A Pacific storm is bringing areas of low elevation rain, moderate to heavy mountain snow, and high winds to the Northwest. Strong Santa Ana winds and very dry conditions are producing elevated to critical fire weather conditions in southern California. Isolated strong to severe thunderstorms are possible through early Wednesday morning across parts of northeast Texas into western Tennessee. Read More >
The winter event of Thursday, December 5 to Friday, December 6, 2013 essentially impacted the region in two separate waves of wintry precipitation. A strong upper level trough set up over the western half of the United States Wednesday night through Thursday morning. Embedded within the larger wave, a short wave trough dug eastward into the southern Rockies. In response, a surface trough/front developed which then lifted across the southern plains beginning Thursday evening. Prior to this...a strong arctic cold front surged southward across the plains states into Texas, bringing unseasonably cold weather Tuesday and Wednesday (12/3-4/2013).
Precipitation started midday Thursday, in the form of freezing rain across the western north Texas and southern Oklahoma. While to the north, snow developed, primarily north of the I-40 corridor and across Oklahoma City through the afternoon. There was a fine transition line between freezing rain/sleet and snow across the southern half of the OKC metro, as freezing rain quickly transitioned to sleet from Moore and Norman and locations south and east of the I-44 corridor. This first wave, of wintry precipitation slowly diminished through the early to mid evening hours across central Oklahoma, while freezing rain and sleet continued to fall through the evening and overnight across southern Oklahoma and southward into the Dallas/Fort Worth metro area.
The second wave of primarily snow, with a little sleet mixed in, started across western Texas and slowly lifted north-northeast across southwestern Oklahoma shortly before midnight. This band of snow increased through the overnight hours and continued through Friday (12/6/2013) morning, with the primary band of precipitation extending from west Texas through central Oklahoma and into the Arkansas and Missouri Ozarks. The remaining winter precipitation slowly tapered off through the late morning, moving into western Arkansas by early afternoon.
This system laid down a decent swath of snow/sleet accumulations and a glazing of ice across far southern Oklahoma. The most impressive snow totals were associated with the main heavy snow band that formed over western north Texas, dropping 4 to 6 inches of snow from there up through Oklahoma City. Other less heavy snow bands developed farther east, with appreciable snow accumulations of 2 to 3 inches over a large portion of central Oklahoma.
NWUS54 KOUN 061652 LSROUN PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK 1051 AM CST FRI DEC 06 2013 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 0600 AM SNOW 6 W PURCELL 35.01N 97.48W 12/06/2013 E3.0 INCH MCCLAIN OK PUBLIC 0630 AM SNOW ALTUS 34.64N 99.33W 12/06/2013 E4.5 INCH JACKSON OK EMERGENCY MNGR 0700 AM SNOW MARSHALL 36.16N 97.62W 12/06/2013 E1.0 INCH LOGAN OK CO-OP OBSERVER 0700 AM SNOW OKARCHE 35.73N 97.98W 12/06/2013 E3.0 INCH CANADIAN OK CO-OP OBSERVER 0700 AM SNOW CRESCENT 35.95N 97.59W 12/06/2013 E2.0 INCH LOGAN OK CO-OP OBSERVER 0700 AM SNOW MULHALL 36.06N 97.40W 12/06/2013 E3.0 INCH LOGAN OK CO-OP OBSERVER 0700 AM SNOW