John Wheeler: Blizzard this week in the Upper Midwest was a memorable one

FARGO — Every few years, somewhere in the northern Plains and Upper Midwest, there comes a blizzard that is severe enough it gets talked about for years as an unusually bad winter storm. Wednesday's blizzard across Nebraska and western Iowa was such a storm. Tuesday had been a warm, spring day with temperatures in the 70s.

By Wednesday morning, thunderstorms were turning to heavy snow, with thunder and lightning continuing for several hours in the snow.The temperature fell to freezing. Wind gusts in the range of 65 to 75 mph were widespread across eastern Nebraska.



Interstate 80 and Interstate 29 were closed across Nebraska and western Iowa due to low visibility, heavy drifting and power lines blown down on the freeway. Fortunately, the storm only lasted a day and was forecast well in advance so most people knew it was coming, unlike the killer blizzards on the Great Plains before modern forecasting and electronic media.]]>.