A large upper level system that dropped southeast from the northern Rockies split into two pieces, one tracked across the central plains while the other drifted southwest across the southwestern U.S.  Surface low pressure associated with the first piece tracked from northeast Texas across southeast Missouri and then into the lower Great Lakes region. Arctic air was pulled in behind this lead system and brought a massive winter storm to a very large part of the U.S. Freezing rain, heavy snow and blizzard conditions prevailed from the southern plains toward the Great Lakes, while record setting cold temperatures plunged southwest across western Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.
Across eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa the storm initially spread freezing drizzle or light freezing rain, mixed at times with light snow, across much of the area during the early morning hours of Jan. 31. The precipitation changed over to all snow later on the 31st and continued into the late night hours of Feb. 1st.  As Arctic air spilled in behind the system, dangerously cold wind chill values spread over the region late on the 1st and early on the 2nd. Increasing north to northwest winds on the 1st caused considerable blowing and drifting snow which closed some county roads and created near-blizzard conditions. The heavier snow from the storm was generally from around Lincoln and David City east and southeast into western Iowa, with most amounts across this area in the 5 to 7 inch range. Heavier snow totals from the storm in eastern Nebraska included; 6.9 inches in Omaha, 6.6 inches at the NWS in Valley, 6.2 inches in Virginia, and around 6 inches in Rulo, Shubert, Auburn, near Cedar Bluffs and Papillion and around 5 inches at David City, Lincoln and Beatrice. In southwest Iowa the heavier totals included; 7.5 inches in Glenwood, and around 5 inches at Harlan, Clarinda and Little Sioux.

Winter Storm in POTTAWATTAMIE, IOWA
From 31-JAN-11 08:00:00 to 31-JAN-11 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: COOP Observer

Patchy freezing drizzle and light snow moved into the area during the morning hours of 1/31. This produced very slick roads in the Omaha metro area which caused numerous accidents and made for a difficult morning commute.  The precipitation changed to all snow later on the 31st and snow, occasionally moderate, continued through the late evening of Feb. 1.  North winds increased to 25 to 35 mph with gusts of 40 mph during the afternoon and evening of 2/1, which caused considerable blowing and drifting snow which closed some county roads and created near-blizzard conditions.  Total snowfall from the storm was 5 to 7 inches based on observations from surrounding areas.

Winter Storm in MONTGOMERY, IOWA
From 31-JAN-11 08:00:00 to 31-JAN-11 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: COOP Observer

Patchy freezing drizzle and light snow moved into the area during the morning hours of 1/31. The precipitation changed to all snow later on the 31st and snow, occasionally moderate, continued through the very early morning hours of Feb. 2.  North winds increased to 25 to 35 mph with gusts of 40 mph during the afternoon and evening of 2/1, which caused considerable blowing and drifting snow which closed some county roads and created near-blizzard conditions.  Total snowfall from the storm was 5 to 7 inches based on observations from surrounding areas.

Winter Storm in PAGE, IOWA
From 31-JAN-11 08:00:00 to 31-JAN-11 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: COOP Observer

Patchy freezing drizzle and light snow moved into the area during the morning hours of 1/31. The precipitation changed to all snow later on the 31st and snow, occasionally moderate, continued through the very early morning hours of Feb. 2.  North winds increased to 25 to 35 mph with gusts of 40 mph during the afternoon and evening of 2/1, which caused considerable blowing and drifting snow which closed some county roads and created near-blizzard conditions.  Total snowfall from the storm was 5 to 7 inches based on observations from surrounding areas.

Winter Storm in FREMONT, IOWA
From 31-JAN-11 08:00:00 to 31-JAN-11 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: COOP Observer

Patchy freezing drizzle and light snow moved into the area during the morning hours of 1/31. The precipitation changed to all snow later on the 31st and snow, occasionally moderate, continued through the very early morning hours of Feb. 2.  North winds increased to 25 to 35 mph with gusts of 40 mph during the afternoon and evening of 2/1, which caused considerable blowing and drifting snow which closed some county roads and created near-blizzard conditions.  Total snowfall from the storm was 5 to 7 inches based on observations from surrounding areas.

Winter Storm in SHELBY, IOWA
From 31-JAN-11 08:00:00 to 31-JAN-11 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: COOP Observer

Patchy freezing drizzle and light snow moved into the area during the morning hours of 1/31. The precipitation changed to all snow later on the 31st and snow, occasionally moderate, continued through the very early morning hours of Feb. 2.  North winds increased to 25 to 35 mph with gusts of 40 mph during the afternoon and evening of 2/1, which caused considerable blowing and drifting snow which closed some county roads and created near-blizzard conditions.  Total snowfall from the storm was 4 to 6 inches with around 5 inches recorded at Harlan among the highest reported.

Winter Storm in HARRISON, IOWA
From 31-JAN-11 08:00:00 to 31-JAN-11 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: COOP Observer

Patchy freezing drizzle and light snow moved into the area during the morning hours of 1/31. The precipitation changed to all snow later on the 31st and snow, occasionally moderate, continued through the very early morning hours of Feb. 2.  North winds increased to 25 to 35 mph with gusts of 40 mph during the afternoon and evening of 2/1, which caused considerable blowing and drifting snow which closed some county roads and created near-blizzard conditions.  Total snowfall from the storm was 4 to 6 inches with around 5 inches recorded near Little Sioux among the highest reported.

Winter Storm in MILLS, IOWA
From 31-JAN-11 08:00:00 to 31-JAN-11 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: COOP Observer

Patchy freezing drizzle and light snow moved into the area during the morning hours of 1/31. The precipitation changed to all snow later on the 31st and snow, occasionally moderate, continued through the very early morning hours of Feb. 2.  North winds increased to 25 to 35 mph with gusts of 40 mph during the afternoon and evening of 2/1, which caused considerable blowing and drifting snow which closed some county roads and created near-blizzard conditions.  Total snowfall from the storm was 5 to 7 inches with around 7.5 inches recorded at Glenwood the highest reported in southwest from the storm.