Snow is not usually associated with Easter, but this Sunday looked and felt a lot more like winter than early spring across South Central Nebraska...albeit more so in some places than others. While most of the 24-county area received at least a dusting up to a few inches, a fairly narrow, roughly 15-25 mile wide corridor accumulated markedly higher amounts ranging generally 4-11. The heart of this band was oriented west-northwest to east-southeast, centered roughly along a line from Elwood-Minden-Blue Hill-Bruning. According to reports from a variety of official and unofficial sources, some of the highest totals concentrated near the Fillmore-Thayer County line, featuring: 11.0 at Carleton, 10.8 near Belvidere and 9.5 near Shickley. Totals from a few larger towns in and near this main band included: 8 in Minden and 6 in Holdrege, Blue Hill and Clay Center. Lower amounts within the northern and southern fringes of the band included: 5.1 at NWS Hastings, 3.8 at Kearney and 3.4 in Hebron. Despite fairly hefty snow amounts in some spots, this event was relatively low impact, with little-to-no blowing and drifting thanks to winds averaging 10 MPH-or-less. However, slick roads did contribute to a single-fatality traffic accident on the northeast side of Grand Island.
As for timing, the majority of snow accumulated during the pre-dawn hours, starting in western counties around midnight and steadily spreading east within a few hours. After daybreak, mainly light snow hung on several more hours, ending in the west generally between 10 AM-noon CDT, and vacating far southeast areas around Hebron by 2 PM CDT. Turning to the meteorology behind this Easter event, this was a fairly textbook case of pronounced mid-level frontogenesis migrating across the Central Plains in broad west-northwest flow, especially evident around 700 millibars. At the surface, a sharp cold front had passed through on March 31st, ushering in an unseasonably-cold airmass. By the time snow broke out, a strong high pressure system (nearly 1030 millibars) settled into the region, keeping winds light. Although not record-breaking, high temperatures on the 1st averaged around 30 degrees below normal, with most of South Central Nebraska only topping out a few degrees either side of 30 F.

Winter Weather in DAWSON, NEBRASKA
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 01-APR-18 08:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A public report of 4.0 inches of snow was reported from Gothenburg. A cooperative observer measured a snowfall total of 3.3 inches in Cozad.

Winter Weather in BUFFALO, NEBRASKA
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 01-APR-18 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A snowfall total of 4.6 inches occurred in Miller and 3.8 inches fell in Kearney.

Winter Weather in GOSPER, NEBRASKA
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 01-APR-18 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A snowfall total of 4.7 inches occurred 8 miles south of Elwood. Also, a social media report of 4.0 inches of snow occurred in Elwood.

Heavy Snow in PHELPS, NEBRASKA
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 01-APR-18 11:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A cooperative observer measured a snowfall total of 6.0 inches in Holdrege. Also, a public report of 6.0 inches was received from the Franklin School field in Holdrege.

Heavy Snow in KEARNEY, NEBRASKA
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 01-APR-18 11:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A public report of 8.0 inches of total snowfall occurred in Axtell. A cooperative observer measured a snowfall total of 7.0 inches in Minden. Also, a social media report of 7.0 inches of total snowfall occurred in Heartwell.

Heavy Snow in CLAY, NEBRASKA
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 01-APR-18 12:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A public report of 8.5 inches of total snowfall occurred 6 miles east southeast of Pauline. Cooperative observers reported a snowfall total of 6.0 inches at Clay Center, as well as 5.5 inches, six miles east-southeast of Clay Center.

Winter Weather in FURNAS, NEBRASKA
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 01-APR-18 11:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A snowfall total of 3.3 inches occurred 6  miles north northwest of Oxford.

Heavy Snow in FILLMORE, NEBRASKA
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 01-APR-18 12:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A snowfall total of 9.5 inches occurred 4 miles south of Shickley. Also, 5.0 inches fell in Geneva, both reported by cooperative observers. A public report of 8.0 inches occurred in Shickley.

Heavy Snow in WEBSTER, NEBRASKA
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 01-APR-18 12:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A snowfall total of 6.0 inches occurred in Blue Hill.

Winter Weather in VALLEY, NEBRASKA
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 01-APR-18 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A snowfall total of 3.1 inches occurred in Arcadia.

Heavy Snow in THAYER, NEBRASKA
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 01-APR-18 13:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

A snowfall total of 11.0 inches was measured by the Thayer County Emergency Manager in Carleton. Also, 10.8 inches of snow was measured by a trained spotter 3 miles north of Belvidere, and a public report of 7.5 inches occurred one mile west of Alexandria. A social media report of 7.0 inches occurred in Davenport. Also, a sharp decrease of snow amounts occurred just to the south as cooperative observers measured a snowfall total of 5.0 inches in Bruning and 3.4 inches in Hebron.

Heavy Snow in ADAMS, NEBRASKA
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 01-APR-18 12:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Employee

An NWS Hastings employee measured 6.0 inches 2 miles north of Pauline. A COCORAHS site just south of the Hastings airport measured 5.5 inches. Also, a snowfall total of 5.1 inches occurred at WFO Hastings, NE.

Winter Weather in HALL, NEBRASKA
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 01-APR-18 11:00:00 (CST-6)
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Employee

A snowfall total of 4.0 inches was measured one mile east southeast of Doniphan. Also, a public report of 2.7 inches occurred 3 miles west southwest of Grand Island. Snow and slick roads contributed to a fatal automobile accident in the morning in Grand Island.

Heavy Snow in NUCKOLLS, NEBRASKA
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 01-APR-18 12:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Social Media

A report of 8.0 inches of total snowfall occurred 3 miles south of Deweese.

Winter Weather in HAMILTON, NEBRASKA
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 01-APR-18 12:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Social Media

A snowfall total of 4.0 inches occurred in Stockham.