The first true blizzard of the 2018-19 winter season struck much of the northwest half of South Central Nebraska on this Thursday, causing not only many of the usual winter storm disruptions, but also snarling post-Christmas travel. Among various other impacts, Interstate 80 was initially closed from Lexington westward to North Platte, but with this closure eventually creeping as far east as Grand Island to accommodate traffic back-up. There was a fairly sharp divide in snow totals and storm impacts across the area, as locations generally northwest of an Alma-Kearney-Fullerton line received the highest amounts of 4-9, and in turn, experienced the most severe blizzard conditions. Amounts dropped off steadily to the southeast of that line, with places such as Osceola, Grand Island, Hastings and Red Cloud only seeing 1-2. Even farther southeast, counties such as Thayer/Fillmore/Nuckolls barely received a dusting. Per NWS cooperative observers, some of the highest official totals featured: 8.5 in Greeley, 8 in Edison, 7.9 in Loup City, 7.2 six miles southeast of Lexington and 7 in Arcadia, Cambridge and Wilsonville. In the Tri Cities, Kearney led the way with 3.8, while Grand Island and Hastings only measured 1.9. Winds were certainly a major factor, as much of the 27th featured sustained north-northwest speeds of 25-35 MPH and frequent gusts of 40-50 MPH, resulting in considerable blowing/drifting snow and reducing visibilities to around 1/4 mile for several hours in the Blizzard Warning area.
Breaking down event timing, and initially backing up a bit, this storm started off very similar to the one four weeks prior, and with something fairly unusual for this time of year: soaking winter rain! In fact, Wednesday the 26th featured widespread rainfall of 1-2, including daily records in Grand Island (1.42) and Hastings (1.41). As colder air invaded western counties late that night, rain quickly changed to snow, with blizzard conditions already in full force by sunrise on the 27th in places such as Kearney, Lexington and Ord. Even before snow impacts kicked into high gear, the initially rain-wettened roads became slick due to a flash freeze in the falling temperatures. For the hardest-hit northern/western counties, the bulk of snow occurred during the early-mid morning, while areas farther south/east nearer the Highway 281 corridor (including Grand Island/Hastings) observed the majority of snow and occasional white-out conditions during the late-morning through mid-afternoon. Although blowing/drifting snow persisted in many areas well into the night, South Central Nebraska saw a pronounced break from falling snow through the late afternoon-evening, before one last batch of light snow (accumulation largely under one-half inch) flared up on the morning of the 28th. In the mid-upper levels, the primary player was a powerful, large scale trough, with its center tracking from NM on the 26th, to western KS by daybreak on the 27th, then northward across eastern NE into MN during the afternoon and evening. The associated strong surface low pressure system started the morning of the 27th over central Kansas (pressure around 996 millibars), before steadily marching to around Kansas City by mid-day and the IA/MN border by evening. On a climate-related side note, this event put an exclamation point on an incredibly wet December, as most of South Central Nebraska received between 2.50-4.50 of precipitation for the month, or generally 300-600% of normal! For most official stations, it was a Top-3 wettest December on record, and was the outright-wettest at places such as Osceola.

Winter Storm in ADAMS, NEBRASKA
From 27-DEC-18 05:00:00 to 27-DEC-18 16:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Storm total snowfall of 1.9 inches was measured at the NWS office just north of Hastings. Wind gusts frequently reached 35 to 45 mph during the snow, frequently bringing visibility down to a half mile or less.

Blizzard in BUFFALO, NEBRASKA
From 27-DEC-18 05:00:00 to 27-DEC-18 15:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Storm total snowfall of 6.0 inches was measured in Miller, 4.4 inches occurred in Ravenna, and 3.8 inches occurred at the Kearney airport, all reported by cooperative observers. Wind gusts frequently reached 40 to 50 mph during the snow, frequently bringing visibility down to a quarter mile or less.

Blizzard in DAWSON, NEBRASKA
From 27-DEC-18 05:00:00 to 27-DEC-18 15:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Storm total snowfall of 7.2 inches was measured 6 miles south southeast of Lexington, reported by a cooperative observer.  Wind gusts frequently reached 40 to 50 mph during the snow, frequently bringing visibility down to a quarter mile or less.

Winter Storm in HALL, NEBRASKA
From 27-DEC-18 05:00:00 to 27-DEC-18 16:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Storm total snowfall of 1.9 inches was measured in Grand Island, reported by an official weather observer near the Central Nebraska Regional Airport. Wind gusts frequently reached 35 to 45 mph during the snow, frequently bringing visibility down to a half mile or less.

Blizzard in PHELPS, NEBRASKA
From 27-DEC-18 05:00:00 to 27-DEC-18 15:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Storm total snowfall of 5.0 inches was measured in Holdrege, reported by a cooperative observer. Wind gusts frequently reached 40 to 50 mph during the snow, frequently bringing visibility down to a quarter mile or less.

