[SluggoF16]

Very little ice west of I-44, but a lot of drifting snow. Was surprisingly easy to drive on w/ 4x4, great tires and about 600 lb of sand in the bed, with roads hard-frozen. The local kids are getting a snow day but what is out there is so cold and powdery their snowmen are going to be snow mounds. 2.5" average from what I could measure, with foot-high drifts. No ice thankfully but that north wind is at 13 knots gusting to 20. The Wichita Falls station is reporting a lot more suck south of the Red River.

[debbie at bouontiful]

I listened to ice all night but we didn't lose the power. I personally love snow having lived in the North for many years, I miss it but do not want ice. Husband went out and looked at the trees and power lines every few hours. First time I was actually prepared for loss of power. Cattle water filled, horse water filled and water in house several 7 gallon water containers. We are on a well! Actually, it has been snowing for quite some time now. Maybe I'll take the 4 wheeler out over the ranch and take pictures.

Again rocky, I appreciated your updates. You can't get much on the 10 day weather site and if you turn the tv on all they talk about is Tulsa not our area.

[StillwaterTownie]

Brief video of work at Boone Pickens Stadium this morning. The field is cleared of 3" of snow. Ready to beat OU!


Boone Pickens Stadium: Snow Clearing - YouTube

[rockyinyourradio]

Just looked at the European model (one of the more accurate models).. Suddenly it has changed it's mind and brings south the mother of all arctic snaps just in time for Christmas here in Oklahoma. Wishful thinking on my part, I would love to see it, but I know some of you despise the very thought. My earlier posts alluded to a warm up leading to Christmas and just beyond but that the airmass may reload across Canada just after Christmas. This could be an indication that it may do this before now. Not at all confident of this solution, but this is indicative that the current overall pattern may be with us for awhile.. despite the warm up that will occur after this upcoming week that will last a week perhaps. I'll keep you abreast of any changes. Meanwhile, a beautiful scene here at the farm, a few inches of snow under gray, overcast skies.. this yankee dude is loving it.

[SluggoF16]

With the sun out, the roads are clearing rapidly and we may actually get above freezing today in SW OK.

As for the arctic blast, assuming it does occur, is it expected to be dry or another snow/ice event? Mom's flying in from Phoenix for Christmas and will be in for a rude awakening either way.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by rockyinyourradio

Just looked at the European model (one of the more accurate models).. Suddenly it has changed it's mind and brings south the mother of all arctic snaps just in time for Christmas here in Oklahoma. Wishful thinking on my part, I would love to see it, but I know some of you despise the very thought. My earlier posts alluded to a warm up leading to Christmas and just beyond but that the airmass may reload across Canada just after Christmas. This could be an indication that it may do this before now. Not at all confident of this solution, but this is indicative that the current overall pattern may be with us for awhile.. despite the warm up that will occur after this upcoming week that will last a week perhaps. I'll keep you abreast of any changes. Meanwhile, a beautiful scene here at the farm, a few inches of snow under gray, overcast skies.. this yankee dude is loving it.

Yes, that is the only way that it doesn't feel as far south in latitude as it is there- when the skies are quite cloudy. The sun angle is still quite high in the sky in December there compared to northern latitude locations. When I visit family there that is one of the first things I notice- how intense the sun is even though it is supposed to be "winter." Enjoy the snow and cold while you have it. It is finally snowing again up here in Madison, WI. At least I will be able to see better whilst driving at night with a white backdrop. It is quite a difference.

[rockyinyourradio]

Originally Posted by SluggoF16

With the sun out, the roads are clearing rapidly and we may actually get above freezing today in SW OK.

As for the arctic blast, assuming it does occur, is it expected to be dry or another snow/ice event? Mom's flying in from Phoenix for Christmas and will be in for a rude awakening either way.

Overall, precip. chances are nominal for anything more than a quarter inch at any given time between now and Christmas for your area. Thisafternoon's EURO backed off on the cold for the week leading up to Christmas, but models this far out do that regularly. I still am sticking to my forecast of a slow but gradual warm up starting by this next weekend. My thinking on that cold snap I mentioned in the previous post.. it will eventually spill south and east, but I'm inclined to believe that it will be centred more to the east and only grazing Oklahoma. As of now.. I give it almost a 50% chance of close to normal conditions for most of Oklahoma as we get to Christmas with highs in the 50's, lows in the 30's. However, that one run of the Euro has me at least dreaming it will feel a little more like Christmas (at least to me).

I should add, this pattern is a bit like 1983 which featured multiple incursions of bitter arctic air, so we are susceptible to more outbreaks for the next few weeks. It just depends where the ridges (high pressure areas) and troughs (low pressure areas) set up. My guess.. it will be the Great Lakes and the Northeast.. specifically New England which will likely experience much below normal temperatures in the next 10 days.
Also, this pattern is not conducive to major precipitation events either. Data has been pretty consistent of below normal moisture right through the 14-16 day period, both on the European and GFS. So even if we do get a big cool down, chances for a white Christmas are currently less than 20% for the OKC and Tulsa areas. Until I see at least 3 or 4 more model runs like what thismornings data was teasing me with, I'm not holding my breath. But... we're talking weather here, and weather in Oklahoma to boot.. where a weather forecaster can be wrong half the time and still not get fired

[rockyinyourradio]

Originally Posted by rockyinyourradio

However, that one run of the Euro has me at least dreaming it will feel a little more like Christmas (at least to me).

The dream may become a reality based on both the Euro and GFS indicating a strong arctic surge once again just before Christmas. Might just be something to this. Precip. chances for anything significant are minimal though in patterns like this, but will still monitor.

[teakboat]

Keep up the excellent weather posts!

[rockyinyourradio]

Originally Posted by teakboat

Keep up the excellent weather posts!

I'll try, especially if I can keep from posting to soon on what I think may happen, only to have the data flip around the next couple of days to what I didn't expect.. like today and especially tonights runs. GFS has quite a snowstorm and bitterly cold weather now affecting the state starting around the 22nd. A couple of more days of this and I may actually start believing it. BTW: already down to 10F here at the farm NW of Piedmont. A beautiful winters night! It's good to be alive!