As cooler air has penetrated the region, thoughts turn to winter weather. In Kansas, the heaviest snows can come both early and late in the season, as systems often have more moisture available. On September 21, 1995, southwest Kansas saw the earliest snow on record. Two to three inches was common across the division. Lane County reported six inches. This was the earliest snowfall ever recorded at the Dodge City Airport. It was also the only time there was measurable snowfall for the month of September. A total of 1.3 inches fell at the Dodge City Airport. An early start doesn’t necessarily mean a big total for the season. During the winter 1995-1996, Dodge City reported 14.5 inches, which is in the bottom third of the 110-year period of record.
Mary Knapp, Weather Data Library
mknapp@ksu.edu