A complex weather event took shape over northeast Kansas, with the expected type of accumulating hydrometeor at the forefront of the challenge. Originally, the airmass over northeast Kansas looked capable of supporting snow through the duration of the winter weather event.  But, a belt of strong moist southerly flow continuously advected into the region, and a warm moist midlevel layer supported more of a sleet or freezing rain type scenario over mainly east central Kansas.  Snow was the predominant precipitation type further west, and was eventually seen in every county of the NWS-Topeka warning area, but sleet and ice accumulations played a larger role than originally thought. Several road crews were noted to say though that because of the heavy, wet nature of the snow, it had been easy to remove. Power outages were noted across portions of the region, notably in Dickinson and Geary Counties.  Several road slide-offs were reported across the area, but no injuries or fatalities. Many of the accidents occurred on bridges and overpasses.

Winter Storm in COFFEY, KANSAS
From 27-MAR-09 22:00:00 to 28-MAR-09 12:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Primarily rain fell during the evening hours of the 27th, but gradually transitioned to a mix of freezing rain and sleet, then eventually snow through the night. Half an inch of ice was reported to have accumulated in the southern part of the county, which one quarter of an inch was reported across much of the rest of the county.  Power lines were reported down in and around Gridley, tree limbs snapped off in Burlingame as a result of the weight of the accumulated ice, and several slide-offs were reported by law enforcement along I-35.

Winter Storm in MARSHALL, KANSAS
From 28-MAR-09 04:00:00 to 28-MAR-09 15:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A band of heavy precipitation lifted through Marshall County through the morning hours of the 27th. Sleet and heavy snow were reported with this band, and around 6 inches of snow was measured by a trained spotter south of Blue Rapids, while another nearer to the Nebraska border west of Oketo reported two inches of sleet on the ground.

Winter Storm in MORRIS, KANSAS
From 27-MAR-09 19:00:00 to 28-MAR-09 11:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Ice and snow reports were slow to trickle into the NWS-TOP, but came fast and furiously after 9am CST as a heavy band of precipitation began to affect the county. Snow, freezing rain, and sleet were all reported, and sites across the county reported ice accumulations beginning around 9am CST, with half of an inch of ice reported on trees and power lines at some locations before 10am CST.  An inch of sleet accumulated four miles southeast of Council Grove, while storm total accumulations across the rest of the county were around half an inch of sleet, and one to two inches of snow.

Winter Storm in OSAGE, KANSAS
From 27-MAR-09 22:00:00 to 28-MAR-09 12:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Primarily rain fell during the evening hours of the 27th, but gradually transitioned to a mix of freezing rain and sleet, then eventually snow through the night. Half an inch of ice accumulated on trees and power lines by around 9:30am CST in the Osage City area, and power lines were reported to have been downed, notably near the intersection of Hwy 56 and Stanley. Eight-tenths of an inch of ice was measured to have accumulated north-northwest of Osage City.

Winter Storm in OTTAWA, KANSAS
From 27-MAR-09 23:00:00 to 28-MAR-09 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Snow was reported across Ottawa County through the duration of the winter weather event.  An inch of snow had accumulated by 11:32pm CST in Minneapolis, five inches by 4:30am CST,  and six around 10:00am CST.  A trained spotter four miles east northeast of Ada measured seven inches of snow by 6:35am CST.

Winter Storm in DICKINSON, KANSAS
From 27-MAR-09 22:00:00 to 28-MAR-09 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

A band of heavy snow moved through Dickinson County during the early morning hours.  Beneath this band, trained spotters and law enforcement officials measured six inches of snow just before 2am CST.  Many county roadways at that time were deemed impassible due to the snow accumulation. Four to six inch snow reports were common across the county, while one spotter in the southeast portion of the county measured a storm total of nine inches by 8am CST. Snow was reported to be the lone precipitation type through the duration of the event.

Winter Storm in DOUGLAS, KANSAS
From 27-MAR-09 23:00:00 to 28-MAR-09 13:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A quarter of an inch of ice accumulated on trees, powerlines, and other suspended objects, generally within an axis that stretched from the southwestern to northeastern part of the county. Roadways were very slick, and a number of accidents were reported in the rural areas. A combination of sleet and snow mixed into the freezing rain toward the later part of the event time.

Winter Storm in RILEY, KANSAS
From 27-MAR-09 23:00:00 to 28-MAR-09 11:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A band of heavy precipitation lifted through Riley County overnight the 27th into the 28th of March. A mix of freezing rain, sleet, and snow--heavy at times--was reported with this band.  Total sleet accumulations reached up to 2 inches, while snow totals up to seven inches were reported in the northern portion of the county.

Winter Storm in SHAWNEE, KANSAS
From 27-MAR-09 23:00:00 to 28-MAR-09 12:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A quarter of an inch of ice accumulated on trees, powerlines, and other suspended objects across mainly the southeastern half of Shawnee County. Sleet and snow mixed into the freezing rain toward the end of the event time. Several vehicle slide-offs were reported by local law enforcement, and by the local media, but no injuries or deaths occurred as a result of the weather event.

Winter Storm in GEARY, KANSAS
From 27-MAR-09 23:00:00 to 28-MAR-09 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain was reported to have accumulated across portions of Geary County. Notable snowfall accumulation totals were generally in the four to five inch range, but up to two inches of ice in the form of freezing rain and sleet was reported.

Winter Storm in LYON, KANSAS
From 27-MAR-09 22:00:00 to 28-MAR-09 12:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Rain gradually transitioned to a mix of freezing rain and sleet with some snow during the late evening hours of the 27th.  One quarter of an inch to one half of an inch of ice was reported to have accumulated across much of the county. A report of one inch of ice was reported to have accumulated in the northeast part of the county, before the precipitation type changed over to all snow during the morning hours of the 28th. Power lines and trees fell due to the weight of the ice, most notably in the Admire, Bushong, and Americus areas.  By 7:15am CST, several accidents had been reported along the Kansas turnpike due to slick road conditions.  Most roads in the county at that point had not been treated.