Raise your hand if you remember the Groundhog Day Blizzard of 2011.
ICYMI (or were just a wee snowflake at the time), here’s what happened: On Feb. 1 of that year, a record-breaking snowstorm blanketed the region from Kansas City to Chicago overnight. Blizzard conditions persisted as locals woke up the next morning, resulting in approximately one foot of fresh powder.
While the day brought its share of aggravation, including grounded planes at KCI and the first-ever statewide closure of I-70, we’re pretty sure residents across the metro also celebrated with snowman-making and hot chocolate-sipping (that’s what we would have done).
Here are some more snowtable facts about Kansas City’s relationship to snow.
❄️ Other heavy snowfalls in Kansas City
- 24.2 inches, March 1912
- 15.8 inches, February 1894
- 14.0 inches, January 1962
- 11.1 inches, February 1993
- 10.5 inches, December 1978
Winter weather traffic jam at 8th and Main, circa 1948.
Photo via Missouri Valley Special Collections
❄️ The earliest snowfall
- The earliest snow recorded for Kansas City was on Oct. 14, 2018, when 0.2 inches fell.
- There are 17 October snowfalls recorded in the metro, dating back to 1898, when 3.3 inches fell on Oct. 17 (barely a dusting compared to 1996’s October Surprise).
❄️ The latest snowfall
- There are only two recorded instances of May snowfall in Kansas City: 1.7 inches on May 3, 1907 and 0.2 inches on May 2, 2013.
Before you clean out the grocery store of milk, bread, and eggs this year, check out this winter’s forecast. Hint: We’re not really on track for a super snowy season.
