During a roughly 36-hour stretch between the evening of Sunday January 24th and the morning of Tuesday the 26th, a major winter storm took direct aim on the entire NWS Hastings coverage area, dropping a widespread 6-12 of heavy snow, with unofficial higher reports of up to around 15. For all areas, the majority of snow piled up between 6am-6pm on the 25th, snarling travel and shutting down countless schools and businesses at the start of the work-week. For some areas, this was the biggest winter storm (in terms of snow amounts) in at least five years, since at least the Groundhog Day storm/blizzard of Feb. 2, 2016. For at least one official NWS coop observer station (Hebron), the storm total of 12.0 was technically the largest in thirty-four years (since march 1987)! Although snow amounts varied somewhat across the area (generally highest within counties along/east of the Highway 281 corridor and lowest farther west), this event was a bit unique in that the entire coverage area received several inches of snow, with no truly sharp divide between low amounts and high amounts. Only far western portions of south central Nebraska (primarily portions of Dawson/Gosper/Furnas counties) accumulated less than 6, but still managed at least 3-5. Snow was the only precipitation type for south central Nebraska during this event. From a moisture (melted liquid) perspective, this storm was actually very beneficial, featuring widespread totals of mainly 0.50-1.20. This was not a bad thing considering that south central Nebraska was in at least moderate drought going into this storm. Despite causing significant disruptions to travel, fortunately this storm was not a true/crippling blizzard, as sustained winds speeds through most of it averaged 15-25 MPH/gusts up to 30-35 MPH. Snow became dry enough, though, to promote at least moderate drifting towards the end of the event. Temperatures were also not extreme during this event, generally in the teens and 20s.
Briefly covering the meteorological background and timing: The primary feature was a potent mid-upper level low pressure system that gradually tracked east-northeast from the CO/KS border area on the morning of the 25th, across the heart of our local area during the daylight hours (promoting the heaviest snow during that time), and then departing into IA by daybreak on the 26th. The first flakes started flying across southern portions of our local area on the evening of the 24th, while the last few flurries faded away no later than 6-8am on the 26th. From a forecasting perspective, this storm was a little bit sneaky in the sense that it was not obvious several days beforehand that it would end up being a major storm in terms of snowfall amounts. In fact, as little as 3 days before the event some computer models still suggested a weaker storm, with generally light to moderate amounts. However, by Saturday afternoon (Jan. 23), concern had grown enough in the potential for a bigger storm that the first Winter Storm Watch was issued for southeastern portions of the area. By early Sunday morning (Jan. 24), it was finally very apparent that this system was indeed going to be a major snow-maker, and a Winter Storm Warning was issued for all but the extreme northern fringes of our area (this north area was eventually added to the Warning as well on the early morning of the 25th).

Winter Storm in KEARNEY, NEBRASKA
From 25-JAN-21 03:00:00 to 25-JAN-21 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Two-day storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 6 to 10 inches across the county. The highest totals are based off reports from neighboring counties and a report of 8.0 inches from the Cooperative Observer located in Minden.

Winter Storm in FRANKLIN, NEBRASKA
From 25-JAN-21 03:00:00 to 25-JAN-21 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: CoCoRaHS

Two-day storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 6 to 10 inches across the county. The highest totals included 10.5 inches from a CoCoRaHS observer located 2 ENE of Franklin and 10.0 inches from a CoCoRaHS observer located 6 S of Wilcox.

Winter Storm in PHELPS, NEBRASKA
From 25-JAN-21 03:00:00 to 25-JAN-21 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Two-day storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 6 to 10 inches across the county. The highest totals are based off reports from neighboring counties and report of 9.0 inches from the Cooperative Observer located in Holdrege.

Winter Storm in HARLAN, NEBRASKA
From 25-JAN-21 03:00:00 to 25-JAN-21 14:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Two-day storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 6 to 9 inches across the county. The highest totals are based off reports from neighboring counties and report of 7.6 inches from the Cooperative Observer located 1 W of Orleans.

Winter Storm in DAWSON, NEBRASKA
From 25-JAN-21 05:00:00 to 25-JAN-21 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: CoCoRaHS

Two-day storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 5 to 9 inches across the county. The highest totals are based off reports from neighboring counties, a report of 8.5 inches from a CoCoRaHS observer located 6 SW of Lexington, and a public report of 5.0 inches from 8 SE of Gothenburg.

Winter Storm in GOSPER, NEBRASKA
From 25-JAN-21 05:00:00 to 25-JAN-21 14:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Two-day storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 5 to 8 inches across the county. The highest totals are based off reports from neighboring counties, a report of 6.7 inches from the Cooperative Observer located 8 S of Elwood, and 6.0 inches from the Cooperative Observer located 6 SSE of Lexington.

Winter Storm in FURNAS, NEBRASKA
From 25-JAN-21 05:00:00 to 25-JAN-21 14:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Two-day storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 5 to 8 inches across the county. The highest totals are based off reports from neighboring counties, a report of 6.5 inches from the Cooperative Observer located 6 NNW of Oxford, and 6.0 inches from the Cooperative Observer located in Wilsonville.

Winter Storm in POLK, NEBRASKA
From 25-JAN-21 03:00:00 to 25-JAN-21 22:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Two-day storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 9 to 16 inches across the county. The highest totals included 15.8 inches from a CoCoRaHS observer located 1 E of Stromsburg, 11.5 inches from a trained spotter located in Shelby, 10.5 inches from the Cooperative Observer located in Osceola, and 9.7 inches from the Cooperative Observer located 3 NE of Shelby.

Winter Storm in YORK, NEBRASKA
From 25-JAN-21 03:00:00 to 25-JAN-21 22:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Two-day storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 9 to 15 inches across the county. The highest totals included 13.1 inches from a trained spotter located in McCool Junction, 12.0 inches from a CoCoRaHS observer located 6 N of Bradshaw, and 11.9 inches from the Cooperative Observer located 3 N of York.

