Winter Weather — Sumner, Kansas

2008-12-23 to 2008-12-24 · Sumner, Kansas

Event narrative

Icy conditions due to light freezing rain and freezing drizzle aided in a fatal car accident shortly after 9 am just north of the Belle Plaine service center on the Kansas Turnpike. A 39-year-old Clearwater man and his 9-year-old son were traveling north on I-35 when the pickup rolled into the ditch after they lost control in the icy conditions. Sadly, the father died at the scene, while the boy sustained some injuries. Another accident occurred around 8:45 am when an SUV rolled near GKN Aerospace on Highway 81. About 30 minutes later, a semi-truck fell partially off a bridge on Highway 160, next to the Wellington Wal-Mart. Several other accidents, some with injuries, occurred across Sumner County on the 23rd due to the inclement weather. Information courtesy of the Wichita Eagle, Arkansas City Traveler and Wellington News.

Wider weather episode

Warm air overrunning colder air at the surface resulted in widespread freezing drizzle and light freezing rain across portions of central, south-central and southeast Kansas from the 23rd through the early morning hours on the 24th. The icy conditions aided numerous vehicle accidents, two of which were fatal across Sumner and Cowley counties, and several of which produced injuries.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 147305. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.