For most of this six-county North Central Kansas area, this Sunday featured the earliest measurable autumn snow since at least 1985! That being said, amounts were not very heavy, with most locations reporting between 1-3. Per CoCoRaHS and NWS cooperative observers, some of the highest official totals featured: 3.2 six miles east of Phillipsburg, 3.1 four miles west-northwest of Plainville and 3.0 at Natoma and Covert. Despite snow amounts staying fairly tame, most places endured at least a few hours of reduced visibility thanks to sustained north winds averaging 10-20 MPH and gusting to around 30 MPH. Climatologically, this was clearly an unusually-early snow event. As just one example: this was the 2nd-earliest snowfall of 3+ inches on record at Natoma.
Timing-wise, this was a somewhat split event. While most areas received at least some snow during the morning and early afternoon hours mainly between 7 a.m-1 p.m. CDT (especially the northern three counties), the southern three counties picked up the majority of snow during a secondary band that developed during the late afternoon and evening, mainly between 4-10 p.m. CDT. In the mid-upper levels, the large scale regime featured a broad trough sinking southward into the central United States, anchored by a closed low tracking through the Manitoba-North Dakota-Minnesota border region. However, on the smaller scale, the driving force locally was a pronounced ribbon of mid-level frontogenesis (especially evident at 700 millibars), promoting mesoscale banding. At the surface, the gusty north winds were driven by an enhanced pressure gradient between a seasonably-strong cold front that bisected Kansas from southwest-to-northeast at daybreak, and a strong high pressure system (around 1034 millibars) centered over the Northern Rockies. The overall-strongest winds occurred during the morning, slowly letting up through the afternoon and evening. Temperature-wise, this event served as the grand finale to a markedly-cold start to October; in fact, most of the area endured a Top-3 coldest first half of the month. However, just two days later on the 16th temperatures soared into the upper 60s, quickly melting this early-season snow into a memory.

Winter Weather in JEWELL, KANSAS
From 14-OCT-18 08:00:00 to 14-OCT-18 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snow totals averaged 1-3 across much of Jewell County, including official NWS observer totals of 2.5 in Ionia and 2.0 in Jewell. There were two primary rounds of snow, one during the morning and another during the evening.

Winter Weather in OSBORNE, KANSAS
From 14-OCT-18 09:00:00 to 15-OCT-18 21:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snow totals averaged around 3 across much of Osborne County, including official NWS observer totals of 3.0 at Natoma and Covert, and a CoCoRaHS report of 3.0 in Osborne.  Although some snow fell in the morning and early afternoon, the primary round fell during the late afternoon and evening.

Winter Weather in SMITH, KANSAS
From 14-OCT-18 08:00:00 to 14-OCT-18 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snow totals averaged 1-3 across much of Smith County, including an official NWS observer totals of 2.0 in Lebanon. There were two primary rounds of snow, one during the morning and another during the evening.

Winter Weather in ROOKS, KANSAS
From 14-OCT-18 08:00:00 to 14-OCT-18 20:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snow totals averaged 1-3 across much of Rooks County, including an official NWS observer totals of 3.1 four miles west-northwest of Plainville. Although some snow fell in the morning and early afternoon, the primary round fell during the late afternoon and evening.

Winter Weather in MITCHELL, KANSAS
From 14-OCT-18 09:00:00 to 14-OCT-18 21:30:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snow totals averaged 1-2 across much of Mitchell County, including an official NWS observer total of 2.0 at Cawker City, and a CoCoRaHS report of 2.0 near Hunter. Although some snow fell in the morning and early afternoon, the primary round occurred during the late afternoon and evening.

Winter Weather in PHILLIPS, KANSAS
From 14-OCT-18 07:00:00 to 14-OCT-18 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: CoCoRaHS

Snow totals averaged 1-3 across much of Phillips County, including a CoCoRaHS report of 3.2 six miles east of Phillipsburg. There were two primary rounds of snow, one during the morning and another during the evening.