Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Oklahoma, November 27 to 28, 2001

Name: Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Oklahoma, November 27 to 28, 2001
Start: 2001-11-27T22:00
End: 2001-11-28T17:00
Location: Oklahoma

November 27 to 28, 2001 · NWS OUN · 30 events in 30 counties and zones

An early season winter storm brought 4 to 8 inches of snow from Lincoln and northern Seminole Counties, southwestward into southwest Oklahoma. 5 inches, Oklahoma City 4 inches, Shawnee in Pottawatomie County 6 inches, Purcell in McClain County 6 inches, and Lawton in Comanche County 6 inches.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 30 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 30

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS OUN wrote it up.

An early season winter storm brought 4 to 8 inches of snow from Lincoln and northern Seminole Counties, southwestward into southwest Oklahoma. Chandler in Lincoln County reported 7.5 inches, Oklahoma City 4 inches, Shawnee in Pottawatomie County 6 inches, Purcell in McClain County 6 inches, and Lawton in Comanche County 6 inches. Lesser snow fell across Payne, Logan, and Kingfisher Counties, but still resulted in numerous accidents on area roads, due to slippery conditions, and there were numerous school closings. Across southeast Oklahoma, including the cities of Holdenville, Ada, Ardmore, Coalgate, Atoka, Durant, and Waurika, a mixture of freezing rain, sleet, and snow fell, with accumulations generally less than one inch.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Norman, OK wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Nov 27, 8:01 PM CST, 1 hour 59 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 27, 8:01 PM CST, 1 hour 59 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
801 PM CST TUE NOV 27 2001

ROUND ONE OF AUTO-HOCKEY 2001/2002 CURRENTLY UNDERWAY ACROSS A LARGE
PART OF THE FORECAST AREA WITH WIDESPREAD WINTERY PRECIP UNDERWAY.
HOWEVER..FORECASTING THIS EVENT CONTINUES TO BE QUITE A CHALLENGE.
PRECIP TYPE SEEMS TO BE THE MOST DIFFICULT ASPECT OF WINTER STORMS
IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY..AND THIS EVENT IS CERTAINLY NO
EXCEPTION.  00Z OUN SOUNDING IS A CLASSIC SLEET SOUNDING WITH
SHALLOW ABOVE FREEZING LAYER AROUND 900 MB AND TEMPS AS COLD AS -6C
BELOW THIS WARM LAYER.  WHAT MAY BE OF MORE SIGNIFICANCE HOWEVER IS
DESPITE SUB FREEZING TEMPS ABOVE 880 MB..TEMPS IN THE 700-600 MB
LAYER ARE ONLY -5 TO -10C..WHICH IS NOT QUITE COLD ENUF FOR OPTIMAL
ICE CYSTAL GROWTH.  ALL AVAILABLE SHORT RANGE MODEL GUIDANCE..
INCLUDING THE PROBABILISTIC PRECIP TYPE FORECASTS FROM THE SPC..
SUGGEST THAT THE SLEET/SNOW LINE WILL COLLAPSE SLOWLY SOUTHEASTWARD
WITH TIME FROM NOW THRU 08Z.  THIS SCENARIO SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING
WITH A CHANGE OVER TO ALL SNOW AGAIN ABOUT 630 PM HERE AT OUN.
HOWEVER..OBS CONTINUE TO INDICATE MOSTLY SLEET OR A RAIN/SLEET
MIXTURE UNDERNEATH BAND OF ENHANCED RADAR REFLECTIVITIES FROM
BETWEEN DFW AND SPS..TO ARDMORE AND EUFALA..WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY
AFOREMENTIONED 00Z OUN SOUNDING.

LATEST SHORT RANGE GUIDANCE COMBINED WITH CURRENT OBS FROM
SAT/VWPS/PROFILERS SUPPORTS THE HEAVIEST PRECIP PERSISTING FOR MUCH
OF THE NITE OVR THE SOUTHEAST THIRD OF THE FORECAST AREA..MAINLY
SOUTHEAST OF I-44.  THE 00Z RUC HAS SHIFTED THE AXIS OF HEAVIEST QPF
FARTHER SWD THAN PREVIOUS RUNS..AND THIS IS SUPPORTED BY CURRENT
RADAR TRENDS. STRONG WAA IN 850-600 MB LAYER IN ENTRANCE REGION OF
UPPER JET OVR UPPER MS VALLEY WILL SUPPORT MOD/HEAVY PRECIP IN THIS
AREA.  IN ADDITION..BANDED PRECIP EVIDENT ON AREA RADARS SEEMS TO BE
SYMPTOMATIC OF VERY STRONG FRONTOGENETICAL FORCING FOR UVV IN THIS
AREA AS WELL..WHICH CUD ENHANCE PRECIP RATES EVEN MORE.  THE MAIN
PROBLEM IS THAT UNLESS A CHANGE OVER TO SNOW OCCURS WITHIN THE NEXT
2 HOURS IN THIS AREA..WE WILL NEED TO REDUCE EXPECTED ACCUMULATIONS
SIGNIFICANTLY AS SLEET WILL REDUCE ACCUMS TO PROB 3 INCHES OR SO AT
THE MOST. MAIN PRECIP EVENT LOOKS TO BE WINDING DOWN BY AFTERNOON
WED..EXCEPT POSSIBLY OVR FAR SERN ZONES.

