High Wind — Pottawattamie, Iowa

2025-03-19 · Pottawattamie, Iowa

Event narrative

Mesonet station RAVI4 measured gust of 59 mph.

Wider weather episode

A dynamic shortwave trough moving into the central Plains led to the development of a deepening closed low over Nebraska and Kansas during the late evening of March 18, 2025, continuing into the early morning hours of March 19. This amplifying system enhanced a strong low-level jet across the central and southern Plains, driving significant moisture transport into eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. A plume of 500'700 J/kg of MUCAPE supported the initiation of showers and thunderstorms, some of which produced severe hail.

As the morning progressed, rain transitioned to snow, aided by an intensifying TROWAL and deformation axis that produced heavy snowfall through the morning hours. Snowfall rates exceeded 1 inch per hour in some locations. Snow tapered off by evening, with the highest accumulations'ranging from 5 to 12 inches'falling in a swath from York to Fremont, Nebraska, and into southwest Iowa.

Another major impact of this system was strong winds, with widespread gusts of 50 to over 70 mph across eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa. The combination of heavy snow and high winds resulted in blizzard conditions, leading to significant blowing and drifting snow. Visibility was severely reduced, prompting multiple highway and interstate closures throughout the region.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1245120. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.