A prolonged period of snow, occasionally heavy, fell across much of eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa from very early Sunday morning 3/19/06 into early Tuesday morning the 21st.  The snow was accompanied by gusty east to northeast winds which created significant blowing and drifting snow, especially west of a Lincoln to West Point line.  East of that line the snow was occasionally mixed with sleet, freezing drizzle and even light rain Sunday and Sunday night. Total snowfall of 20 to 25 inches was common from around Columbus and Schuyler to the Norfolk, Albion and Neligh areas, with some unofficial totals of 28 to 30 inches reported.  Amounts of 10 to 20 inches were recorded west of a line from Beatrice to Lincoln to Omaha then into Monona county Iowa.  Snow totals southeast of that line decreased gradually, and only 2 to 4 inches was reported from around Falls City, in the southeast corner of Nebraska, toward Shenandoah and Clarinda in southwest Iowa.The precipitation for the first part of the event, from Sunday into midday Monday, was mainly driven by warm air advection.  Then by Monday afternoon an upper level system caused surface low development over Oklahoma which then tracked across the Missouri and Arkansas area by Tuesday morning.The snow began just after midnight Sunday the 19th along and west of a Lincoln to West Point line and by 7 am Sunday most areas had received 2 to 4 inches.  Very dry low level air feeding into the system greatly reduced the snowfall from near the Missouri River east into western Iowa and little or no measurable snow had yet fallen as of 7 am Sunday.   By mid morning Sunday accumulating snow had pushed to the Missouri River with 1 to 3 inches recorded as far east as the Omaha area. However, the above mentioned dry air would continue to cause periodic lapses in accumulating snow for the counties bordering the Missouri River in Nebraska south of Tekamah and for much of Southwest Iowa.  That in turn allowed for somewhat brighter afternoon skies Sunday and Monday along with temperatures that managed to climb to freezing or a little warmer.  Thus, there was much melting of the snow on roads and sidewalks, especially on treated ones, during the daylight hours.  Snow intensities increased Sunday night across most areas and by 7 am Monday morning total snowfall varied from 6 to 15 inches along and west of a Lincoln to Schuyler to Bloomfield line, with the higher amounts along and west of a Columbus to Niobrara line.  Snow totals east of that area were in the 2 to 6 inch range except for generally an inch or less from the southeast corner of Nebraska into portions of west central Iowa northeast of Council Bluffs.  Snow continued accumulating Monday afternoon over much of the area...except near and east of the Missouri River where brighter skies and slightly warmer temperatures held back accumulations.  Monday night and Tuesday morning saw the heavier accumulating snow finally shift east to those counties in Nebraska and Iowa bordering the Missouri River.  Much of the snow then finally ended mid Tuesday morning.Even though many roads west of a Lincoln to West Point line were closed for a time by Monday afternoon, including Interstate 80 west of Lincoln, travel from extreme eastern Nebraska into much of southwest Iowa was not affected too much. The closing of Interstate 80 caused extensive traffic problems early Tuesday in the Lincoln area as west bound traffic tried to exit the Interstate and onto west bound roads and Highways. This, in turn, forced the closure of west bound Highway 6 out of Lincoln.The heavy snow or resulting melting snow caused several buildings to collapse.  In Fairbury a large industrial building collapsed late Wednesday March 22 causing nearly $1 million in damage.  Near Humphrey melting snow Tuesday caused a power pole to tip or wires to stretch sparking an outbuilding fire.  A metal beam twisted on a Neligh buisness causing some damage.  A roof collapsed in the Newman Grove area damaging vehicles and other items at a lumber store.  Awnings collapsed in the Norfolk area.In addition...many schools cancelled classes both Monday and Tuesday and some even stayed closed Wednesday.  Over 400 schools were reported closed in Nebraska at one time or another.Heavier storm total snowfall...in some cases these were 48 hour or more amounts...included...25 inches at Lorretto, 24 inches in Madison, 23 inches in Albion, 22 inches at Elgin, 19 to 20 inches in the Schuyler and Columbus areas as well as in Oakdale.  At official climate sites over the region, storm totals included 17.5 inches in Norfolk, 9.1 at Lincoln, 9.2 at Omaha Eppley and 13 inches at the NWS in Valley.  Heavier totals in western Iowa included 12 inches near Little Sioux, 10 inches near Castana, 9 inches in Underwood and 6 to 8 inches from Logan to Onawa and Mapleton.  Some of these totals were affected by either blowing and drifting, western sections, or by paritally melting from underneath eastern and southern locations.