Blizzard in VALLEY, NEBRASKA
From 27-DEC-18 05:00:00 to 27-DEC-18 16:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

Storm total of 7.1 inches occurred in Arcadia and 6.0 inches occurred in Ord, reported from cooperative observers. Wind gusts frequently reached 40 to 50 mph during the snow, frequently bringing visibility down to a quarter mile or less.

Blizzard in FURNAS, NEBRASKA
From 27-DEC-18 05:00:00 to 27-DEC-18 15:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Storm total snowfall of 8.0 inches was measured in Edison, 7.0 inches occurred in Cambridge and Wilsonville, 5.3 inches six miles north northwest of Oxford, and 5.0 inches occurred in Beaver City, all reported by cooperative observers. Wind gusts frequently reached 40 to 50 mph during the snow, frequently bringing visibility down to a quarter mile or less.

Winter Storm in KEARNEY, NEBRASKA
From 27-DEC-18 05:00:00 to 27-DEC-18 16:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Storm total snowfall of 4.0 inches was measured in Minden, reported by a cooperative observer. Wind gusts frequently reached 35 to 45 mph during the snow, frequently bringing visibility down to a half mile or less.

Blizzard in HARLAN, NEBRASKA
From 27-DEC-18 05:00:00 to 27-DEC-18 15:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Storm total snowfall of 3.0 inches was measured at Harlan Dam, reported by a cooperative observer. Wind gusts frequently reached 40 to 50 mph during the snow, frequently bringing visibility down to a quarter mile or less.

Winter Storm in FRANKLIN, NEBRASKA
From 27-DEC-18 05:00:00 to 27-DEC-18 16:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Storm total snowfall of 1.0 inch was measured in Franklin, reported by a cooperative observer. Wind gusts frequently reached 35 to 45 mph during the snow, frequently bringing visibility down to a half mile or less.

Blizzard in GREELEY, NEBRASKA
From 27-DEC-18 05:00:00 to 27-DEC-18 16:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Storm total snowfall of 8.5 inches was measured in Greeley, reported by a cooperative observer. Wind gusts frequently reached 40 to 50 mph during the snow, frequently bringing visibility down to a quarter mile or less.

Winter Weather in WEBSTER, NEBRASKA
From 27-DEC-18 06:00:00 to 27-DEC-18 16:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Storm total snowfall of 2.0 inches was measured in Red Cloud, reported by a cooperative observer. Wind gusts frequently reached 25 to 35 mph during the snow, frequently bringing visibility down to one mile or less.

Blizzard in SHERMAN, NEBRASKA
From 27-DEC-18 05:00:00 to 27-DEC-18 16:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Storm total snowfall of 7.9 inches occurred in Loup City, reported by a cooperative observer. Wind gusts frequently reached 40 to 50 mph during the snow, frequently bringing visibility down to a quarter mile or less.

Winter Storm in HOWARD, NEBRASKA
From 27-DEC-18 05:00:00 to 27-DEC-18 16:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Storm total snowfall of 5.0 inches was measured in St. Paul, reported by a cooperative observer. Wind gusts frequently reached 35 to 45 mph during the snow, frequently bringing visibility down to a half mile or less.

Winter Weather in NANCE, NEBRASKA
From 27-DEC-18 05:00:00 to 27-DEC-18 16:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Storm snowfall of 3.5 inches was measured two miles west of Genoa, reported by a cooperative observer. Wind gusts frequently reached 25 to 35 mph during the snow, frequently bringing visibility down to one mile or less.

Winter Weather in POLK, NEBRASKA
From 27-DEC-18 06:00:00 to 27-DEC-18 16:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Storm total snowfall of 2.3 inches was measured three miles northeast of Shelby, reported by a cooperative observer. Wind gusts frequently reached 25 to 35 mph during the snow, frequently bringing visibility down to a mile or less.

Blizzard in GOSPER, NEBRASKA
From 27-DEC-18 05:00:00 to 27-DEC-18 15:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Storm total snowfall of 6.3 inches was measured eight miles south of Elwood, reported by a cooperative observer. Wind gusts frequently reached 40 to 50 mph during the snow, frequently bringing visibility down to a quarter mile or less.

Winter Weather in MERRICK, NEBRASKA
From 27-DEC-18 05:00:00 to 27-DEC-18 16:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Storm total snowfall ranged from 1 to 3 inches, based on reports from surrounding areas. Wind gusts frequently reached 25 to 35 mph during the snow, frequently bringing visibility down to one mile or less.

Winter Weather in HAMILTON, NEBRASKA
From 27-DEC-18 06:00:00 to 27-DEC-18 16:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Storm total snowfall ranged from 1 to 2 inches, based on reports from surrounding areas. Wind gusts frequently reached 25 to 35 mph during the snow, frequently bringing visibility down to one mile or less.