 PM
                  PUBLIC ESTIMATES 2.9 INCHES OF SNOW.
   2.00   NEWTON                   KS  HARVEY           0450 PM
                  ONE FOOT DRIFTS, WITH NUMEROUS CARS STUCK IN
                  THE DRIFTS.
   2.00   LINCOLN                  KS  LINCOLN          0429 PM
                  LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTS BETWEEN 1 TO 2 INCHES
                  OF SNOW HAS FALLEN.
   1.00   LYONS                    KS  RICE             0439 PM
   1.00   RUSSELL                  KS  RUSSELL          0439 PM
                  LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTS BETWEEN 0.5 TO 1 INCH
                  OF SNOW HAS FALLEN.
   1.00   ELLSWORTH                KS  ELLSWORTH        0429 PM
   1.00   ELLINWOOD                KS  BARTON           0421 PM
                  LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTS AN INCH OF SNOW WITH
                  SNOW DRIFTS BETWEEN 18 INCHES TO 2 FEET.
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