HOBART 35.03N 99.09W 12/06/2013 E4.0 INCH KIOWA OK CO-OP OBSERVER 0700 AM SNOW NOBLE 35.14N 97.39W 12/06/2013 E2.0 INCH CLEVELAND OK CO-OP OBSERVER 0700 AM SNOW PERRY 36.29N 97.29W 12/06/2013 E1.0 INCH NOBLE OK CO-OP OBSERVER 0700 AM SNOW 6 SSW FREDERICK 34.31N 99.05W 12/06/2013 E2.5 INCH TILLMAN OK PUBLIC 0700 AM SNOW YALE 36.11N 96.70W 12/06/2013 E2.5 INCH PAYNE OK PUBLIC 0700 AM SNOW 2 N GLENCOE 36.26N 96.93W 12/06/2013 E2.5 INCH NOBLE OK PUBLIC 0700 AM SNOW CHICKASHA 35.04N 97.95W 12/06/2013 E3.0 INCH GRADY OK CO-OP OBSERVER 0700 AM SNOW 3 NNW SHAWNEE 35.38N 96.94W 12/06/2013 E3.0 INCH POTTAWATOMIE OK PUBLIC 0700 AM SNOW 5 SSW CLINTON 35.44N 99.01W 12/06/2013 E1.5 INCH WASHITA OK PUBLIC 0700 AM SNOW LAWTON 34.60N 98.42W 12/06/2013 E2.0 INCH COMANCHE OK CO-OP OBSERVER 0700 AM SNOW CENTRAHOMA 34.61N 96.34W 12/06/2013 E1.0 INCH COAL OK CO-OP OBSERVER 0700 AM SNOW MEEKER 35.50N 96.89W 12/06/2013 E2.0 INCH LINCOLN OK CO-OP OBSERVER 0725 AM SNOW QUANAH 34.30N 99.74W 12/06/2013 E6.0 INCH HARDEMAN TX AMATEUR RADIO 0730 AM SNOW 2 E HEALDTON 34.23N 97.45W 12/06/2013 E1.5 INCH CARTER OK CO-OP OBSERVER 0730 AM SNOW MUSTANG 35.39N 97.72W 12/06/2013 E3.0 INCH CANADIAN OK PUBLIC 0735 AM SNOW SW NORMAN 35.22N 97.44W 12/06/2013 E3.1 INCH CLEVELAND OK PUBLIC 0738 AM SNOW SULPHUR 34.51N 96.98W 12/06/2013 E2.0 INCH MURRAY OK PUBLIC SNOW AND SLEET. 0745 AM SNOW PINK 35.26N 97.12W 12/06/2013 E2.0 INCH POTTAWATOMIE OK PUBLIC 0745 AM SNOW SEMINOLE 35.23N 96.68W 12/06/2013 E2.5 INCH SEMINOLE OK PUBLIC 0748 AM SLEET ATOKA 34.38N 96.13W 12/06/2013 E1.50 INCH ATOKA OK PUBLIC 0754 AM SNOW FORT COBB 35.10N 98.44W 12/06/2013 E6.0 INCH CADDO OK EMERGENCY MNGR 0800 AM SNOW 1 NE MIDWEST CITY 35.47N 97.38W 12/06/2013 E2.4 INCH OKLAHOMA OK PUBLIC 0800 AM SNOW CHICKASHA 35.04N 97.95W 12/06/2013 E3.0 INCH GRADY OK CO-OP OBSERVER 0800 AM SNOW 2 S GUTHRIE 35.85N 97.42W 12/06/2013 E4.5 INCH LOGAN OK PUBLIC 0800 AM SNOW EL RENO 35.53N 97.96W 12/06/2013 E3.5 INCH CANADIAN OK PUBLIC 0804 AM SLEET ELMORE CITY 34.62N 97.40W 12/06/2013 E2.80 INCH GARVIN OK PUBLIC SLEET AND SNOW 0806 AM SLEET STRATFORD 34.80N 96.96W 12/06/2013 E2.00 INCH GARVIN OK PUBLIC 0810 AM SNOW EDMOND 35.65N 97.48W 12/06/2013 E4.0 INCH OKLAHOMA OK PUBLIC 0814 AM SNOW WARR ACRES 35.53N 97.62W 12/06/2013 E4.5 INCH OKLAHOMA OK PUBLIC 4-5 INCHES REPORTED NEAR NW 63RD. 0815 AM SNOW PRAGUE 35.49N 96.69W 12/06/2013 E5.0 INCH LINCOLN OK EMERGENCY MNGR 0816 AM SNOW NE EDMOND 35.65N 97.48W 12/06/2013 E4.5 INCH OKLAHOMA OK PUBLIC 0830 AM SNOW 3 E ANADARKO 35.07N 98.19W 12/06/2013 E3.4 INCH CADDO OK PUBLIC 0831 AM SNOW PIEDMONT 35.64N 97.75W 12/06/2013 E4.0 INCH CANADIAN OK PUBLIC 0841 AM SNOW SE NORMAN 35.22N 97.44W 12/06/2013 E2.9 INCH CLEVELAND OK PUBLIC 0845 AM SLEET WAYNE 34.92N 97.32W 12/06/2013 E2.50 INCH MCCLAIN OK PUBLIC 2-3 INCHES OF SLEET AND SNOW 0906 AM SNOW NW SHAWNEE 35.34N 96.92W 12/06/2013 E5.0 INCH POTTAWATOMIE OK EMERGENCY MNGR 0910 AM SNOW VERNON 34.15N 99.29W 12/06/2013 E2.5 INCH WILBARGER TX PUBLIC 2-3 INCHES REPORTED. 0915 AM SLEET SEYMOUR 33.60N 99.26W 12/06/2013 E1.00 INCH BAYLOR TX DEPT OF HIGHWAYS 0915 AM SNOW CROWELL 33.98N 99.72W 12/06/2013 E2.0 INCH FOARD TX CO-OP OBSERVER 0925 AM SLEET HENRIETTA 33.82N 98.19W 12/06/2013 E1.50 INCH CLAY TX PUBLIC 0930 AM SLEET ATOKA 34.38N 96.13W 12/06/2013 E2.00 INCH ATOKA OK PUBLIC 0930 AM SNOW TUTTLE 35.29N 97.81W 12/06/2013 E3.5 INCH GRADY OK EMERGENCY MNGR 0930 AM SNOW RUSH SPRINGS 34.78N 97.96W 12/06/2013 E2.0 INCH GRADY OK EMERGENCY MNGR 0930 AM SNOW DUNCAN 34.50N 97.96W 12/06/2013 E3.0 INCH STEPHENS OK AMATEUR RADIO SNOW AND SLEET. 