... Abrupt onset of wind... rain... and snow expected early this weekend...
Although mild weather will persist into the first half of Friday... there are several features approaching the Southern Plains that will bring rapidly deteriorating conditions beginning late Friday. On Thursday evening... satellite loops showed one upper level trough approaching from Nevada. Southerly winds ahead of this feature will tap into a modified return of Gulf moisture. Meanwhile... another trough passing through the northern plains will push a strong cold front southward. A late season Arctic air mass will catch up to the leading edge of cooler air... resulting in a single... very strong... front when it reaches northwest Oklahoma Friday afternoon. Finally... a third upper level trough will intensify as it tracks through the Red River valley on Saturday.
The result of all this will be the rapid onset of wind... rain and a few thunderstorms Friday evening... followed by a change to snow and blowing snow on Saturday. Rain and thunderstorms will first break out along and behind the cold front Friday afternoon... affecting southwest through west central and northern Oklahoma. Storms will spread east and south Friday night as the cold air plunges deeper into the region. The strongest thunderstorms may produce brief heavy rain... small hail... and strong or locally damaging wind gusts. Of much greater impact... will be the widespread strong winds developing behind the cold front... combined with a change to heavy snowfall.
Just after the cold front arrives... north to northwest winds will jump to near 30 mph... with gusts over 40 mph. Winds may actually strengthen further as the storm matures during the day Saturday. Meanwhile... rain will change to snow in northern and western Oklahoma by early Saturday morning... and as the day progresses... snow will develop as far south as Vernon Texas... Duncan... and Seminole in Oklahoma. Given the expected track and intensity of the storm... moderate to heavy snow may occur over a fairly broad area for an extended period of time between Saturday morning and Sunday morning. Blowing and drifting is very likely to occur wherever snow accumulates. The greatest drifting and reduction to visibility will take place in northern and western Oklahoma... where temperatures will be the coldest... and snow the driest. But substantial drifting and blowing snow may also affect central Oklahoma. Generally... at least 4 inches of snow is forecast in northern... western... and central Oklahoma. Embedded areas of 6 to 8 inches appear likely... and greater than 8 inches may fall in parts of central and north central Oklahoma. Light snow accumulations may extend down into western North Texas and southern Oklahoma by Saturday night.
Moderate snow may then continue to wrap around the storm... affecting the Interstate 35 corridor and eastward during the first part of Sunday. Travel and outdoor plans will be best accomplished prior to Saturday morning. Conditions will improve only slowly on Sunday... with milder weather on Monday.
Special Weather Statement