Deer Creek, Oklahoma

... A late week storm will bring snow... winds... and bitter cold...

The ingredients for a hazardous winter storm will converge on the
Southern Plains later this week. The storm will be driven by an
upper level trough... and surface low pressure. Both will intensify
while they track from western North Texas through southern and
eastern Oklahoma. These features will produce strong lift and
widespread precipitation beginning Wednesday... and lasting well into
Thursday.

Initially... the air will be warm enough for rain at most locations.
Cold air will then rush in from the north and west. Rain will change
to snow beginning in northwest Oklahoma Wednesday evening. The
changeover to snow will proceed toward the south and east... and
should reach western North Texas up through central Oklahoma by
Thursday morning. Before the storm exits Thursday night... even
southeast Oklahoma will have a chance at seeing snow.

The area of greatest concern... however... is northern and western
Oklahoma... generally north of a line from Elk City to Clinton... to
Kingfisher and Stillwater. Parts of that region will see the
earliest changeover to snow... and other parts will see snow persist
through the day Thursday. A secondary area of concern will be from
Quanah Texas... to Altus and Lawton... towards Chickasha Oklahoma
where an additional band of accumulating snowfall will be possible.
Snowfall totals will depend on how quickly cold air arrives... and
how long the storm lasts. At a minimum... it appears that some snow
accumulation is likely... and that increasingly blustery winds will
cause blowing snow... low visibility... and low wind chill
temperatures. As the forecast intensity of snow and winds comes into
focus... a Winter Storm Watch may be issued for part of the region.

Looking beyond Thursday... it is important to note that hazardous
winter weather will likely persist even after the storm exits. It is
very likely that a large mass of Arctic air... the coldest yet this
season... will overspread all of Oklahoma and western North Texas.
Wind chill temperatures may become dangerously low... and air
temperatures across northern Oklahoma could remain near or below
freezing for as long as three or four days.