For those folks longing for a White Christmas, many across South Central Nebraska had their wishes granted. Saturday evening the 23rd into early Sunday morning the 24th featured the first widespread, multiple-inch snow of the 2017-18 winter season, with most local counties reporting anywhere from 2-5, and the overall-highest totals focused near the Interstate 80 and Highway 6 corridors. Fortunately, this was a rather low-impact event, as the dry, fluffy snow was accompanied by winds only around 10 MPH, keeping travel issues to a relative minimum. According to various NeRAIN/CoCoRaHS and NWS cooperative observers, some of the highest totals featured: 5.8 at Grand Island airport; 5 at various locations including Lexington, four miles east of Ohiowa, Minden, Clay Center and Bruning; and 4.7 three miles north of York. Other official Tri Cities totals included 4 at Hastings NWS Office and 3.5 at Kearney airport, although there were unofficial reports as high as 5 from the Kearney area.
Timing-wise, this was mainly a late afternoon-overnight episode, with the majority of counties picking up the bulk of snow between 5 PM-3 AM. However, some areas received a light dusting during the morning-early afternoon hours on the 23rd, prior to the main show. In the mid-upper levels, this fairly quick-hitting event occurred in a large-scale regime featuring a broad trough encompassing much of the CONUS. However, on the smaller scale, the driving force was clearly a pronounced area of frontogenesis (especially evident around 700 millibars). This event coincided with a pronounced shift to a very cold weather pattern that remained entrenched for the next 1-2 weeks, keeping much of this snow on the ground well into early-January.

Winter Weather in BUFFALO, NEBRASKA
From 23-DEC-17 17:00:00 to 24-DEC-17 03:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Employee

Unofficial snowfall totals of 5 inches were reported in Kearney, including by an NWS employee. Officially, the cooperative observer at the airport reported 3.5. Elsewhere in Buffalo County, 4 was reported in Ravenna and 3.6 at Miller.

Winter Weather in KEARNEY, NEBRASKA
From 23-DEC-17 18:00:00 to 24-DEC-17 03:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A snowfall total of 5.0 inches occurred in Minden.

Winter Weather in CLAY, NEBRASKA
From 23-DEC-17 18:00:00 to 24-DEC-17 03:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A snowfall total of 5.0 inches occurred in Clay Center and 3.2 inches occurred six miles east-southeast of Clay Center.

Winter Weather in FILLMORE, NEBRASKA
From 23-DEC-17 18:00:00 to 24-DEC-17 04:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A snowfall total of 5.0 inches was reported four miles east of Ohiowa from a CoCoRaHS observer. Also, 4.5 inches of snowfall was measured from a Cooperative Observer in Geneva as well as four miles south of Shickley.

Winter Weather in YORK, NEBRASKA
From 23-DEC-17 18:00:00 to 24-DEC-17 04:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A snowfall total of 4.7 inches occurred three miles north of York and 4.2 inches was reported in Bradshaw, and 3.0 inches was reported three miles west of Gresham,  reported from Cooperative Observers. Also, 3.5 inches of snowfall occurred one mile south of McCool Junction, per an NERain observer.

Winter Weather in THAYER, NEBRASKA
From 23-DEC-17 18:00:00 to 24-DEC-17 04:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Cooperative observers reported a snowfall total of 5.0 inches occurring in Bruning and Hubbell. Also,  4.3 inches occurred in Hebron, reported by an NeRain observer.

Winter Weather in ADAMS, NEBRASKA
From 23-DEC-17 18:00:00 to 24-DEC-17 03:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

A snowfall total of 4.0 inches was measured at the NWS Hastings Office north of town, and also by an NWS employee on the far south side of Hastings.

Winter Weather in FRANKLIN, NEBRASKA
From 23-DEC-17 18:00:00 to 24-DEC-17 03:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: CoCoRaHS

A snowfall total of 4.5 inches occurred six miles south of Wilcox.