ELSEWHERE..INFLUX OF VERY DRY LOW LEVEL AIR CONTS OVR NW/NCENT
OK..AND DESPITE WIDESPREAD RADAR ECHOES ALOFT..ALL PRECIP IS
EVAPORATING ABOVE ABOUT 3 KFT AGL.  DONT SEE THIS TREND CHANGING
MUCH..AND ALTHOUGH PERIODIC LIGHT SNOW OR FLURRIES WILL BE POSSIBLE
OVERNITE..WE ARE CONTEMPLATING DROPPING THE ADVISORY FOR AREAS NORTH
AND WEST OF A LEEDEY/WATONGA/PERRY LINE.  NO CHANGES TO UGC CODING
BELOW ATTM..BUT WE WILL ATTEMPT TO GET ANY CHANGES TO THE FORECAST
OUT THE DOOR BY AROUND 9 PM LOCAL. THANKS FOR COORD WITH TUL/SPC.
 MILLER

.OUN
OK...HVY SNOW WARNING TONIGHT OKZ018>020-024>029-037-038-044.
     WINTER STORM WARNING TNT/WED OKZ030>032-039>043-045>048-050>052.
     SNOW ADVISORY TONIGHT OKZ006>008-011>017-021>023-033>036
TX...HVY SNOW WARNING TONIGHT TXZ084>090.
     SNOW ADVISORY TONIGHT TXZ083.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

24 winter storm, 6 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Tillman

When: November 27, 10:00 PM CST to November 28, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Tillman forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 34.373, -98.924 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Jackson

When: November 27, 10:00 PM CST to November 28, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Jackson forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 34.588, -99.415 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Caddo

When: November 27, 10:00 PM CST to November 28, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Caddo forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 35.174, -98.375 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Comanche

When: November 27, 10:00 PM CST to November 28, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Comanche forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 34.662, -98.472 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Cotton

When: November 27, 10:00 PM CST to November 28, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Cotton forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 34.290, -98.372 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Kiowa

When: November 27, 10:00 PM CST to November 28, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Kiowa forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 34.916, -98.981 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Kingfisher

When: November 28, 4:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where: Kingfisher forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 35.945, -97.942 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Canadian

When: November 28, 4:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where: Canadian forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 35.542, -97.982 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Cleveland

When: November 28, 4:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where: Cleveland forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 35.203, -97.326 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Garvin

When: November 28, 4:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where: Garvin forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 34.705, -97.309 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Grady

When: November 28, 4:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where: Grady forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 35.017, -97.884 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Lincoln

When: November 28, 4:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where: Lincoln forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 35.703, -96.881 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Logan

When: November 28, 4:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where: Logan forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 35.919, -97.443 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, McClain

When: November 28, 4:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where: McClain forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 35.009, -97.444 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Oklahoma

When: November 28, 4:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where: Oklahoma forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 35.552, -97.407 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Payne

When: November 28, 4:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where: Payne forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 36.077, -96.976 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Pottawatomie

When: November 28, 4:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where: Pottawatomie forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 35.207, -96.948 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Stephens

When: November 28, 4:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where: Stephens forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 34.486, -97.851 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Jefferson

When: November 28, 4:00 AM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Jefferson forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 34.111, -97.836 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Atoka

When: November 28, 4:00 AM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Atoka forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 34.374, -96.038 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Bryan

When: November 28, 4:00 AM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Bryan forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 33.962, -96.260 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Carter

When: November 28, 4:00 AM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Carter forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 34.251, -97.286 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Coal

When: November 28, 4:00 AM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Coal forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 34.588, -96.298 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Hughes

When: November 28, 4:00 AM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Hughes forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 35.048, -96.250 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Johnston

When: November 28, 4:00 AM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Johnston forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 34.317, -96.661 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Love

When: November 28, 4:00 AM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Love forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 33.950, -97.244 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Marshall

When: November 28, 4:00 AM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Marshall forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 34.025, -96.769 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Murray

When: November 28, 4:00 AM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Murray forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 34.482, -97.068 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Pontotoc

When: November 28, 4:00 AM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Pontotoc forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 34.728, -96.684 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Seminole

When: November 28, 4:00 AM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Seminole forecast zone
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 35.168, -96.615 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Oklahoma in 2001 Every state in 2001 This day in weather history Warnings in Oklahoma, November 2001

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5271037, 5271534, 5271535, 5271536, 5271537, 5271538, 5271038, 5271039, 5271040, 5271041, 5271042, 5271043, 5271044, 5271045, 5271046, 5271047, 5271048, 5271049, 5271050, 5271051, 5271052, 5271053, 5271054, 5271055, 5271056, 5271057, 5271058, 5271059, 5271060, 5271061.