When the National Weather Service hinted at a possible snow band sweeping through northwest Kansas, few could predict just how dramatic the weather shift would be. By Friday morning, areas like Goodland and Colby were blanketed under heavy snowfall, while places just a few miles away basked in clear skies. To get a clearer picture of this meteorological rollercoaster, we checked in with Chris Sramek, meteorologist at Decision Weather, who broke down what made this storm so unique.
A Battle of Highs and Lows
“This is an interesting weather situation,” Chris began, clearly excited about the rare conditions. “It’s one for all the weather nerds out there.”
At the heart of the storm was a tightly wound low-pressure system that developed near Pueblo, Colorado. “It wasn’t very big,” Chris explained, “but it had a lot of punch.” This low collided with an Arctic high-pressure system that had been anchored over eastern Nebraska, bringing some of the coldest air in nearly a century.
“The cold air is heavy and dense—it’s not easy to push out,” he noted. The low-pressure system struggled to displace the Arctic air, resulting in the odd weather bands we saw today.
The Snow Band that Refused to Budge
The snowfall started early Friday morning, around 3 or 4 AM, and quickly intensified. “We saw snowfall rates of one to two inches per hour in the heavier bands,” Chris reported. These bands stretched from Kit Carson County through Goodland and Colby, hovering just north and south of I-70.
But what made this storm truly bizarre was how localized it was. “It was snowing hard in Colby, but if you went 10-15 miles north or south, you’d see sun,” Chris said. Towns like Atwood enjoyed clear skies, while places like Goodland were buried under several inches of snow.
This sharp contrast led to tricky travel conditions. “We’re not talking blizzard-level winds,” Chris clarified, “but the heavy snowfall made for slick roads and reduced visibility.”
From Subzero to Sunshine
As the morning progressed, the low-pressure system finally started moving eastward, allowing warmer southwest winds to creep in. Temperatures, which had been stuck in the single digits and teens, began climbing.
“In Oakley, where it wasn’t snowing, temps were already up to 19 degrees,” Chris said. “And as the snow tapered off, areas like Goodland and Burlington started seeing some sun.”
But here’s where it gets really wild. Chris forecasted a significant warm-up over the next few days. “We’re talking about a 90-degree temperature swing,” he revealed. “From subzero temperatures to highs potentially hitting the upper 60s or even low 70s by Monday or Tuesday.”
Such a rapid warm-up means the fresh snow will quickly melt, leading to the potential for some muddy conditions over the weekend.
What’s Next?
The weather whiplash doesn’t stop there. Chris expects clear skies tonight with lows dipping into the teens before the real warm-up kicks in. “Saturday will be in the 50s, and by early next week, we could be pushing 70 degrees,” he said.
So whether you're digging out from the snow or already soaking up the sun, one thing's for sure—Kansas weather never disappoints in the drama department.
“Stay safe out there,” Chris concluded. “The roads are slick now, but by Monday, you might be breaking out the grill.”
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