0933 AM SLEET STRINGTOWN 34.47N 96.05W 12/06/2013 E3.00 INCH ATOKA OK PUBLIC 2 INCHES OF SLEET AND 1 INCH SNOW. 0935 AM SNOW MANGUM 34.88N 99.50W 12/06/2013 E2.0 INCH GREER OK PUBLIC 0935 AM SNOW HOLLIS 34.69N 99.92W 12/06/2013 E3.0 INCH HARMON OK PUBLIC 0940 AM SNOW FREDERICK 34.39N 99.01W 12/06/2013 E3.0 INCH TILLMAN OK PUBLIC 0940 AM SLEET ARCHER CITY 33.59N 98.63W 12/06/2013 E1.00 INCH ARCHER TX PUBLIC 0945 AM SNOW 5 N HENNEPIN 34.58N 97.35W 12/06/2013 E4.0 INCH GARVIN OK CO-OP OBSERVER 0945 AM SNOW ELECTRA 34.03N 98.92W 12/06/2013 E1.5 INCH WICHITA TX PUBLIC SNOW AND SLEET. 0945 AM SNOW ENID 36.40N 97.88W 12/06/2013 E0.5 INCH GARFIELD OK EMERGENCY MNGR 0945 AM SNOW HYDRO 35.55N 98.58W 12/06/2013 E2.0 INCH CADDO OK PUBLIC 0945 AM SNOW 14 E WETUMKA 35.24N 95.99W 12/06/2013 E5.0 INCH HUGHES OK EMERGENCY MNGR 0945 AM SNOW WATONGA 35.85N 98.41W 12/06/2013 E1.0 INCH BLAINE OK PUBLIC 0950 AM SNOW WALTERS 34.36N 98.31W 12/06/2013 E0.0 INCH COTTON OK PUBLIC 1000 AM SNOW CENTRAHOMA 34.61N 96.34W 12/06/2013 E3.0 INCH COAL OK CO-OP OBSERVER 1 INCH OF SLEET AND 2 INCHES OF SNOW. 1013 AM SLEET MARIETTA 33.93N 97.12W 12/06/2013 E1.00 INCH LOVE OK PUBLIC 1015 AM SNOW WAURIKA 34.17N 98.00W 12/06/2013 E2.0 INCH JEFFERSON OK PUBLIC SNOW AND SLEET. 1020 AM SNOW OAKWOOD 35.93N 98.70W 12/06/2013 E1.0 INCH DEWEY OK PUBLIC 1022 AM SNOW THOMAS 35.75N 98.75W 12/06/2013 E1.0 INCH CUSTER OK PUBLIC 1027 AM SNOW HOLDENVILLE 35.08N 96.40W 12/06/2013 E4.0 INCH HUGHES OK EMERGENCY MNGR 1030 AM SLEET TISHOMINGO 34.24N 96.68W 12/06/2013 E2.00 INCH JOHNSTON OK PUBLIC SLEET AND SNOW. 1030 AM SLEET MADILL 34.09N 96.77W 12/06/2013 E1.00 INCH MARSHALL OK PUBLIC 1036 AM SLEET ARDMORE 34.17N 97.14W 12/06/2013 E1.00 INCH CARTER OK PUBLIC 1040 AM SNOW DURANT 34.00N 96.39W 12/06/2013 E2.0 INCH BRYAN OK CO-OP OBSERVER 1 INCH OF SLEET AND 1 INCH OF SNOW. 1048 AM SLEET BOKCHITO 34.02N 96.14W 12/06/2013 E2.00 INCH BRYAN OK PUBLIC && $$ EM
The snow field from the December 5-6, 2013 winter storm covered a large area within the NWS Norman forecast area. The satellite photos at 10:31 AM CST on December 10, 2013 show this snow field. Please note that the small swath of snow in north central Oklahoma was from a small winter system that dropped light now in the region on December 9, 2013. More satellite images and information regarding this event can be found on the CIMSS Satellite Blog.
Local Visible Satellite Image of the Snow Band in Oklahoma and North Texas at 10:31 AM CST on December 10, 2013 |
Regional Visible Satellite Image of the Snow Band in Oklahoma and North Texas at 10:31 AM CST on December 10, 2013 |
Quanah, TX - Photo courtesy of Bryan Rupp |
Quanah, TX - Photo courtesy of Bryan Rupp |
Norman, OK - Photo courtesy of Paul Kamis |
Ada, OK - Photo courtesy of Chrissie Ballard Christian |
Anadarko, OK - Photo courtesy of Danny Bryan |
Anadarko, OK - Photo courtesy of Danny Bryan |
Noble, OK - Photo courtesy of Deborah Hulse-Gann Shelton |
Ardmore, OK - Photo courtesy of Dewey Johnston |
Oklahoma City, OK - Photo courtesy of Jessica Crain |
Roff, OK - Photo courtesy of Jennifer Hunt |
Winter Weather Briefing - 11:00 AM CST, December 5, 2013
Behind the Scenes at NWS Norman: Forecasting a Winter Storm Presentation - December 4, 2013
Winter Weather Briefing - 11:00 AM CST, December 4, 2013
Winter Weather Briefing - 2:30 PM CST, December 3, 2013