Thomas storm history

Dense freezing fog led to slick conditions on area roads, specifically I-70. The low visibility and slick conditions caused a multiple vehicle accident on east bound I-70 near mile marker 65. The east bound lanes of I-70 were closed for a short time as a result. Eight or nine veh…

A small stretch of highway 83 just west of Rexford, Kansas in Thomas county experienced severe visibility reductions in blowing dirt early in the afternoon. Three separate accidents occurred around 1400 CST, involving a total of seven semi trailers and eight passenger vehicles. M…

Six inches of snow was reported in Colby. Just as the light snow was beginning before midnight, a traffic fatality occurred when a vehicle attempted to pass another on US Highway 24 in Thomas County and the driver lost control. Other slide-off accidents occurred in the county ear…

Freezing drizzle and fog resulted in slick roads and numerous traffic accidents and slide offs on Interstate 70. Two fatalities and three injuries occurred in two of the more severe accidents occurring between 2100 and 2200 CST. Property damage noted is related only to the fatali…

Snowfall totals across the county averaged 13 east, 18 central and 20-24 extreme southwest. Damage costs are a preliminary combined estimate for both the Dec 20 and Dec 30 storms.

An Ambient Weather Station named My_Weather which is located in Rexford recorded wind gusts of 70 and 76 mph; a WeatherUnderground station in Rexford also recorded a 68 mph wind gust. A WeatherUnderground site named KKSCOLBY28 located 9 N Page City recorded a 69 and a 70 mph wind…

The mesonet site named KKSREXFO12 on Weather Underground reported the wind gust. An additional 58 mph wind gust occurred just south of this site at Ambient Weather site named My_weather one minute before the 59 mph gust.

A 58 mph wind gust was reported at KKSBREWS5.

Near zero visibility due to dust reported at intersection of Hwy 24 and 83. This extends for a half mile in each direction on Hwy 24 from the intersection with Hwy 83.

EM reported ping pong ball hail in Brewster.

A powerline was reported down in Brewster.

A chicken coop was blown away in Brewster, KS.

Four inches of water covering all of South Range Avenue at the Thomas County Fairgrounds in Colby. Precipitation estimates in the area range from 1.1 to 2.4 inches.

A picture of at least 1 power pole blown over along Highway 83 and CR C.

Emergency Manager relayed a report (with pictures) of roof damage to a home including part of roof being peeled off.

Sporadic quarter sized hail report.

Lots of pea size hail and torrential rainfall occurring with 60 MPH winds.

Social media report of wind gusts up to 70 mph and quarter mile visibility in blowing dust. These were both associated with the outflow from thunderstorms.

Media storm chaser is reporting gusts of 50 to 60 mph.

Site Landfill Office measured 58 mph wind gust.

The public reported quarter size hail via MPing.

The wind gust was reported via mesonet site KKSCOLBY59.

A storm chaser estimated 60 mph wind gusts with near zero visibility in rain.

Chaser sent in picture of quarter sized hail, 8 miles north of Oakley.

An estimated 60 mph wind gust by the public.

A video of quarter to half dollar size hail was sent to Facebook from the public. Report also did note that dime to quarter size hail started at 17:00.

Estimated nickel to quarter size hail along with video of the hail from the public.

Mesonet station FW6347 Colby 2E measured the wind gust. A single instance of quarter mile to zero visibility from blowing dust was reported along I-70 westbound near Colby. Pictures out of Colby showed a haze as well.

Emergency Manager reported dime to penny sized hail.

AWN site CM-Kistler reported a 58 mph wind gust.

Outflow induced haboob/wall of dust reported by Law Enforcement and trained spotters. Zero visibility reported in blowing dust.

Public report of an eighth of a mile visibility in a wall of dust along thunderstorm outflow boundary moving east through the county. Meanwhile thunderstorm activity continued to move northeast over the northwest part of the Rawlins County.

Wind gusts around 60 MPH were measured at the airport north of Colby. A person in Brewster reported gutters torn off house and patio furniture blown around.

Spotter estimated pea to quarter size.

Snowfall amounts ranged from two to eight inches, with the highest amounts in the southwest part of the county. Key impacts: whiteout conditions, road closures.

Mesonet sites around Colby and the AWOS at Colby airport recorded multiple gusts over 58 MPH with a peak gust of 68 MPH around 1700 LST. Much like Sherman county, a cold front caused an initial gust of 60 MPH winds with convection following only a few minutes behind producing win…

F6347 reported consistent gusts over 58 MPH for over an hour as convection mixed down stronger winds to the surface.

Visibility estimated to be a quarter mile based on webcams at Colby and the Mingo exit on I-70.

A mesonet station called FW6347 Colby 2E located 2 ENE Colby recorded 58 and 60 mph wind gusts. A report of a semi blown over along I70 3 E Brewster was relayed via X on a Kansas State Troopers page. The Logan County Emergency Manager reported a widespread power outage affecting …

Report via social media by means of Facebook. Storm total snow accumulation of 7 inches of new snow 8 miles north of Brewster. Five inches of snow was also reported in the town of Brewster. Start and end times were estimated via radar. Amounts this high were confined to western p…

Social media reports with pictures of 0.4 inches of radial icing along the side of fuel pumps near Brewster. An additional report with picture of 0.25 inches of radial icing covering a fence post 1 NE Colby and along one side of tree branch. These were from persistent freezing dr…

Weather Underground station KKSREXF012 reported a 59 mph wind gust. Additional wind gust of 57 mph was also reported at Colby Airport along with a visibility reduction down to 2.5 miles due to blowing dust. Powerlines were blown over around 8 NW Rexford which led to a wildfire as…

Precipitation amounts ranged from three to five inches across the county, with higher amounts generally over the eastern part of the county. This was two to four inches above the normal amount of a half inch to an inch for the month.

Rainfall amounts ranged from a quarter inch to an inch. This was an inch to two inches below normal. Normal rainfall amounts are an inch to an inch and a half.

D2 Severe Drought was reported over the northern half of Thomas County.

AWOS at the Colby airport.

Hail ranged from pea to between a nickel and quarter in size. Also occurred with 60+ MPH winds.

Estimated winds to be at least 60 MPH. Also occurred with hail ranging from pea to quarter in size.

Trained spotter reported 1.5 inch hail.

Trained spotter reported hail 1 inch in diameter.