Christmas Blizzard of 2023

Occasional blizzard conditions were observed over portions of the Tri-State area late Christmas evening through the day on Tuesday December 26, 2023 . Impacts in the NWS Goodland county warning area (CWA) were greatest along and north of Interstate 70 in eastern Colorado and far northwest Kansas where 4-8” of snow accumulation — and 2-4 foot snow drifts — were observed.

Moderate to heavy snow developed over the Tri-State area during the late evening (Christmas Day) and early morning hours on Tuesday December 26 — as an intensifying low pressure system in Iowa retrograded westward into eastern Nebraska. Periods of snow continued through the day Tuesday and into Wednesday (December 27), as the aforementioned low pressure system meandered southward into eastern Kansas. The slow (near-stationary, at times) movement of this system produced a prolonged period of dangerous travel conditions (associated with strong northerly winds, accumulating snow and blowing snow) over much of the area — along and north of Interstate 70, in particular. Sustained NNW-N winds ranging from 20-35 mph and gusts ranging from 40-50 mph were observed late Monday (Christmas) evening through Tuesday evening (December 26).