For roughly 24 hours between the very early mornings of Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th, much of South Central Nebraska saw its first 3-inch-or-greater snowfall of the 2020-21 season, including the Tri Cities. The highest amounts mainly in the 3-6 range (but localized higher) concentrated within a southwest-to-northeast swath bisecting the heart of the area, generally 20 miles either side of a line from near Cambridge-Minden-Doniphan-Shelby. Within this zone, a sampling of the highest CoCoRaHS/NWS cooperative observer measurements featured: 8.1 three miles northeast of Shelby, 6.5 at Stromsburg, 6.4 in Grand Island, 6.3 in Holdrege and 6.0 at Osceola. Again though, most places within the main corridor checked in between 3-5, including 5.1 at NWS Hastings, 4.8 at Cambridge, 4.4 three miles north of York and 3.5 at Kearney airport. Meanwhile, both north and south of the primary snow band, totals dropped off considerably to no more than 1-2 (including places such as Ord, Greeley, Superior and Hebron). North winds were not overly-impactful, but strong enough to cause some minor blowing/drifting thanks to sustained speeds typically 15-20 MPH and occasional gusts around 30 MPH. While snow was by far the dominant precipitation type, a few observers (including at Osceola) reported a brief period of sleet/graupel early on. Temperatures during this event hovered within a few degrees either side of freezing.
Timing-wise, while at least light snow/flurries affected much of the area for roughly 24 hours, the vast majority of steadier snow and accumulation occurred during the daytime and evening hours of the 11th. Forcing in the mid-upper levels was clearly tied to a modestly-strong shortwave trough tracking east through the Central Plains, probably most evident at 700 millibars as a closed low slid along/just south of the Nebraska-Kansas border. At the surface, the steady (but not overly-strong) north winds were driven by a modest pressure gradient between a broad high centered over the Dakotas/south-central Canada, and a fairly weak low that gradually drifted northeast from Oklahoma toward central Illinois (central pressure around 1006 millibars early evening on the 11th).

Winter Weather in YORK, NEBRASKA
From 11-DEC-20 05:00:00 to 12-DEC-20 03:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A snowfall total of 4.4 inches was measured by a Cooperative Observer located 3 miles north of York. A CoCoRaHS observer located 6 miles north of Bradshaw measured 5.0 inches.

Winter Storm in POLK, NEBRASKA
From 11-DEC-20 05:00:00 to 12-DEC-20 03:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Cooperative observer snowfall totals included 8.1 inches from 3 miles northeast of Shelby and 6.0 inches from Osceola. A CoCoRaHS observer located in Stromsburg reported 6.5 inches.

Winter Weather in KEARNEY, NEBRASKA
From 11-DEC-20 05:00:00 to 12-DEC-20 03:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A snowfall total of 4.5 inches was reported in Minden.

Winter Weather in HAMILTON, NEBRASKA
From 11-DEC-20 05:00:00 to 12-DEC-20 03:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A snowfall total of 4.5 inches was measured 4 miles north of Aurora. A CoCoRaHS observer located 1 mile south of Hordville measured 5.0 inches.

Winter Weather in HALL, NEBRASKA
From 11-DEC-20 05:00:00 to 12-DEC-20 03:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

A snowfall total of 6.4 inches was reported at the Central Nebraska Regional Airport in Grand Island. An NWS employee measured 5.2 inches in Doniphan.

Winter Weather in GOSPER, NEBRASKA
From 11-DEC-20 04:00:00 to 12-DEC-20 01:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Cooperative observer snowfall totals included 2.2 inches from 8 miles south of Elwood and 2.0 inches from 6 miles south-southeast of Lexington. Higher amounts were likely in eastern portions of the county based on surrounding reports.

Winter Weather in FURNAS, NEBRASKA
From 11-DEC-20 04:00:00 to 12-DEC-20 01:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snowfall totals included 4.8 inches at Cambridge, 4.0 inches at Beaver City, 3.4 inches from 6 miles north-northwest of Oxford, 3.0 inches at Edison, and 3.0 inches at Wilsonville.

Winter Weather in FRANKLIN, NEBRASKA
From 11-DEC-20 05:00:00 to 12-DEC-20 02:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: CoCoRaHS

A snowfall total of 4.5 inches was measured 4 miles south-southeast of Hildreth and 3.5 inches was measured 6 miles south of Wilcox.

Winter Weather in CLAY, NEBRASKA
From 11-DEC-20 07:00:00 to 12-DEC-20 03:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Cooperative Observer snowfall totals included 3.4 inches from 6 miles east-southeast of Clay Center and 3.0 inches in Clay Center.

Winter Weather in BUFFALO, NEBRASKA
From 11-DEC-20 05:00:00 to 12-DEC-20 03:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Cooperative Observer snowfall totals included 3.5 inches at Ravenna as well as the Kearney Airport, and 3.4 inches at Miller.

Winter Weather in ADAMS, NEBRASKA
From 11-DEC-20 05:00:00 to 12-DEC-20 03:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

A snowfall total of 5.1 was measured at the NWS Hastings office located 4 miles north of Hastings. An NWS employee on the south side of Hastings measured 3.4 inches.

Winter Weather in FILLMORE, NEBRASKA
From 11-DEC-20 08:00:00 to 12-DEC-20 03:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Cooperative observer snowfall totals included 3.0 inches reported 4 miles south of Shickley as well as in Geneva.

Winter Weather in WEBSTER, NEBRASKA
From 11-DEC-20 07:00:00 to 12-DEC-20 03:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A snowfall total of 3.0 inches was measured 4 miles southwest of Blue Hill.

Winter Weather in MERRICK, NEBRASKA
From 11-DEC-20 05:00:00 to 12-DEC-20 02:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snowfall totals ranged from 3 to 6 inches across the county (based on nearby reports and NOHRSC Snowfall Analysis).

Winter Weather in DAWSON, NEBRASKA
From 11-DEC-20 05:00:00 to 12-DEC-20 02:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: CoCoRaHS

A CoCoRaHS observer located 6 miles southwest of Lexington measured a snowfall total of 5.0 inches.

Winter Weather in NANCE, NEBRASKA
From 11-DEC-20 06:00:00 to 12-DEC-20 02:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A Cooperative Observer located 2 miles west of Genoa measured a snowfall total of 2.0 inches. A CoCoRaHS observer located 9 miles northeast of Palmer measured a snowfall total of 3.4 inches.

Winter Weather in HOWARD, NEBRASKA
From 11-DEC-20 05:00:00 to 12-DEC-20 02:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A Cooperative Observer located in St. Paul measured 2.6 inches of snow. Amounts were likely higher in southern portions of the county based on surrounding reports.

Winter Weather in PHELPS, NEBRASKA
From 11-DEC-20 05:00:00 to 12-DEC-20 02:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A snowfall total of 6.3 inches was reported in Holdrege.

Winter Weather in HARLAN, NEBRASKA
From 11-DEC-20 05:00:00 to 12-DEC-20 02:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A snowfall total of 2.6 inches was measured in Orleans. Higher totals were likely in northern portions of the county based on surrounding reports.