In the past 20 years, five storms have dropped 5.6 or more inches of snow on Lawrence. With the Feb. 1, 2011 storm expected to drop 9 to 13 inches of snow on Lawrence, it would easily be the most snowfall Lawrence has seen in the last 20 years, and would also approach the top five all time.

photo by: Mike Yoder

David Copp, city street department employee, was ready to spread sand on snow-covered streets Feb. 26, 1993 after loading his truck behind street division offices at 1120 Haskell.

photo by: Earl Richardson

Douglas County law enforcement and emergency medical personnel work the scene of a car versus tractor trailer accident Oct. 23, 1996, just east of Big Springs on U.S. Highway 40. The accident took the life of a 22-year-old Tecumseh woman, when her car struck the truck, nearly head-on.

photo by: Earl Richardson

Bundled up in their winter coats, Julie and Ron Lawton, and their 9-month-old son Kyle, all of Olathe, brave the elements during a shopping trip Oct. 23, 1996, in downtown Lawrence. Residents of northeast Kansas were treated to a pre-Halloween snowstorm throughout the day. Today, weather should get back to normal for the season with a high of 52 forecast

photo by: Earl Richardson

Halloween artwork keeps watch Oct. 23, 1996, on Ron Heskett, a maintenance employee for Weavers, 901 Mass., as he clears off the sidewalk near the corner of Ninth and Massachusetts.

photo by: Mike Yoder/Journal-World Photo

The roads proved hazardous to even Douglas County crews as they worked to clear snow off area roads during the Dec. 13, 2000 storm. This sand truck flipped over Wednesday morning just east of the Douglas County Roads 458 and 1055 intersection south of Lawrence. No one was injured in the accident.

photo by: Richard Gwin/Journal-World Photo

Waxman Candles owner Bob Wertz gets a workout shoveling snow in front of his store, 609 Mass. Lawrence received up to 7 inches of snow during an overnight storm Dec. 13, 2000.

photo by: Richard Gwin

Tom Orzulak, manager of the Lawrence Public Works Department's street division, gets ready to send a second wave of trucks out to clean the city's streets Dec. 13, 2000. Crews began work Tuesday night and continued throughout the city Wednesday.

photo by: Richard Gwin

A parade of city snow plows cuts a path along Kasold Drive Dec. 13, 2000. The city vehicles, fresh from battling Tuesday's ice, started work at 3 a.m. Wednesday and battled falling snow and accumulation throughout the day.

photo by: Mike Yoder

Jenny Pastrano chose to walk rather than drive to work after a snowstorm blanketed Lawrence with about 7 inches of snow Dec. 13, 2000.

photo by: Mike Yoder

Michael Tanner, Lawrence, right, braves the cold while waiting for a bus at Ninth and New Hampshire streets Dec. 8, 2005. At left, a public works tractor clears snow away from the downtown bus stop. City crews planned to wait until after midnight Thursday to finishing clearing downtown city streets.

photo by: Mike Yoder

Michael Tanner, Lawrence, right, braves the cold while waiting for a bus at Ninth and New Hampshire streets Dec. 8, 2005. At left, a public works tractor clears snow away from the downtown bus stop. City crews planned to wait until after midnight Thursday to finishing clearing downtown city streets.

photo by: Nick Krug

While shoveling Thursday Dec. 8, 2005 after winter's first storm in Lawrence, the family of Rowan Laufer playfully packs the 4-year-old in snow.

photo by: Nick Krug

Curt Talken, who works for Lawrence Parks and Recreation, endures single-digit temperatures as he clears snow from sidewalks Dec. 8, 2005 in downtown Lawrence. With the arrival of cold weather, officials say consumers should work to conserve heat.

photo by: Nick Krug

Lawrence resident Ken Amess, 81, clears a path around his driveway with a snowblower Thursday Dec. 8, 2005 at his North Lawrence home.

photo by: Richard Gwin

City crews were out early trying to clear the streets and sidewalks of Downtown Lawrence after the heavy overnight snow led to a particularly white Christmas 2009.

photo by: Richard Gwin

Dave and Erin Besson took their twins Sidra and Ginny, 19 months, out for a sled ride Friday afternoon after more than 6 inches of snow fell on Lawrence overnight Dec. 24, 2009, into Christmas morning.

photo by: Richard Gwin

A Lawrence police officer and a whole crew of bystanders worked to get this car out of the snow drifts at 19th and Vermont. More than 6 inches fell Dec. 24, 2009, into Christmas morning, making it a white Christmas.

photo by: Richard Gwin

Despite shovels, pushing and patience, the 6 inches of snow that fell on Lawrence overnight made Christmas Day 2009 a white one. For motorists, though, such as these stacked up at Ousdahl and 23rd streets, the whiteness wasn't exactly a dream come true.

photo by: Richard Gwin

More than six inches of snow fell on Lawrence overnight making Christmas Day 2009 a white one, but leaving a pile of snow on everything like this car at 19th and Naismith.

photo by: Richard Gwin

City crews and others like Thomas Alexander, who works for Ritzman Lawn Care, were out at 5:00 a.m. trying to clear the streets and sidewalks of the heavy overnight snowfall Dec. 24, 2009. Alexander worked to clear a path outside a business at Eight and New Hampshire streets.

photo by: Richard Gwin

Thursday night's six-plus inches of snow made things on Christmas Day, December 25, 2009 a mess for many like Roberto Calmano, of Hialeah, Fla. Calmano was trapped at the Airport Motel on U.S highway 24-40 around 10:00 a.m. as he was trying to free his car.

photo by: Richard Gwin

Clayton Atkinson tries to help others who are stuck at the Airport Motel on U.S. 24-40. A winter storm dumped more than six inches of snow on the area just in time for Christmas.

photo by: Thad Allender

Rusty Mather clears snow and ice from the sidewalk in front of Buffalo Bob's BBQ Smokehouse, amidst a winter storm on Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008.