Winter Storm in PIERCE, NEBRASKA
From 20-MAR-06 06:00:00 to 21-MAR-06 09:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Winter Storm in SALINE, NEBRASKA
From 20-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 21-MAR-06 09:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Winter Storm in BUTLER, NEBRASKA
From 20-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 21-MAR-06 09:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Winter Storm in LANCASTER, NEBRASKA
From 20-MAR-06 14:00:00 to 21-MAR-06 09:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Winter Storm in DODGE, NEBRASKA
From 20-MAR-06 14:00:00 to 21-MAR-06 09:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Winter Storm in WASHINGTON, NEBRASKA
From 20-MAR-06 16:00:00 to 21-MAR-06 09:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Winter Storm in JEFFERSON, NEBRASKA
From 20-MAR-06 18:00:00 to 21-MAR-06 09:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Winter Storm in GAGE, NEBRASKA
From 20-MAR-06 18:00:00 to 21-MAR-06 09:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Winter Storm in BURT, NEBRASKA
From 20-MAR-06 20:00:00 to 21-MAR-06 09:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Winter Storm in PAWNEE, NEBRASKA
From 20-MAR-06 22:00:00 to 21-MAR-06 09:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Winter Storm in JOHNSON, NEBRASKA
From 20-MAR-06 22:00:00 to 21-MAR-06 09:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Winter Storm in CEDAR, NEBRASKA
From 21-MAR-06 00:00:00 to 21-MAR-06 09:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Winter Storm in THURSTON, NEBRASKA
From 21-MAR-06 00:00:00 to 21-MAR-06 09:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Winter Storm in DOUGLAS, NEBRASKA
From 21-MAR-06 00:00:00 to 21-MAR-06 09:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Winter Storm in SARPY, NEBRASKA
From 21-MAR-06 00:00:00 to 21-MAR-06 09:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Winter Storm in CASS, NEBRASKA
From 21-MAR-06 06:00:00 to 21-MAR-06 09:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Winter Storm in OTOE, NEBRASKA
From 21-MAR-06 06:00:00 to 21-MAR-06 09:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Winter Storm in SEWARD, NEBRASKA
From 20-MAR-06 06:00:00 to 21-MAR-06 09:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Winter Storm in SAUNDERS, NEBRASKA
From 20-MAR-06 06:00:00 to 21-MAR-06 09:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Winter Storm in STANTON, NEBRASKA
From 20-MAR-06 08:00:00 to 21-MAR-06 09:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Winter Storm in CUMING, NEBRASKA
From 20-MAR-06 08:00:00 to 21-MAR-06 09:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Winter Storm in WAYNE, NEBRASKA
From 20-MAR-06 10:00:00 to 21-MAR-06 09:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Winter Storm in KNOX, NEBRASKA
From 20-MAR-06 00:00:00 to 21-MAR-06 09:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Winter Storm in COLFAX, NEBRASKA
From 20-MAR-06 03:00:00 to 21-MAR-06 09:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Winter Storm in ANTELOPE, NEBRASKA
From 19-MAR-06 18:00:00 to 21-MAR-06 09:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Winter Storm in BOONE, NEBRASKA
From 19-MAR-06 18:00:00 to 21-MAR-06 09:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Winter Storm in PLATTE, NEBRASKA
From 19-MAR-06 18:00:00 to 21-MAR-06 09:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Winter Storm in MADISON, NEBRASKA
From 19-MAR-06 18:00:00 to 21-MAR-06 09:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.