Grand Island Sets New Record For December Snowfall
Needless to say, December 2009 won't soon be forgotten for it's share of wintry weather across south central Nebraska and north central Kansas. The month featured 2 significant snow events, one focusing on the Dec. 7th-8th time frame, and the other spanning several days during the week of Christmas, including long-lasting blizzard conditions on Christmas Day.
Not surprisingly, several NWS Cooperative Observer sites across the area have either broken, or come close to breaking snowfall records for the month of December. One of these is Grand Island, where 1 inch of snow on Wednesday, Dec. 30th, brought the monthly total to 26.5 inches, surpassing the 26.0 inches that fell in December 1973.
- Not only did Grand Island break the December snowfall record, but December 2009 was actually the 2nd-snowiest calendar month EVER at Grand Island, falling short of only 29.7 inches way back in February 1915.
This table depicts the Top 5 snowiest Decembers on record at five selected locations across the NWS Hastings County Warning Area, along with the period of record:
| December Snowfall Rank |
Grand Island (1895-2009) |
Hastings (1894-2009) |
Loup City (1895-2009) |
Osceola (1895-2009) |
Beloit (1893-2009)* |
| 1st (snowiest) |
26.5 inches in 2009 |
31.0 inches in 1973 |
21.6 inches in 1973 |
30.7 inches in 2009 | 17.6 inches in 2009 |
| 2nd | 26.0 in 1973 |
30.1 inches in 2009 | 19.5 in 1968 |
24.3 in 1973 |
17.2 in 1945 |
| 3rd | 21.8 in 1968 |
20.3 in 1909 |
19.0 in 1972 | 22.5 in 1968 |
17.0 in 1983 |
| 4th | 21.5 in 1914 |
16.5 in 1897 |
17.5 inches in 2009 | 18.0 in 1972 |
14.0 in 1997 |
| 5th |
18.3 in 1924 |
16.0 in 1974 |
16.5 in 1983, 1981 |
16.0 in 1924 |
13.1 in 1966 |
* Beloit snowfall data includes a number of missing years from 1930-1944
The next table helps answer the question: "How snowy has this winter been compared to normal?"
First a bit of explanation:
- The first row gives the monthly average snowfall at Grand Island based on the 30-year period 1971-2000 (please note that September and October are combined)
- The second row shows monthly snowfall that has occurred so far during the 2009-2010 winter season, along with a comparison to the monthly 30-year average
- The third row is a Running Total of average snowfall as the season progresses (based on 1971-2000)
- The bottom row is the Running Total of snowfall so far this season, with a comparision to the 30-year average.
One interesting note "hidden" within this table is that as of Dec. 31st, Grand Island is already within 1.9 inches of matching the AVERAGE SEASONAL snowfall of 32.9 inches!
| Sep.- Oct. | Nov. |
Dec. |
Jan. |
Feb. |
March |
April |
|
| Monthly Average (1971 - 2000) | 1.2 inches |
4.8 inches |
6.6 inches |
6.2 inches |
5.7 inches | 6.9 inches | 1.4 inches |
|
2009 - 2010 Snow Season Individual Months |
4.5 inches (3.3 above average) |
Trace (4.8 below average) |
26.5 inches (19.9 above average) |
? |
? |
? | ? |
|
Seasonal Average Running Total (1971 -2000) |
1.2 inches |
6.0 inches |
12.6 inches
|
18.8 inches |
24.5 inches | 31.4 inches | 32.8 inches |
|
2009 - 2010 Snow Season Running Total |
4.5 inches (3.3 above average through Oct. 31, 2009) |
4.5 inches
(1.5 below average through Nov. 30, 2009) |
31.0 inches (18.4 above average through Dec. 31, 2009) |
? | ? | ? | ? |
The Top 5 Snowiest and Least-Snowiest Seasons at Grand Island are as follows:
Snow Climatology for Grand Island, Nebraska
Some Quick Snow Facts for Grand Island (averages based upon 30-year period from 1971 to 2000):
- Average Annual Snowfall: 32.8 inches
- Average Number of Days with 1.0 inch or more: 8.8 days
- Average Number of Days with 2.0 inches or more: 5.0 days
- Average Number of Days with 5.0 inches or more: 1.1 days
- Record Daily Snowfall: 17.8" on March 20, 2006
- Record Single Storm Snowfall: 21.6" on March 19-21, 2006
- Record Snowfall for a Month: 29.7" in February, 1915
- Record Snowfall for a Season: 86.7" in 1914-15
| Earliest Snowfall | Latest Snowfall | |||||
| Criteria | Amount | Date | Criteria | Amount | Year/Season | |
| Measurable | 3.0" | Sept. 20, 1995 | Measurable | 4.5" | May 28, 1947 | |
| 1.0" or more | 3.0" | Sept. 20, 1995 | 1.0" or more | 4.5" | May 28, 1947 | |
| 4.0" or more | 7.0" | Oct. 25, 1997 | 4.0" or more | 4.5" | May 28, 1947 | |
| Month | Record Monthly Snowfall (inches) | Record Snow Depth On Any Morning (inches) | Record Snowfall in a 24-hour period (inches) | Monthly Average Snowfall (inches) (1971-2000) |
|
January |
26.0" in 1932 | 18" on the 11th, 1974 | 12.0" on the 30th and 31st, 2002 | 6.2" |
| February | 29.7" in 1915 | 28" on the 11th-15th, 1905 | 15.1" on the 17th and 18, 1984 | 5.7" |
| March | 23.5" in 1915 | 16" on the 21st-22nd, 2006 | 17.8" on the 20th, 2006 | 6.9" |
| April | 12.0" in 1913 | 12" on the 10, 1913 | 12.0" on the 10, 1913 | 1.4" |
| May | 4.5" in 1947 | 4" on the 3rd, 1967 | 4.5" on the 28th, 1947 | Trace |
| June | None | None | None | None |
| July | None | None | None | None |
| August | None | None | None | None |
| September | 3.8" in 1985 | 1"on the 29th, 1985 | 3.8" on the 29th, 1985 | 0.2" |
| October | 9.8" in 1991 | 6" on the 25th-27th, 1997 | 9.8" on the 30th-31st, 1991 | 1.0" |
| November | 17.1" in 1983 | 14" on the 28th, 1983 | 11.2" on the 26th-27th, 1983 | 4.8" |
| December | 26.5" in 2009 | 20" on the 22nd-25th, 1968 | 12.0" on the 18th-19th, 1968 | 6.6"" |
Last Updated: 1/4/10
For more climate related information, check out the following websites:
- NOWdata - NOAA Online Weather Data
- National Climatic Data Center
- High Plains Regional Climate Center
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This page was composed by the staff at the National Weather Service in Hastings, Nebraska. |  |
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