000 NOUS44 KAMA 192058 PNSAMA OKZ001>003-TXZ001>020-201100- PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX 258 PM CST WED JAN 19 2011 ...WINTER WEATHER IMPACT STATEMENT... VALID... THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING. WINTER WEATHER EXPECTED... MAINLY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WITH FREEZING DRIZZLE. AFFECTED AREA... LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS AND BLOWING SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE MAINLY OVER THE NORTHERN TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES. FREEZING DRIZZLE AND LIGHT SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER THE SOUTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLE. FORECAST TIMING OF THE EVENT... PRECIPITATION WILL BEGIN AS A MIXTURE OF LIGHT RAIN AND SNOW BETWEEN 6 AND 9 PM THIS EVENING ACROSS THE OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE AND THE FAR NORTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLE. FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TEXAS PANHANDLE LIGHT RAIN IS EXPECTED DURING THIS TIME PERIOD. BETWEEN 9 PM THIS EVENING AND 6 AM THURSDAY MORNING...SNOW IS EXPECTED OVER THE OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE AND THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. OVER THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE TEXAS PANHANDLE... PATCHY FREEZING DRIZZLE AND LIGHT SNOW ARE POSSIBLE. BETWEEN 6 AM AND NOON THURSDAY...LIGHT SNOW IS EXPECTED OVER THE FAR EASTERN TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES. FLURRIES WILL BE POSSIBLE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA. THE PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO END BY NOON THURSDAY. POTENTIAL IMPACTS... 1 TO 2 INCHES OF SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE. 1 INCH OF SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER THE NORTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLE. ACROSS THE REST OF THE TEXAS PANHANDLE...LESS THAN 1 INCH OF SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE. MINIMAL ICE ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS 20 TO 30 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS MAY RESULT IN PATCHY AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW...WHICH MAY REDUCE VISIBILITIES... ESPECIALLY OVER THE FAR NORTHERN TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES. TRAVEL MAY BE HAZARDOUS FOR THE THURSDAY MORNING COMMUTE. IN ADDITION...THE STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS WILL CREATE LOW WIND CHILL VALUES TONIGHT AND THURSDAY MORNING. WIND CHILL VALUES BETWEEN -5 AND 10 WILL BE POSSIBLE. DISCUSSION... THE COMBINATION OF AN APPROACHING UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE AND A COLD FRONT WILL SET THE STAGE FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF WINTER WEATHER ACROSS THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING. THE COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE REGION LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AND BE SOUTH OF THE PANHANDLES BY MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. MUCH COLDER TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED BEHIND THE FRONT LATE TONIGHT NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING. $$ JACKSON/JOHNSON