Winter Storm Outlook

Issued by WFO Norman at 7:30 am CST, December 19, 2002

WWUS84 KOUN 191330
SPSOKC
OKZ004>048-050>052-TXZ083>090-192230-

WINTER STORM OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
730 AM CST THU DEC 19 2002

...WINTER STORM WITH HEAVY SNOW MAY BE HEADED FOR SOUTHERN PLAINS MONDAY INTO CHRISTMAS EVE...

A STORM SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO INTENSIFY OVER THE SOUTHWESTERN STATES OVER THE WEEKEND...AND COULD RESULT IN A SIGNIFICANT WINTER STORM OVER PARTS OF THE SOUTHERN PLAINS AS IT MOVES EASTWARD EARLY NEXT WEEK. AT THIS TIME...COMPUTER FORECAST MODELS ARE INDICATING THE POSSIBILITY OF SNOW SPREADING EASTWARD FROM THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS OF WESTERN TEXAS ACROSS MUCH OF WESTERN...CENTRAL...AND NORTHERN OKLAHOMA DURING THE DAY MONDAY. SNOW COULD CONTINUE INTO TUESDAY... CHRISTMAS EVE...AS THE STORM SYSTEM MOVES EAST ACROSS THE AREA. THE FORECAST WEATHER PATTERN IS ONE THAT POTENTIALLY COULD PRODUCE HEAVY SNOW OVER PARTS OF OKLAHOMA AND NORTH TEXAS.

THE STORM SYSTEM THAT IS EXPECTED TO ARRIVE NEXT MONDAY IS CURRENTLY LOCATED OVER THE CENTRAL PACIFIC OCEAN AND IS AT LEAST FOUR DAYS AWAY FROM THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. SO...THERE ARE STILL MANY UNCERTAINTIES REGARDING THE PRECISE SPEED AND TRACK OF THE SYSTEM...AND WHETHER OR NOT CONDITIONS WILL BE COLD ENOUGH FOR SNOW. THEREFORE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE AT THE PRESENT TIME TO PREDICT SPECIFIC SNOWFALL AMOUNTS...OR THE PRECISE LOCATIONS THAT ARE MOST LIKELY TO RECEIVE HEAVY SNOW. IN FACT...IF THERE IS NOT ENOUGH COLD AIR...THE STORM WOULD PRODUCE ONLY RAIN AND NO SNOW. CURRENT INDICATIONS ARE THAT THIS WEATHER SYSTEM...IF IT IS GOING TO PRODUCE ANY SIGNIFICANT WINTER WEATHER IN OKLAHOMA OR NORTH TEXAS...WOULD MOST LIKELY PRODUCE SNOW RATHER THAN ICE. ALTHOUGH THERE ARE CURRENTLY MANY UNKNOWNS...IT APPEARS AT THIS TIME THAT THERE IS A REASONABLY GOOD CHANCE OF SIGNIFICANT WINTER WEATHER SOMEWHERE IN THE OKLAHOMA AND OR NORTH TEXAS AREA EARLY NEXT WEEK.

IF YOU HAVE PLANS FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK...ESPECIALLY TRAVEL PLANS... YOU ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION AND FORECASTS THROUGH THE WEEKEND. AS ADDITIONAL FORECAST INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE...THE EFFECTS OF THIS STORM SYSTEM ON THE SOUTHERN PLAINS WILL BECOME MORE CLEAR IN THE COMING DAYS. ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED AS NEW INFORMATION COMES IN AND AS THE SITUATION CONTINUES TO DEVELOP. STAY TUNED FOR FURTHER UPDATES.

