Winter Weather — Cowley, Kansas

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

Event narrative

Icy conditions due to light freezing rain and freezing drizzle aided in a fatal car accident around 9:30 am on Highway 77, 10 miles north of Winfield. A 37-year-old El Dorado man was injured when he lost control of the south-bound van and hit a tree, engulfing the van in flames. One of the passengers, a 19-year-old El Dorado man, was also injured. Sadly, the other passenger, a 61-year-old El Dorado man, was killed. Additionally, a Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks officer and a Highway Patrol Trooper sustained injures attempting to pull the 61-year-old El Dorado man from the van. Several other accidents, some with injuries, occurred on the 23rd across Cowley County due to the inclement weather. Information courtesy of the Wichita Eagle and Arkansas City Traveler.

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 147307. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.