General Weather Discussion - February 2014

[sacolton]

Metro streets have compacted frozen snow - might as well be ice. OHP has issued OKC as "Slick and Hazardous" (The worst you can get on their map)

[bandnerd]

AGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH

Is this the most active winter season Oklahoma's seen in a long time? Because I can't remember a time in my life when it snowed this often. I mean, I remember the big events where we got 10-13", but that was a one-time thing. It just won't stop this year.

You've made your point, Mother Nature. Some of us would like to continue on with our lives and jobs without you mucking it up with your "Yankee Cocaine."

[Uncle Slayton]

AGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH

Is this the most active winter season Oklahoma's seen in a long time? Because I can't remember a time in my life when it snowed this often. I mean, I remember the big events where we got 10-13", but that was a one-time thing. It just won't stop this year.

You've made your point, Mother Nature. Some of us would like to continue on with our lives and jobs without you mucking it up with your "Yankee Cocaine."

If'n I recollect correckly, it was the winter of (aught) '78 or (aught) '79 when we had this or worse for about 6-8 weeks in a row, (or so it seemed). This was in SE OK too, so it damn sure was uphill both ways. I remember because I got "snow chores" and my stepdad and I trying to unfreeze pipes, drains, etc.

This is more like it.

[bandnerd]

If'n I recollect correckly, it was the winter of (aught) '78 or (aught) '79 when we had this or worse for about 6-8 weeks in a row, (or so it seemed). This was in SE OK too, so it damn sure was uphill both ways. I remember because I got "snow chores" and my stepdad and I trying to unfreeze pipes, drains, etc.

This is more like it.

I've heard stories from my parents about the winter of 1980, too, I think? I was born that year, so obviously have no recollection of it. (showing my age, I know). They were in southern OK.

In 1987, I think, we were forecasted a "light dusting" overnight. Woke up to 9 inches of school-closing glory. I obviously feel differently about it now as a high school band director in the middle of contest season, but I learned at a young age that predicting winter weather in our state is a crapshoot at best.

[BB37]

If'n I recollect correckly, it was the winter of (aught) '78 or (aught) '79 when we had this or worse for about 6-8 weeks in a row, (or so it seemed). This was in SE OK too, so it damn sure was uphill both ways. I remember because I got "snow chores" and my stepdad and I trying to unfreeze pipes, drains, etc.

This is more like it.

Correct, OKC had 3 or 4 significant (4-8 inch) snow storms in a span of about 3 weeks. The roads were bad for 2-3 weeks afterward, and IIRC, we had snow on the ground for about 6 weeks afterward. Seems like it was '77 or '78.

[ou48A]

This is the type of weather that's fairly normal winter weather in most of Kansas.
Their really bad winters are a lot worse than what we're having.

The winter of 77&78 and 78&79 were pretty bad.... but it was much worse in northern OK than OKC.
I think we had around 60 consecutive days where it didn't even reach 32 degrees with ice, snow and sleet on the ground for nearly 90 days....

We had lots of below zero nights and few sub zero degree days for highs

[yukong]

Correct, OKC had 3 or 4 significant (4-8 inch) snow storms in a span of about 3 weeks. The roads were bad for 2-3 weeks afterward, and IIRC, we had snow on the ground for about 6 weeks afterward. Seems like it was '77 or '78.

Had to be '78 as I was in college when it happened and I started college Aug, '78.

[foodiefan]

not sure of the exact dates of the actual storms, but late 77/early 78 (Dec-Jan.Feb) was a real treat!! How do I know/remember?? Because I had a 2 1/2 year old and 6 mo old in the house !! Three weeks of being housebound with kids at that age is something one remembers!!

[kevinpate]

.... mucking it up with your "Yankee Cocaine."

Best laugh of my morning. Thanks bandnerd!

[bradh]

as someone who grew up somewhere without significant winters, I love it

[Richard at Remax]

Just depressing non-events all around. Another thoroughly disappointing winter.

boy you must be hard to please. although the total snow accumulations haven't been anything noteworthy, this winter has been one of the coldest and most consistent (snow wise) that I remember

[ou48A]

One thing about these deep freezes is that it will kill off some unwanted bugs and weeds.
The snow is the best thing in the world for the winter wheat crop

[bandnerd]

Best laugh of my morning. Thanks bandnerd!

Can't take credit, it was from SNL's Weekend Update this last weekend

[venture]

Looks like generally about 2 inches of snow seems to be the average for mos. We have one more small batch of light snow moving into Norman and that'll be it for this wave.

To some of the comments earlier, this has definitely been a 30-year winter for many people. My family has had somewhere near 70 inches of snow so far this year when the normal is around 34 inches (they aren't in a snow belt area). It should definitely help with the drought conditions and improve the levels on the lakes up there. Yes, even the Great Lakes get low.