$$

24

Winter Storm Watch

Issued by WFO Norman at 5:00 am CST, December 22, 2002

WWUS44 KOUN 221056
WSWOKC

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
500 AM CST SUN DEC 22 2002

.A STRONG UPPER STORM SYSTEM OVER THE SOUTHWEST UNITED STATES WILL BEGIN TO MOVE SLOWLY EAST ACROSS THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES INTO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS LATE TONIGHT AND MONDAY. MEANWHILE...AHEAD OF THIS STORM...RICH GULF MOISTURE WILL MOVE NORTH ACROSS TEXAS INTO OKLAHOMA. PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS OKLAHOMA AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS LATE TONIGHT AND CONTINUE THROUGH MONDAY. INITIALLY...THE AIRMASS WILL BE COLD ENOUGH FOR SNOW ACROSS PARTS OF WESTERN AND NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA WITH RAIN ELSEWHERE. HOWEVER...BY MONDAY MORNING THE COLDER AIR WILL DEEPEN ENOUGH TO TURN THE RAIN TO SNOW ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF NORTHERN...CENTRAL AND SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS. THE SNOW IS EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY DIMINISH LATE MONDAY WITH VERY LIGHT SNOW OR FLURRIES LINGERING INTO TUESDAY.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO... COMMERCIAL TELEVISION OR RADIO STATIONS... OR INTERNET WEATHER SOURCES FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS ON THIS WINTER STORM.

OKZ004>006-009>011-014>017-021-022-221900-
ALFALFA OK-BECKHAM OK-BLAINE OK-CUSTER OK-DEWEY OK-ELLIS OK-HARPER
OK-MAJOR OK-ROGER MILLS OK-WASHITA OK-WOODS OK-WOODWARD OK-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALVA...CLINTON...ELK CITY...WEATHERFORD
AND WOODWARD

400 AM CST SUN DEC 22 2002

...WINTER STORM WATCH FOR LATE TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY...

SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS PARTS OF WESTERN AND NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA LATE TONIGHT AND CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE DAY ON MONDAY. ALTHOUGH INITIALLY THE SNOW WILL BE LIGHT...PERIODS OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW MAY OCCUR LATE TONIGHT AND MONDAY WITH 3 TO 6 INCHES OF SNOW POSSIBLE BY LATE MONDAY.

THE SNOW WILL CAUSE HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS DUE TO REDUCED VISIBILITIES AND SLICK ROADWAYS. USE EXTREME CAUTION IF YOU MUST TRAVEL AND ALLOW EXTRA TIME TO REACH YOUR DESTINATION.

$$

OKZ007-008-012-013-018>020-023>030-033>040-044-TXZ083>089-221900-
ARCHER TX-BAYLOR TX-CADDO OK-CANADIAN OK-CLEVELAND OK-COMANCHE
OK-COTTON OK-FOARD TX-GARFIELD OK-GARVIN OK-GRADY OK-GRANT OK-GREER
OK-HARDEMAN TX-HARMON OK-JACKSON OK-KAY OK-KINGFISHER OK-KIOWA
OK-KNOX TX-LINCOLN OK-LOGAN OK-MCCLAIN OK-NOBLE OK-OKLAHOMA OK-PAYNE
OK-POTTAWATOMIE OK-STEPHENS OK-TILLMAN OK-WICHITA TX-WILBARGER TX-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALTUS...BURKBURNETT...CHICKASHA...
DUNCAN...EDMOND...EL RENO...ELECTRA...ENID...GUTHRIE...HOBART...IOWA
PARK...KINGFISHER...LAWTON...NORMAN...OKLAHOMA CITY...PONCA
CITY...QUANAH...SEYMOUR...SHAWNEE...STILLWATER...VERNON AND WICHITA
FALLS

400 AM CST SUN DEC 22 2002

...WINTER STORM WATCH FOR MONDAY...

RAIN IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS PARTS OF OKLAHOMA LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY MONDAY MORNING. HOWEVER...THE RAIN IS EXPECTED TO CHANGE TO SNOW MONDAY MORNING ACROSS NORTHERN...CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS. PERIODS OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW MAY OCCUR WITH 3 TO 6 INCHES OF SNOW POSSIBLE BY LATE MONDAY.

THE SNOW WILL CAUSE HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS DUE TO REDUCED VISIBILITIES AND SLICK ROADWAYS. USE EXTREME CAUTION IF YOU MUST TRAVEL AND ALLOW EXTRA TIME TO REACH YOUR DESTINATION.


$$

30/02

Winter Storm Warning

Issued by WFO Norman at 10:11 pm CST, December 22, 2002

WWUS44 KOUN 230413
WSWOKC

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
1011 PM CST SUN DEC 22 2002

OKZ004>022-231800-

ALFALFA OK-BECKHAM OK-BLAINE OK-CUSTER OK-DEWEY OK-ELLIS OK-
GARFIELD OK-GRANT OK-HARPER OK-KAY OK-KINGFISHER OK-LOGAN OK-
MAJOR OK-NOBLE OK-PAYNE OK-ROGER MILLS OK-WASHITA OK-WOODS OK-
WOODWARD OK-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALVA...CLINTON...ELK CITY...ENID...
GUTHRIE...KINGFISHER...PONCA CITY...STILLWATER...
WEATHERFORD AND WOODWARD
1011 PM CST SUN DEC 22 2002

...WINTER STORM WARNING MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT...

