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Storm Events Database
Event Details
| Event | Blizzard |
| State | KANSAS |
| County/Area | MORRIS |
| WFO | TOP |
| Begin Date | 12/25/2009 00:00:00 CST-6 |
| End Date | 12/25/2009 06:00:00 CST-6 |
| Deaths Direct/Indirect | 0/0 (fatality details below, when available...) |
| Injuries Direct/Indirect | 0/0 |
| Property Damage | |
| Crop Damage | |
| Episode Narrative | A strong storm system swept through the Central Plains during the Christmas holiday, bringing moderate to heavy snow and strong winds. The event started out with light freezing rain, but cooler air quickly worked its way into the mid levels of the atmosphere and the precipitation changed to snow. Areas of east central Kansas received up to a quarter inch of ice before the moderate to heavy snow began falling on Christmas Eve. Just after midnight on the 25th strong winds pushed through the area bringing blizzard conditions to far eastern Kansas. Wind gusts as high as 48 mph were observed at Topeka's Forbes Field, and wind gusts as high as 54 mph were observed in Emporia, KS. The winds not only lowered visibilities to below 1/4 mile for several hours, but blew the soft powdery snow across the roadways making travel treacherous, and nearly impossible. When the snow finally stopped up to 10 inches fell across the northeastern portion of Kansas. Getting accurate snow measurements was difficult due to the blowing and drifting nature of the snow, so totals may have been higher in some locations. As a result of the blowing and drifting snow, drifts around 5 to 6 feet deep formed against fences, houses, barns and road embankments. The snow gradually tapered off through the 26th. The storm system stalled over Iowa and even retrograded a bit to the west bringing another 2 days of light snow with little accumulation. By the 27th most of the area saw the snow diminish completely. The snow from Dec 23rd through December 26th allowed both Topeka and Concordia to set records for most snowfall in the month of December. |
| Event Narrative | Moderate to heavy snow fell between December 24th and December 25th across Morris county. Snow totals throughout the county varied between 4 and 7 inches, with spotters near White City reporting nearly 7 inches. Wind gusts in and around that area were as high as 50 mph, and trained spotters throughout Morris county reported visibility less than 1/4 mile for several hours in the early morning hours on Christmas Day. Aside from the lowered visibility, blowing and drifting snow caused treacherous travel conditions. Many roads were impassable as a result of blowing snow. |
All events for this episode:
| Location | County/Zone | St. | Date | Time | T.Z. | Type | Mag | Dth | Inj | PrD | CrD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Totals: | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |||||||
| BROWN (ZONE) | BROWN (ZONE) | KS | 12/24/2009 | 10:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| WABAUNSEE (ZONE) | WABAUNSEE (ZONE) | KS | 12/24/2009 | 10:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| ANDERSON (ZONE) | ANDERSON (ZONE) | KS | 12/24/2009 | 10:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| FRANKLIN (ZONE) | FRANKLIN (ZONE) | KS | 12/24/2009 | 10:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| SHAWNEE (ZONE) | SHAWNEE (ZONE) | KS | 12/24/2009 | 10:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| COFFEY (ZONE) | COFFEY (ZONE) | KS | 12/24/2009 | 10:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| JEFFERSON (ZONE) | JEFFERSON (ZONE) | KS | 12/24/2009 | 10:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| DOUGLAS (ZONE) | DOUGLAS (ZONE) | KS | 12/24/2009 | 10:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| OSAGE (ZONE) | OSAGE (ZONE) | KS | 12/24/2009 | 10:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| LYON (ZONE) | LYON (ZONE) | KS | 12/24/2009 | 10:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| NEMAHA (ZONE) | NEMAHA (ZONE) | KS | 12/24/2009 | 10:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| JACKSON (ZONE) | JACKSON (ZONE) | KS | 12/24/2009 | 10:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| POTTAWATOMIE (ZONE) | POTTAWATOMIE (ZONE) | KS | 12/24/2009 | 10:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| MARSHALL (ZONE) | MARSHALL (ZONE) | KS | 12/24/2009 | 10:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| DICKINSON (ZONE) | DICKINSON (ZONE) | KS | 12/24/2009 | 15:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| CLAY (ZONE) | CLAY (ZONE) | KS | 12/24/2009 | 15:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| WASHINGTON (ZONE) | WASHINGTON (ZONE) | KS | 12/24/2009 | 15:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| FRANKLIN (ZONE) | FRANKLIN (ZONE) | KS | 12/24/2009 | 20:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| COFFEY (ZONE) | COFFEY (ZONE) | KS | 12/24/2009 | 20:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| ANDERSON (ZONE) | ANDERSON (ZONE) | KS | 12/24/2009 | 20:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| LYON (ZONE) | LYON (ZONE) | KS | 12/24/2009 | 20:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| OSAGE (ZONE) | OSAGE (ZONE) | KS | 12/24/2009 | 21:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| JEFFERSON (ZONE) | JEFFERSON (ZONE) | KS | 12/24/2009 | 22:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| DOUGLAS (ZONE) | DOUGLAS (ZONE) | KS | 12/24/2009 | 22:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| RILEY (ZONE) | RILEY (ZONE) | KS | 12/25/2009 | 00:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| MORRIS (ZONE) | MORRIS (ZONE) | KS | 12/25/2009 | 00:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| WABAUNSEE (ZONE) | WABAUNSEE (ZONE) | KS | 12/25/2009 | 00:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| POTTAWATOMIE (ZONE) | POTTAWATOMIE (ZONE) | KS | 12/25/2009 | 00:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| BROWN (ZONE) | BROWN (ZONE) | KS | 12/25/2009 | 00:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| MARSHALL (ZONE) | MARSHALL (ZONE) | KS | 12/25/2009 | 00:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| NEMAHA (ZONE) | NEMAHA (ZONE) | KS | 12/25/2009 | 00:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| SHAWNEE (ZONE) | SHAWNEE (ZONE) | KS | 12/25/2009 | 00:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| JACKSON (ZONE) | JACKSON (ZONE) | KS | 12/25/2009 | 00:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| GEARY (ZONE) | GEARY (ZONE) | KS | 12/25/2009 | 00:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| Totals: | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