Winter Storm in FILLMORE, NEBRASKA
From 25-JAN-21 03:00:00 to 25-JAN-21 22:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Two-day storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 9 to 15 inches across the county. The highest totals included 15.0 inches from a CoCoRaHS observer located 3 NW of Milligan, 12.0 inches from a CoCoRaHS observer located 3 SSE of Grafton, 11.8 inches from a CoCoRaHS observer located 2 WSW of Tobias, and 10.5 inches from the Cooperative Observer located in Geneva.

Winter Storm in THAYER, NEBRASKA
From 25-JAN-21 03:00:00 to 25-JAN-21 22:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Two-day storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 9 to 12 inches across the county. The highest totals included 11.0 inches from the Cooperative Observer located in Hubbell, 11.0 inches from a CoCoRaHS observer located 6 SE of Davenport, and 9.5 inches from the Cooperative Observer located in Hebron.

Winter Storm in NANCE, NEBRASKA
From 25-JAN-21 03:00:00 to 25-JAN-21 21:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: CoCoRaHS

Two-day storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 8 to 11 inches across the county. This was based off reports from neighboring counties and a total of 8.9 inches from a CoCoRaHS observer located 3 WSW of Genoa.

Winter Storm in MERRICK, NEBRASKA
From 25-JAN-21 03:00:00 to 25-JAN-21 22:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Social Media

Two-day storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 9 to 12 inches across the county. This was based off reports from neighboring counties and a public report of 10 in Central City.

Winter Storm in HAMILTON, NEBRASKA
From 25-JAN-21 03:00:00 to 25-JAN-21 22:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: CoCoRaHS

Two-day storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 9 to 12 inches across the county. This was based off reports from neighboring counties and a total of 10.5 inches from a CoCoRaHS observer located 1 ESE of Aurora.

Winter Storm in CLAY, NEBRASKA
From 25-JAN-21 03:00:00 to 25-JAN-21 22:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Two-day storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 9 to 12 inches across the county. The highest totals included 11.8 inches from the Cooperative Observer located 6 ESE of Clay Center and 10.0 inches from the Cooperative Observer located in Clay Center.

Winter Storm in NUCKOLLS, NEBRASKA
From 25-JAN-21 03:00:00 to 25-JAN-21 21:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Two-day storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 7 to 12 inches across the county. The highest totals included 12.0 inches from a CoCoRaHS observer located near Lawrence, 11.0 inches reported by CoCoRaHS observers located 8 NW and 6 NE of Superior, and 9.5 inches from the Cooperative Observer located in Nelson.

Winter Storm in GREELEY, NEBRASKA
From 25-JAN-21 05:00:00 to 25-JAN-21 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Two-day storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 7 to 9 inches across the county. The highest totals included 8.0 inches from a CoCoRaHS observer located 8 NNE of Scotia, 7.5 inches reported from a CoCoRaHS observer located 4 E of Scotia, and 6.8 inches from the Cooperative Observer located in Greeley.

Winter Storm in HOWARD, NEBRASKA
From 25-JAN-21 03:00:00 to 25-JAN-21 21:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Two-day storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 8 to 10 inches across the county. The highest totals included 9.4 inches from a CoCoRaHS observer located 2 W of Elba, 9.0 inches reported from a CoCoRaHS observer located 1 ENE of St. Paul, and 8.3 inches from the Cooperative Observer located in St. Paul.

Winter Storm in HALL, NEBRASKA
From 25-JAN-21 03:00:00 to 25-JAN-21 22:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Two-day storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 9 to 12 inches across the county. The highest totals included 10.4 inches from NWS Official Observer located in Grand Island, 10.0 inches reported from an NWS Hastings employee located in Doniphan, and 9.0 inches from a CoCoRaHS observer located 3 ENE of Doniphan.

Winter Storm in ADAMS, NEBRASKA
From 25-JAN-21 03:00:00 to 25-JAN-21 22:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Two-day storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 9 to 12 inches across the county. The highest totals included 10.0 inches from a CoCoRaHS observer located 7 WSW of Juniata, 9 to 10 inches from multiple reports in Hastings and 9.1 inches measured at the NWS Hastings office located 4 N of Hastings.

Winter Storm in WEBSTER, NEBRASKA
From 25-JAN-21 03:00:00 to 25-JAN-21 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Two-day storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 9 to 12 inches across the county. The highest totals included 11.0 inches from a public report in Blue Hill and 9.0 inches from a CoCoRaHS observer located 4 E of Red Cloud.

Winter Storm in VALLEY, NEBRASKA
From 25-JAN-21 05:00:00 to 25-JAN-21 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Two-day storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 7 to 9 inches across the county. The highest totals included 8.5 inches from a CoCoRaHS observer located 5 SW of Elyira, 8.0 inches from the Cooperative Observer located in Ord, and 7.2 inches from the Cooperative Observer located 2 W of Arcadia.

Winter Storm in SHERMAN, NEBRASKA
From 25-JAN-21 05:00:00 to 25-JAN-21 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Two-day storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 7 to 9 inches across the county. The highest totals included 8.5 inches from the Cooperative Observer located in Loup City and 8.3 inches from a CoCoRaHS observer located 2 NW of Rockville.

Winter Storm in BUFFALO, NEBRASKA
From 25-JAN-21 03:00:00 to 25-JAN-21 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Two-day storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 7 to 11 inches across the county. The highest totals included 10.3 inches from a CoCoRaHS observer located 3 SE of Ravenna, 8.4 inches from the Cooperative Observer located in Ravenna, and 8.0 inches from an NWS Hastings employee on the northeast side of Kearney.