SNOW WILL DEVELOP LATE TONIGHT AND MONDAY MORNING... AND WILL BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES FROM LATE MORNING MONDAY INTO MONDAY EVENING. TOTAL STORM ACCUMULATIONS BY TUESDAY MORNING WILL AVERAGE 4 TO 8 INCHES... WITH SOME LOCALLY HEAVIER AMOUNTS UP TO 8 TO 10 INCHES. NORTHEAST WINDS FROM 10 TO 20 MPH WILL ALSO CAUSE SOME BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW AND REDUCED VISIBILITY. HEAVY ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW ON ROADWAYS WILL CAUSE HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. USE CAUTION IF YOU MUST TRAVEL.

$$

OKZ023>030-033>036-038-TXZ083-231800-

CADDO OK-CANADIAN OK-CLEVELAND OK-COMANCHE OK-GRADY OK-GREER OK-
HARDEMAN TX-HARMON OK-JACKSON OK-KIOWA OK-LINCOLN OK-MCCLAIN OK-
OKLAHOMA OK-POTTAWATOMIE OK-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALTUS...CHICKASHA...EDMOND...EL RENO...
HOBART...LAWTON...NORMAN...OKLAHOMA CITY...QUANAH AND SHAWNEE
1011 PM CST SUN DEC 22 2002

...WINTER STORM WARNING MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT...

PRECIPITATION WILL BEGIN AS RAIN OR SLEET LATER TONIGHT AND MONDAY MORNING... BUT WILL CHANGE TO SNOW IN MOST AREAS OVER THE MIDDAY HOURS ON MONDAY. SNOW WILL BE HEAVY AT TIMES MONDAY AFTERNOON INTO MONDAY NIGHT. TOTAL STORM ACCUMULATIONS BY TUESDAY MORNING FROM 4 TO 8 INCHES ARE EXPECTED. TRAVEL CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO SIGNIFICANTLY DETERIORATE BY LATE MONDAY MORNING.

$$

OKZ031-037-039>042-044>046-TXZ084>090-231800-

ARCHER TX-BAYLOR TX-CARTER OK-CLAY TX-COTTON OK-FOARD TX-GARVIN OK-
JEFFERSON OK-KNOX TX-MURRAY OK-PONTOTOC OK-SEMINOLE OK-STEPHENS OK-
TILLMAN OK-WICHITA TX-WILBARGER TX-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ADA...ARDMORE...BURKBURNETT...DUNCAN...
ELECTRA...HENRIETTA...IOWA PARK...SEYMOUR...VERNON AND WICHITA FALLS
1011 PM CST SUN DEC 22 2002

...WINTER STORM WATCH LATE MONDAY AFTERNOON AND MONDAY NIGHT...

RAIN WILL DEVELOP DURING THE REMAINDER OF TONIGHT AND MAY BECOME HEAVY DURING THE DAY MONDAY. THE ARRIVAL OF COLDER AIR FROM THE NORTH MAY SUPPORT A CHANGE OVER TO SNOW MONDAY AFTERNOON OR MONDAY EVENING... BUT THERE IS STILL CONSIDERABLE UNCERTAINTY IF HEAVY SNOW WILL FALL CORRIDOR FROM SEYMOUR... TO WICHITA FALLS... TO DUNCAN AND ADA. AT THE PRESENT TIME... IT APPEARS THAT MOST OF THE HEAVY PRECIPITATION WILL FALL IN THE FORM OF RAIN DURING THE DAY MONDAY. HOWEVER... THERE IS STILL A CHANCE THAT PRECIPITATION MAY CHANGE TO HEAVY SNOW BEFORE ENDING MONDAY NIGHT... AND FOR THIS REASON... A WINTER STORM WATCH WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR LATE MONDAY AFTERNOON AND MONDAY NIGHT.

$$