[venture]

One thing about these deep freezes is that it will kill off some unwanted bugs and weeds.
The snow is the best thing in the world for the winter wheat crop

Absolutely. Growing up back north farmers would pray for this type of weather for the winter wheat crop. The moisture is great and the snow is a great insulator.

[venture]

Update via the 06 and 12Z GFS runs for early next week. 06Z keeps most precip south of I-40 and 12Z keeps most precip south of Oklahoma. Joy o' Joy. We'll see what later runs show.

[ou48A]

Some of the TV folks are suggesting that the storm on Tuesday could be rather significant.....?

Thoughts?

[bradh]

Looks like generally about 2 inches of snow seems to be the average for mos. We have one more small batch of light snow moving into Norman and that'll be it for this wave.

To some of the comments earlier, this has definitely been a 30-year winter for many people. My family has had somewhere near 70 inches of snow so far this year when the normal is around 34 inches (they aren't in a snow belt area). It should definitely help with the drought conditions and improve the levels on the lakes up there. Yes, even the Great Lakes get low.

The one year my family does NOT go skiing, is this year

[venture]

Some of the TV folks are suggesting that the storm on Tuesday could be rather significant.....?

Thoughts?

See what I just posted and also posted last night regarding the Euro and 00Z GFS run. You'll have to go back a page to find it.

[SoonerDave]

Had to be '78 as I was in college when it happened and I started college Aug, '78.

Absolutely remember that storm and it was absolutely fall 78. I was in eighth grade, and we'd show up an hour late for school, do three hours of class (maybe) and they'd tell us to line up for the buses to go home. We finally closed for enough days such that we ended up making up one of the snow days on a beautiful Saturday in March, and about half the kids didn't show up.

I remember the snow being so deep and so heavy that the landscape around my middle school as we'd wait for busses was so indescribably and intensely *white* that it made your eyes hurt to look almost anywhere. The reflection of absolute whiteness was almost surreal. Even with the overarching cloudiness, the natural light reflected off that surface and it gave the sky almost a dingy yellow cast to it. It was deep enough where you couldn't even distinguish curbsides, lawns, or sidewalks. It was so cold that it created a nearly walkable surface of ice on my mom's pool - she went out to break it up just to see how thick it was, and it took a leftover brick a few smacks on the surface to finally break through. We were below freezing for multiple days at a time.

Although we've not had anywhere near the volume of snow this time around, this sequence of winter events (storms, snow periods, whatever we want to call it) definitely reminds me of that sequence back then. Can think of maybe one such event since then where parking lots full of plowed, dirty snow took weeks to melt, but that's been a while.

[Bunty]

Correct, OKC had 3 or 4 significant (4-8 inch) snow storms in a span of about 3 weeks. The roads were bad for 2-3 weeks afterward, and IIRC, we had snow on the ground for about 6 weeks afterward. Seems like it was '77 or '78.

Right. That unforgettable bad winter really got underway on New Year's Eve when as much as 6 in. of snow fell. I tried going to a New Year's party, but gave up. Couldn't drive anywhere on the street in front of my house. From then on the weather tended to stay cold and cloudy, so the snow never melted off in time for the next snow storm. As I recall, it wasn't until early March until all the snow could get melted. I don't recall that fall standing out for unusually bad winter weather.

[Bunty]

We had lots of below zero nights and few sub zero degree days for highs

I find that so unbelievable, I wonder if weather records confirm that. Or maybe it only means I wasn't paying enough attention to how cold it got back then.

[Damon Lewis]

I guess things are more exciting than I thought.

TSA short term typo: SNOW WAR BEING REPORTED NEAR FAYETTEVILLE...FORT SMITH...AND MUSKOGEE.

[BB37]

There was a period in the winter of 94 or 95 when we had an incredible cold snap -- highs in the single digits and lows below zero for about a week (one morning it was 8 below, coldest temp I've ever experienced in OKC). There was a building at University Hospital where I work that was so poorly insulated that the building almost became uninhabitable. One office on the north side of that building got so cold that water in the toilet bowl froze. I don't remember any snow at that time, just incredibly cold!!! There was a story that someone in a van slid off the old low water crossing at Ski Island and onto the lake (not INto the lake -- ONto it).

[venture]

Reference: General Weather Discussion - February 2014 - OKCTalk

12Z Euro run takes Wave 1 a bit further north and confines most of the precip to Northern OK. There is some light precip late Sunday/Early Monday over C and EC OK. Everything shifts into AR very quickly.

Wave #2 is still mostly NW and NC OK, with some filling in around C OK and a couple inches here.

Wave #3 that I'll call it is some wrap around very early Wednesday starting around I-44 and going east through the morning. Maybe an inch from it around here.

We'll see how the next few model runs handle it. Still plenty of time before we start talking carbs and dairy.