A strong cold front moved through Northwest Kansas during the early afternoon.  Behind the front winds quickly strengthen, with gusts of 44-58 MPH reported.   As snow began to fall shortly behind the front, the strong winds and blowing snow lead to visibilities of a quarter mile or less, with many locations reporting white-out conditions.  The lack of visibility caused most of the area roads to be closed until the storm passed.  Snowfall totals ranged from 0.5 inches near Oakley to 6 near Herndon.

Blizzard in CHEYENNE, KANSAS
From 19-DEC-12 13:00:00 to 19-DEC-12 16:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Visibility down to a quarter mile, with near zero visibility by 1400 LST.  The St. Francis AWOS reported a peak gust of 44 MPH.

Blizzard in DECATUR, KANSAS
From 19-DEC-12 14:00:00 to 19-DEC-12 17:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

Included Decatur county based on ASOS reports from McCook.  Snowfall reports ranged from 3.0 inches at Dresden to 5.5 inches at Oberlin.

Blizzard in RAWLINS, KANSAS
From 19-DEC-12 14:00:00 to 19-DEC-12 17:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Included Rawlins county based on observations/spotter reports from Cheyenne county as well as model reanalysis of the visibilities.  Snowfall of 5.0 inches was reported at Atwood and 6.0 inches was reported 7 WNW of Herndon.

Blizzard in SHERMAN, KANSAS
From 19-DEC-12 13:00:00 to 19-DEC-12 17:00:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

Near zero visibility was reported at several locations during the afternoon across the county.  A peak gust of 55 MPH was measured at Goodland.  Snowfall reports ranged from 2.0 inches 10 WNW of Goodland to 5.0 inches 13 N of Edson.

Blizzard in THOMAS, KANSAS
From 19-DEC-12 15:00:00 to 19-DEC-12 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Included Thomas county based on low visibilities reported at Oakley and Goodland airports.  Snowfall reports ranged from 2.5 inches 7 SSW of Levant to 3.0 inches at Colby.

Blizzard in LOGAN, KANSAS
From 19-DEC-12 15:00:00 to 19-DEC-12 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

White-out conditions were reported near Oakley.  A peak gust of 51 MPH was measured at Oakley airport.  Snowfall reports ranged from 0.5 inches at 10 SSW of Oakley to 2.0 inches 3 SSW of Winona.

Blizzard in WALLACE, KANSAS
From 19-DEC-12 14:00:00 to 19-DEC-12 18:00:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

Included Wallace county based on observations at Goodland airport.  Two inches of snowfall was reported at 10 S of Sharon Springs with near zero visibility.

Blizzard in WICHITA, KANSAS
From 19-DEC-12 16:00:00 to 19-DEC-12 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Included Wichita county based on observations at Tribune airport.

Winter Weather in GOVE, KANSAS
From 19-DEC-12 15:00:00 to 19-DEC-12 17:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Based on the low visibilities reported at Oakley, and the short duration of low visibilities reported at Hill City and Garden City, best judgement is Gove county only had a brief period of blizzard conditions.  Snowfall totals ranged from 2.0 inches at 3 SSE of Quinter to 3.7 inches 3 S of Park.

Winter Weather in SHERIDAN, KANSAS
From 19-DEC-12 15:00:00 to 19-DEC-12 17:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Based on visibilities of a quarter mile or less reported at Oakley, and the short duration of low visibilities at Hill City, best judgement is Sheridan county only met blizzard conditions for an hour or two.  Snowfall reports ranged from 4.0 inches 5 S of Hoxie to 2.0 inches 10 S of Morland.

Blizzard in GREELEY, KANSAS
From 19-DEC-12 15:00:00 to 19-DEC-12 18:00:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Tribune airport reported visibilities down to a quarter mile or less for nearly 3 hours with a peak gust of 58 MPH at 1531LST.  A deputy on Highway 27 reported zero visibility and a snow packed roadway.