Blizzard — Osborne, Kansas

2024-01-08 to 2024-01-09 · Osborne, Kansas

Event narrative

Snowfall amounts ranged from 5 to 9 inches across the county. Highest totals included 7.0 inches, reported by a CoCoRaHS observer located seven miles north-northeast of Natoma, and 5.0 inches, reported by the NWS Cooperative Observer located in Natoma.

Wider weather episode

A closed upper low-pressure system moved east across Kansas and into Missouri overnight on January 8th and into the morning hours of January 9th, placing north central Kansas in the left exit region of an upper jet stream which increased lift over the area. Moisture was advected into the area from a low-level jet with a surface low over Texas, Oklahoma, and then southern Missouri. Snow began during the day on January 8th across the local area and started to decrease from west to east after midnight on January 9th and ended across the area during the day on the 9th. Widespread snow totals of 4-8 inches, with locally higher amounts of 9-12 inches, were reported across the area. Winds started to increase across the region during the evening on January 8th and into the overnight hours on January 9th which resulted in blizzard conditions. Northerly wind gusts of 40-45 MPH were common, with a few gusts over 50 MPH reported. Temperatures dropped into the teens during the overnight period with wind chill values dropping into the negative single digits. Winds began to decrease from west to east during the day on January 9th.

The heavy snow and strong winds resulted in near white-out to blizzard conditions, resulting in widespread road closures, as well as school and event cancellations. A light wintry mix was reported ahead of the main snow event, also contributing to slick conditions across the area.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1151223. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.