Cold/Wind Chill — Montgomery, Kansas

2011-02-01 to 2011-02-03 · Montgomery, Kansas

Event narrative

Extreme cold temperatures moved across the county during the overnight hours of February 2nd and early on February 3rd. Wind chill readings dropped as low as minus 20 degees during the evening of February 2nd, with the low temperatures falling to minus 8 degrees in Coffeyville, Kansas and minus 7 in Independence, Kansas on the morning of February 3rd.

Unfortunately, a 79 year old Coffeyville, Kansas woman died of exposure to the cold, after falling in her backyard while trying to clear snow on the morning of February 2nd. She apparently was unable to get back up after falling, some 15 feet from her back step and died from exposure to the extreme cold temperatures. Actual time of death is unknown, but law enforcement authorities say that she had been lying in the location for an extended period of time.

Wider weather episode

A massive winter storm of historic proportions affected the region from the early morning hours January 31st through the evening hours February 1st.

As this storm moved to the east of the area sustained north to northwest winds of 25 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, produced near-blizzard conditions at times, along with extensive drifts, some of which exceeded 4 feet tall. Additionally, temperatures in the single digits and teens in concert with the strong winds resulted in wind chill readings as cold as minus 30 degrees, with the coldest readings over Central Kansas. Low temperature reading on the morning of February 3rd, ranged from minus 7 degrees in Newton, Kansas to minus 17 degrees in Smolan, Kansas. Unfortunately one person did die from cold exposure in Coffeyville, Kansas, after she fell while removing snow from her backyard, and was unable to get back up.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 287013. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.