Winter Storm in Chase, Kansas

This was a long duration winter event which started as freezing drizzle during the morning of the 4th then changed to freezing rain and sleet before fully transitioning over to snow in the morning on the 5th. Emergency management measured 0.47 of an inch of ice on shrubs and estimated 4 to 8 inches of snow across the county. There were a few vehicular accidents on the Kansas Turnpike during the morning hours of the 4th with no apparent injuries.

A powerful long duration winter storm moved into Kansas during the weekend of January 4th and 5th. The event started with freezing drizzle and drizzle; there were numerous slide offs across the state on the 4th. As the intensity of the precipitation increased, this freezing rain led to flat ice accumulations up to 0.66 which was reported in Russell.

Gradually colder air was ushered in with this system, and this transitioned the precipitation type to sleet then eventually snow. Embedded thunderstorms helped to enhance the accumulations and even produced some graupel. Strong northwest winds created blizzard conditions for much of Kansas. The highest snowfall accumulations occurred in north central and northeast Kansas with over a foot reported. A combination of the initial ice followed by blowing and drifting snow created dangerous travel conditions with most of the highways closed for several hours.