January 4th-5th Blizzard & Ice

Overview

A powerful winter storm moved into Kansas during the weekend of January 4th and 5th. The event started with freezing drizzle and drizzle; there were numerous slide offs across the state on the 4th. As the intensity of the precipitation increased, this freezing rain led to flat ice accumulations up to 0.66 which was reported in Russell. Gradually colder air was ushered in with this system, and this transitioned the precipitation type to sleet then eventually snow. Embedded thunderstorms helped to enhance the accumulations and even produced some graupel. Strong northwest winds created blizzard conditions for much of Kansas. The highest snowfall accumulations occurred in north central and northeast Kansas with over a foot reported. A combination of the initial ice followed by blowing and drifting snow created dangerous travel conditions with most of the highways closed for several hours.

Ice and snow in Lincoln. Courtesy of Gregory K.

Photos & Video
Storm Reports

Photos & Video

Photos of snow drifts and ice accumulation on trees in lincoln ks with a yard stick to measure one of the drifts. most snow fall i have ever seen! @KWCH12 @NWSWichita (follow up from my call in report from earlier), @MaxVelocityWX @ryanhallyall @EvanFor2020 @KAKEnews @KSNNews pic.twitter.com/cIhz3W3B7O — Gregory K. (@gKoelzer95) January 6, 2025	.⁦@NWSWichita⁩: After several measurements, they averaged out at 7” for McPherson! Drifts over 2’ as well! #kswx pic.twitter.com/MK1p7P1pGC — Bryan Baerg (@SevereWxKS) January 5, 2025	About 4.5 inches of snow and a little over a 1/4" of ice from this storm 1 S of Haven, KS. Snow has stopped coming down. #kswx #wxtwitter @KWCH12 @KWCHRoss @NWSWichita pic.twitter.com/LMCr5d89yR — Kansas Weather Guy (@ks_weather_guy) January 5, 2025
Went out to an open field and did a couple of measurements. Generally got 8.5 to 9 inches in Lindsborg Kansas. @NWSWichita pic.twitter.com/e7hq9O0JsO — Jacob Burgardt (@JacobBurgardtWX) January 5, 2025	Heavy snow and near whiteout conditions in El Dorado @NWSWichita pic.twitter.com/0BQBbe2Hst — Jaydon Shaw (@JaydonShawwx) January 5, 2025	Moderate to heavy snow, visibility under 1/4 of a mile in Wichita, near 119th and Central. #kswx #BlizzardWarning @NWSWichita pic.twitter.com/iqOgZOLb8A — Bryce Kintigh (@stormchasrbryce) January 5, 2025
Graupel here in Wichita. @NWSWichita @Matt_Harding @foxweather pic.twitter.com/yhcWBdqVnF — Mark Sudduth (@hurricanetrack) January 5, 2025	Captured tons of thunder sleet/snow already on stream today! #kswx @NWSWichita pic.twitter.com/EZxE8k42Fl — Tyler Kurtz (@tornadokurtzman) January 5, 2025

Preliminary Storm Reports

Maps are interpolated based on reports and updates may be made to account for additional information received.

Storm-Total Ice Accumulations	Storm-Total Snow Accumulations

Media use of NWS Web News Stories is encouraged!
Please acknowledge the NWS as the source of any news information accessed from this site.