A large low pressure system moved out of the southwest United States and brought a mix of wintry precipitation to eastern Nebraska.  Ahead of the system, abundant moisture fed north into Nebraska with storm total rain amounts of 1 inch or more common over all of eastern Nebraska.  With temperatures below freezing for most of the event in sections of northeast Nebraska, much of this rain fell as freezing rain, except over the northern half of Knox county where the precipitation started as moderate snow.  The freezing rain mixed with sleet and snow briefly before ending over northeast Nebraska Sunday morning 12/31/06.  Farther south over east central and southeast Nebraska...the rain changed to a brief mix of freezing rain and sleet before changing to all snow by mid morning.
The freezing rain caused widespread major damage to trees and power poles and lines across a large part of central into northeast Nebraska.  NPPD, the power company that absorbed much of the damage from this storm, called it the worst in the company's history, a fact echoed by many people that lived across the area. In total over Nebraska, the ice storm knocked 37 main high-voltage transmission lines across 600 miles out of service, snapped or toppled more than 6,000 utility poles, including large steel structures, caused power outages for over 15,000 homes and businesses in over 30 communities and did an estimated $240 million in Utility damage alone.  Some towns remained without power for days afterward, and some more remote customers remained without power for weeks.  A major disaster declaration was issued for 57 counties in Nebraska from this storm.  As of late January 2007, the state was to receive $30 million, slightly more than the total received by the state for the previous 16 federal disaster declarations dating back to 1990.

Winter Storm in PLATTE, NEBRASKA
From 30-DEC-06 21:00:00 to 31-DEC-06 03:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 3.20M
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Freezing rain accumulated between 1/4 inch and 1 inch in some locations on trees, power lines, vehicles and other untreated objects. The areas most hard hit in Platte county were to the west through north of Columbus. The weight of the ice, and a mix of light sleet that fell for a while Sunday, caused tree damage and also felled numerous power lines and power poles throughout the western and northern sections of the county. Around 500 power poles were snapped from near Monroe north toward Lindsay causing power outages in the region. Fallen trees also caused damage to cars and houses over the area most hard hit.  The storm caused around 3.2 million dollars worth of damage to utility companies in the county.

Winter Weather in CASS, NEBRASKA
From 31-DEC-06 06:00:00 to 31-DEC-06 17:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

A period of moderate to heavy snow caused poor visiblities and slick roads that resulted in a vehicle crash which killed a 2-year-old boy south of Plattsmouth on Highway 75.  Snowfall totals in the area were in the 2 to 4 inch range.

Winter Storm in MADISON, NEBRASKA
From 30-DEC-06 13:00:00 to 31-DEC-06 03:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 1.50M
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Freezing rain accumulated from at least 1/2 inch to over 1 inch in some locations on trees, power lines, vehicles and other untreated objects. The weight of the ice, and a mix of light sleet that also fell briefly late Saturday night, caused widespread tree damage and also felled numerous power lines and power poles. The area most hard hit was from north through west through southwest of Norfolk where some 500 power poles were toppled and power was lost for days.  Fallen trees also caused damage to cars and houses...mainly to western Madison county.  The storm caused around 1.5 million dollars worth of damage to utility companies in the county.

Winter Storm in WAYNE, NEBRASKA
From 30-DEC-06 20:00:00 to 31-DEC-06 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Freezing rain accumulated between 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch in some locations on trees, power lines, vehicles and other untreated objects.  The weight of the ice, and a mix of light sleet or snow that fell for a while Sunday, caused tree and power line damage knocking power to parts of the county.

Winter Storm in ANTELOPE, NEBRASKA
From 29-DEC-06 19:00:00 to 31-DEC-06 01:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 5.00M
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Freezing rain accumulated at least 1/2 inch and over 1 inch in some locations on trees, power lines, vehicles and other untreated objects. The weight of the ice, and a mix of light sleet and snow that also fell, caused widespread tree damage and also felled numerous power lines and power poles throughout the county. At least 550 power poles were downed in Antelope county, mainly on east-west roads, with over 1,000 either needing repair or replacement. This caused widespread power outages that continued for at least several days after the event.  Fallen trees also caused damage to cars and houses over the area.  It was estimated that every tree in Neligh was damaged and 40 to 50 percent of them were damaged so much that they would need to be removed according to the Neligh City Superintendent.  An estimated 5 million dollars in damage was done to utility companies from this storm.

Winter Storm in PIERCE, NEBRASKA
From 30-DEC-06 12:00:00 to 31-DEC-06 02:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 750.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Freezing rain accumulated between 1/2 inch and 1 inch over much of the county.  The combination of the ice, and a period of light sleet and snow, downed tree limbs and power lines across the county.  Power was knocked out at some locations, in some instances for up to 10 days.  Around 400 to 500 poles were downed from Pierce county west and southwest into Antelope and Boone counties.  The storm caused around $750 thousand worth of damage to utility companies in the county.

Winter Storm in LANCASTER, NEBRASKA
From 31-DEC-06 06:00:00 to 31-DEC-06 15:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

A narrow band of heavy snow set up across Lancaster county, with the southern sections of Lincoln the hardest hit.  Snowfall of 5 to 7 inches fell both just north and south of Lincoln, but sections of Lincoln, especially the south part of town, received 10 to 12 inches.  The precipitation started as a brief period of freezing rain, with heavy snow falling from around 8 am through 3 pm when it ended quickly as the band weakened and shifted east of the county.

Winter Storm in KNOX, NEBRASKA
From 29-DEC-06 14:00:00 to 31-DEC-06 01:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 500.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Snow started falling over northern and western Knox county, mainly north through west of Center, Friday afternoon the 29th.  Snowfall by mid Saturday morning had accumulated to a bit over 6 inches near Niobrara.  Meanwhile, freezing rain developed east through south of Niobrara Friday night with snow mixing with or changing to freezing rain over most of the county Saturday.  Some ice accumulations of between 1/4 inch and 1 inch occurred, mainly from around Crofton and Bloomfield toward Creighton then to Wausa.  The icing caused tree and power pole damage and which downed power lines knocking out power to sections of the county, mainly the southeast half.  Around 50 power poles were downed around Crofton.  The storm caused around 1/2 million dollars worth of damage to utility companies.

Winter Storm in CEDAR, NEBRASKA
From 30-DEC-06 18:00:00 to 31-DEC-06 06:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Freezing rain accumulated between 1/4 inch to around 1 inch over mostly the southern half of Cedar county on trees, power lines, vehicles and other untreated objects. The weight of the ice, and a mix of light sleet and snow that fell briefly late Saturday night, caused tree damage and also felled power lines and power poles mainly south of Hartington. The downed power lines caused some power outages over the southern part of Cedar county.

Winter Storm in BOONE, NEBRASKA
From 30-DEC-06 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-06 07:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 8.00M
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Freezing rain accumulated over 1 inch over most of Boone county on
trees, power lines, vehicles and other untreated objects. The weight of the ice, and a mix of light sleet and snow that fell briefly late Saturday night, caused widespread tree damage and also felled numerous power lines and power poles. Fallen trees also caused damage to cars and houses.  Many towns in Boone county lost power, some for days. The storm caused an estimated 8 million dollars worth of damage to Utility companies.

Winter Storm in STANTON, NEBRASKA
From 30-DEC-06 18:00:00 to 31-DEC-06 08:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Freezing rain accumulated between 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch in some locations on trees, power lines, vehicles and other untreated objects.  The weight of the ice, and a mix of light sleet or snow that fell for a while Sunday, caused tree and power line damage knocking power to parts of the county.