Mustang, Oklahoma

... Late week storm will bring strong winds... very cold air... and
some snow...

Winter weather may develop over the Southern Plains beginning
Wednesday evening as a storm system intensifies and tracks from the
southern rockies eastward across the plains. Strong northerly winds
and much colder air will result in a cold and blustery Christmas eve
with wind chill temperatures in the single digits to 20s. Although
wind speeds will decrease late on Christmas day... it will still be
cold... with highs only in the upper 20s and 30s.

The storm will begin to take shape during the early morning hours on
Wednesday as colder air begins to move into northwestern Oklahoma.
On Wednesday... a cold front will spread toward the southeast...
slowly at first... but more rapidly by evening. Freezing temperatures
will reach central and southwest Oklahoma... and western North
Texas... by Thursday morning.

As cold air continues to spread into the area... rain may mix with
or change to snow over northwestern Oklahoma late Wednesday
afternoon... and much of western Oklahoma and portions of western
North Texas before sunrise on Thursday. Rain may then mix with or
change to snow before precipitation ends across the remainder of the
area during the day on Thursday.

The late arrival of cold air and the progressive nature of the upper
low will limit snowfall totals. Still... it does appear that 1 to 3
inches of snow may accumulate in portions of northern and central
Oklahoma... especially around Enid... Ponca City... and Stillwater
early Thursday. Snow accumulations in excess of two inches may
extend south into the Oklahoma City Metro area. Some light snow
accumulation may extend as far south and west as Ardmore and Hobart.
Increasingly blustery winds will result in blowing and drifting
snow... as well as reduced visibility.

Hazardous winter weather will persist even after the precipitation
ends. 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... especially
Thursday night and Friday. Air temperatures across northern Oklahoma
could remain near or below freezing for as long as three or four
days.


SC/ds/at