Winter Weather in HAMILTON, NEBRASKA
From 23-DEC-17 18:00:00 to 24-DEC-17 03:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A snowfall total of 3.7 inches occurred four miles north of Aurora.

Winter Weather in POLK, NEBRASKA
From 23-DEC-17 19:00:00 to 24-DEC-17 04:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A snowfall total of 3.1 inches occurred three miles northeast of Shelby.

Winter Weather in GOSPER, NEBRASKA
From 23-DEC-17 15:00:00 to 24-DEC-17 01:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A snowfall total of 4.0 inches occurred eight miles south of Elwood. Also, a  snowfall total of 3.0 inches occurred 10 miles south-southwest of Smithfield, reported by NeRain.

Winter Weather in NUCKOLLS, NEBRASKA
From 23-DEC-17 18:00:00 to 24-DEC-17 03:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: CoCoRaHS

A snowfall total of 3.0 inches occurred five miles south of Nora, reported by an NeRain observer.

Winter Weather in FURNAS, NEBRASKA
From 23-DEC-17 15:00:00 to 24-DEC-17 01:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A snowfall total of 2.9 inches occurred at Cambridge, with various other reports of at least 2 within the county.

Winter Weather in HOWARD, NEBRASKA
From 23-DEC-17 18:00:00 to 24-DEC-17 02:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A snowfall total of 2.8 inches occurred in St. Paul.

Winter Weather in VALLEY, NEBRASKA
From 23-DEC-17 17:00:00 to 24-DEC-17 02:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A snowfall total of 2.5 inches occurred in Ord and also two miles west of Arcadia. A CoCoRaHS observer also reported 2.5 inches six miles west of Elyria.

Winter Weather in GREELEY, NEBRASKA
From 23-DEC-17 18:00:00 to 24-DEC-17 02:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snowfall totals included 2.5 inches four miles east of Scotia, and 2.4 inches in Greeley.

Winter Weather in WEBSTER, NEBRASKA
From 23-DEC-17 18:00:00 to 24-DEC-17 03:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Cooperative observers reported a snowfall total of 3.7 inches four miles southwest of Blue Hill and 2.5 inches occurred four miles east of Red Cloud. Also, 3.0 inches of snow fell four miles southwest of Bladen.

Winter Weather in HARLAN, NEBRASKA
From 23-DEC-17 17:00:00 to 24-DEC-17 02:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: CoCoRaHS

An NeRain observer snowfall total of 3.5 inches occurred three miles west of Ragan.

Winter Weather in SHERMAN, NEBRASKA
From 23-DEC-17 17:00:00 to 24-DEC-17 02:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: CoCoRaHS

A snowfall total of  2.6 inches occurred two miles northwest of Rockville and 2.5 inches occurred in Loup City.

Winter Weather in DAWSON, NEBRASKA
From 23-DEC-17 15:00:00 to 24-DEC-17 01:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Cooperative observers reported five inches of snowfall near Lexington and 3.7 inches in Cozad. Snow fell in essentially two rounds. The first round occurred from around 915 am to 130 pm on December 23rd, and a heavier round of snow from about 315 pm on December 23rd to 315 am on December 24th.

Winter Weather in HALL, NEBRASKA
From 23-DEC-17 18:00:00 to 24-DEC-17 03:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

A storm total of 5.8 inches occurred at the Central Nebraska Regional Airport in Grand Island. The snow occurred in two bouts, with a small round of snow occurring from about 1030 am to 1 pm on December 23rd, with the much larger snowfall occurring between about 630 pm on December 23rd to 3 am on December 24th. Less snow fell to the south, with 3.3 inches of snow occurring one mile east southeast of Doniphan, reported by an NWS employee.

Winter Weather in MERRICK, NEBRASKA
From 23-DEC-17 19:00:00 to 24-DEC-17 03:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: CoCoRaHS

A snowfall total of 3.0 inches occurred near Palmer.

Winter Weather in PHELPS, NEBRASKA
From 23-DEC-17 17:00:00 to 24-DEC-17 02:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A snowfall total of 4.0 inches occurred in Holdrege.