Ice Storm in Richardson, Nebraska

Freezing rain accumulated between 1/2 and 1 inch across the county causing widespread moderate to major tree damage. Power lines and other damage was also noted with many power outages reported, some lasting a few days.

The second ice storm in two weeks hit parts of eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa from Monday evening December 10 into Tuesday morning the 11th. Warmer and more moist air spread northeast across the area Monday evening over a cold and least partially snow-covered ground. Temperatures earlier in the day were only in the 20s with most dew point temperatures in the teens.

Freezing rain moved into southeast Nebraska a little after 700 pm and spread northeast into the Omaha area by 930 or 10 pm. The northern section of the freezing rain mixed with sleet and then changed to snow by morning, with some 1 or 2 inch snow accumulations. The southern sections remained mostly freezing rain for most of the event. Ice accumulations ranged from around 1 inch in the southeast corner of Nebraska in Richardson and Pawnee counties, to around 1/4 inch from around Fremont through Blair, which are just to the northwest of Omaha. Especially hard hit were Pawnee and Richardson counties where many trees and power lines were downed along with prolonged power outages. Farther north from around Lincoln to Omaha, the freezing rain and sleet mixture appeared to limit the amount of icing that built up on power lines and trees with much less damage and power loss noted. However, the wintry weather forced the postponement of many schools across the area. The total damage was estimated at around $3.1 million, mostly in Pawnee, Richardson, Nemaha and southern Gage counties. Over 5,000 customers were without power for a while, some for days. President Bush declared that major disaster area money would be available for disaster assistance.