Although minor accumulation persisted well into the day across parts of South Central Nebraska on Monday the 15th, one of the first ���impactful��� snow events of the 2014-15 winter season occurred mainly during the pre-dawn hours as generally 1-4 inches of fairly wet snow targeted several counties primarily west of the Highway 281 corridor. Within this area, locations roughly 15 miles either side of a line from Ord-Elm Creek-Oxford received the most concentrated swath of steady, wind-blown snow, the majority of which fell between 2-8 a.m. Even more specifically, some of the overall-worst early-morning travel conditions focused within a narrow, north-south oriented snow band over Phelps and western Buffalo counties. Including the generally light accumulation that lingered well into the day, a few of the top storm total snowfall totals from NWS cooperative observers featured 4.0��� in Ord, 2.5��� in Arcadia, 2.5��� six miles north-northwest of Oxford and 1.5��� at Holdrege. In addition, a social media report yielded 3.0��� four miles south of Odessa. While actual amounts were not overly-significant in most places, the briefly-intense snowfall rates caused some issues, especially given that sustained north-northwest wind averaged 20-25 MPH while gusting up to around 40 MPH.
Prior to colder air building down from the north and changing precipitation over to snow on the 15th, most of the afternoon and evening of Sunday the 14th featured scattered showers and even a few rare December thunderstorms within South Central Nebraska. Some places also experienced a fairly brief period of freezing rain and/or sleet during the overnight transition from rain to snow. In the ���big picture��� of the mid and upper levels, this event was driven by a powerful, nearly vertically-stacked, closed low pressure system that tracked from southwest-to-northeast across Kansas over the course of the night. Given that South Central Nebraska remained north and eventually northwest of the surface low this entire time, increasingly-strong north-northwest wind ushered increasingly-colder air into the area. As often occurs to the northwest of a well-organized low pressure system, the primary north-south oriented snow band focused within an area of enhanced low to mid level frontogenesis/deformation.

Winter Weather in HARLAN, NEBRASKA
From 15-DEC-14 02:00:00 to 15-DEC-14 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

An estimated one to three inches of snowfall occurred across Harlan County, with greater amounts in eastern Harlan County, within a heavier snow band. This snow was combined with gusts from the north northwest up to around 40 mph, which reduced visibility. Some light snow and flurries occurred into the afternoon, but the bulk of accumulating snow was done by 9 am CST. A number of schools started late.

Winter Weather in PHELPS, NEBRASKA
From 15-DEC-14 02:00:00 to 15-DEC-14 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Nebraska Rainfall Assessment and Information Network (NERAIN) reported 3 inches of snow in southeastern Phelps County, just northwest of Wilcox. Also, a report off of Facebook was 3 inches of snowfall, 4 miles south of Odessa. These reports were within a narrow band of heavier snow. A cooperative observer in Holdrege measured 1.5 inches of snowfall, just west of where the heavier snow band set up. This snow was combined with gusts from the north northwest up to around 40 mph, which reduced visibility. Some light snow and flurries occurred into the afternoon, but the bulk of accumulating snow was done by 9 am CST. A number of schools started late.

Winter Weather in BUFFALO, NEBRASKA
From 15-DEC-14 02:00:00 to 15-DEC-14 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A cooperative observer measured 1.5 inches of snow in Miller. Nebraska Rainfall Assessment and Information Network (NERAIN) reports ranged from 1 to 2 inches of snow, with greater amounts in the western part of Buffalo County, where a heavier band of snow set up. This snow was combined with gusts from the north northwest up to around 40 mph, which reduced visibility. Interstate 80 (eastbound) at the Shelton exit was closed due to a tractor trailer that jackknifed. Some light snow and flurries occurred into the afternoon, but the bulk of accumulating snow was done by 9 am CST. A number of schools started late.

Winter Weather in FURNAS, NEBRASKA
From 15-DEC-14 01:00:00 to 15-DEC-14 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Cooperative observers measured 2.5 inches of snow 6 miles north northwest of Oxford, 2.0 inches in Wilsonville, 1.5 inches in Cambridge, 1.0 inches in Beaver City, and 1.0 inches in Edison. This snow was combined with gusts from the north northwest up to around 40 mph, which reduced visibility. Some light snow and flurries occurred into the afternoon, but the bulk of accumulating snow was done by 9 am CST. A number of schools started late.

Winter Weather in GOSPER, NEBRASKA
From 15-DEC-14 01:00:00 to 15-DEC-14 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

The cooperative observer 8 miles south of Elwood measured 1.7 inches of snow. This snow was combined with gusts from the north northwest up to around 40 mph, which reduced visibility. Some light snow and flurries occurred into the afternoon, but the bulk of accumulating snow was done by 9 am CST. A number of schools started late.

Winter Weather in VALLEY, NEBRASKA
From 15-DEC-14 01:00:00 to 15-DEC-14 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Precipitation originally switched from rain to freezing rain for about an hour or so, creating an initial slick, thin coat of ice on surfaces. Then a slow transition to sleet, then snow during the overnight hours. There did not appear to be a clear transition to snow, as precipitation types wavered back and forth for a couple of hours before switching to primarily snow. A total of 3 inches of snow occurred in Ord from a cooperative observer. Nebraska Rainfall Assessment and Information Network (NERAIN) reports ranged 2 to 3 inches in southern Valley County, to 4 to 6 inches in northern Valley County. This snow was combined with gusts from the north northwest up to around 40 mph, which reduced visibility. Some light snow and flurries occurred into the afternoon, but the bulk of accumulating snow was done by 8 am CST. A number of schools started late due to the wintry mix.

Winter Weather in GREELEY, NEBRASKA
From 15-DEC-14 01:00:00 to 15-DEC-14 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Nebraska Rainfall Assessment and Information Network (NERAIN) reports were around 3 inches of snow in the western half of Greeley County. In Greeley, the cooperative observer reported 2.3 inches of snowfall. This snow was combined with gusts from the north northwest up to around 40 mph, which reduced visibility. Some light snow and flurries occurred into the afternoon, but the bulk of accumulating snow was done by 8 am CST. A number of schools started late.

Winter Weather in SHERMAN, NEBRASKA
From 15-DEC-14 01:00:00 to 15-DEC-14 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Nebraska Rainfall Assessment and Information Network (NERAIN) reports ranged from 1 to 4 inches of snow. This snow was combined with gusts from the north northwest up to around 40 mph, which reduced visibility. Some light snow and flurries occurred into the afternoon, but the bulk of accumulating snow was done by 9 am CST. A number of schools started late.

Winter Weather in DAWSON, NEBRASKA
From 15-DEC-14 01:00:00 to 15-DEC-14 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

Nebraska Department Of Roads (NDOR) reported that one to two inches of snowfall occurred across Dawson County. Nebraska Rainfall Assessment and Information Network (NERAIN) reports ranged from 1 to 3 inches of snow. This snow was combined with gusts from the north northwest up to around 40 mph, which reduced visibility. Some light snow and flurries occurred into the afternoon, but the bulk of accumulating snow was done by 9 am CST. A number of schools started late.