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WInter storm dumps 2 feet of snow on Oklahoma, Arkansas

By: Dr. Jeff Masters, 8:25 PM GMT on February 09, 2011

Yet another major snowstorm in the memorable winter of 2010-2011 has blasted the U.S. with over two feet of snow--this time in northeast Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas. The snow continues to pile up at a rate of an inch per hour across portions of Arkansas today, and snows of 1 - 4 inches are expected today through Thursday across northern Mississippi, northern Alabama, and Tennessee. The heaviest snows have fallen in northeast Oklahoma, with 25 inches reported at Jay. Several locations in northwest Arkansas, including Gravette in Benton County, have recorded 24" of snow. Heavy snows in excess of a foot have been reported in Kansas, New Mexico, Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming, according the the latest NOAA Storm Summary. Bitterly cold air is pouring in behind the snowstorm; Abieline, Texas set a record low for the date of 9°F this morning, and the temperature is expected to plunge to 5°F tonight in the city. Abilene's coldest February temperature of all time was -7°F, set February 2, 1985.


Figure 1. Record snows piling up in northwest Arkansas on February 9, 2011. Image credit: wunderphotographer breezyky26.

Snowiest month and year in Tulsa's history
The 5.7 inches of snow that has fallen in Tulsa, Oklahoma as of noon today has brought that city its snowiest month on record, according to the National Weather Service. Thanks to the great February 1 blizzard and today's snowstorm, Tulsa has recorded 22.5" of snow this month. The previous record snowiest month was March 1924, when 19.7" fell. Today's snow brought the total for the 2010 - 2011 season to 26.1", a new record. The previous record was the 25.6" that fell in the winter of 1923 - 1924. Oklahoma City received 5.9" of snow from today's storm, bringing their seasonal total to 19.6", still well shy of their all-time record of 25.2", set in 1947 - 1948.


Figure 2. Snowfall amounts in Western Oklahoma and Northwest Arkansas from the snowstorm of Feb 8 - 9, 2011, reached two feet (24 inches) in isolated regions. Image credit: National Weather Service, Tulsa.

Jeff Masters
Snowstorm Feb 8 2009
Snowstorm Feb 8 2009
Taken thru my kitchen door window. This house is 100 ft across the road.

Winter Weather

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