Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Oklahoma, March 1 to 2, 2002

Name: Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Oklahoma, March 1 to 2, 2002
Start: 2002-03-01T20:00
End: 2002-03-02T06:00
Location: Oklahoma

March 1 to 2, 2002 · NWS OUN · 38 events in 38 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 38 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: 38

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.

A winter storm affected most of western and central Oklahoma during the evening of the 1st and the early morning of the 2nd. The precipitation started as a mixture of freezing rain and snow across northern Oklahoma, and eventually transitioned to all snow, where between two and four inches of snow were reported, along with a small amount of ice. The highest snowfall total was 4.5 inches in Enid (Garfileld County). Farther south, toward Interstate 40, and eventually to near the Red River, freezing rain accumulated to about one tenth of an inch in many places before transitioning to snow, with accumulations generally an inch or less, except for locally higher totals. The quick onset of the freezing rain, along with north winds of 30 to 40 mph and temperatures falling rapidly into the 20s, made for extremely hazardous traveling conditions, despite the lack of large ice or snow accumulations. Two weather/vehicle-related fatalities are known to have occurred, one on Interstate 35, near Goldsby in McClain County, and the other on Highway 283, about four miles north of Altus in Jackson County. Dozens of other weather-related accidents, some involving injuries, were also reported.

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 Mar 1, 2:25 PM CST, 5 hours 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 1, 2:25 PM CST, 5 hours 35 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
225 PM CST FRI MAR 1 2002

LATEST ISSUANCES OF ZONES/WSW/SPS SHOULD HIGHLIGHT WEATHER CONCERNS
THROUGH SATURDAY. MAIN EMPHASIS TONIGHT AND EARLY SATURDAY WILL BE
THE DEVELOPING WINTER STORM AFFECTING NORTHERN OKLAHOMA. MODELS SHOW
STRONG BULLSEYE OF OMEGA FORMING IN THIS AREA WHICH IS SPATIALLY
CONSISTENT WITH STRONG MID LEVEL FRONTOGENETICAL FORCING AND DUAL
AFFECTS OF RIGHT REAR/LEFT EXIT REGIONS OF UPPER LEVEL JETS. THIS
STRONG ASCENT ALONG WITH MID LEVEL MIXING RATIOS OF 3 TO 4 K/KG AND
NEARLY IDEAL THERMODYNAMIC PROFILE FOR SNOW CRYSTAL GROWTH...BELIEVE
THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR A LARGE SWATH OF 3 TO 6 INCHES DEVELOPING
TONIGHT ACROSS NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA THAT PROGRESSES EASTWARD TO NEAR
PONCA CITY AROUND MIDNIGHT. SNOWFALL RATES AT TIMES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES
PER HOUR IS REASONABLE GIVEN THE ABOVE SCENARIO. TOWARD INTERSTATE
40 WHERE OMEGA FIELDS ARE WEAKER BELIEVE 1 TO 3 INCHES IS MOST
LIKELY WITH STILL LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. HAVE DISCOUNTED
THE MODELS DEPICTION OF A SECONDARY BAND OF SNOW DEVELOPING BETWEEN
06-12Z FROM NEAR OKLAHOMA CITY SOUTHWESTWARD TOWARD LAWTON AS
CONVECTIVELY RELATED WHERE I BELIEVE THE MAJORITY OF CONVECTION WILL
BE MORE DIRECTLY ASSOCIATED THE DRYLINE/COLD FRONT PROXIMITY. WILL
NEED TO MONITOR HOWEVER AND WILL BRIEF THE EVENING SHIFT OF THIS
CONCERN.

TIGHT THERMAL GRADIENT AND ISSALOBARIC EFFECTS BEHIND THE FRONT AND
NEARLY DRY ADIABATIC LAPSE RATES BELOW THE FRONTAL INVERSION
SUGGESTS THAT HIGH WIND SPEEDS ARE VERY LIKELY TONIGHT. WILL GO WITH
25 TO 35 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS TONIGHT BEHIND THE FRONT WHICH
WARRANTS A WIND ADVISORY. BUT WITH WINTER WEATHER THE PRIORITY OVER
NORTHERN OKLAHOMA WILL NOT ISSUE ONE THERE. RATHER WILL APPEND ONE
TO THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY AND EXTEND IT
SOUTHWESTWARD THROUGH WICHITA FALLS. SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA MAY ALSO
EXPERIENCE SIMILAR WINDS AFTER MIDNIGHT BUT THE EVENING SHIFT WILL
HAVE A CHANCE TO RE-EVALUATE ONE FOR THAT AREA.

WILL CONTINUE WITH SNOW LIKELY SATURDAY AM EAST OF INTERSTATE 35 AND
NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40 WITH ANOTHER 1 TO 2 INCHES POSSIBLE BEFORE
ENDING. WIND SPEEDS THEN GRADUALLY DIMINISHING ACROSS NORTHWEST
OKLAHOMA SATURDAY PM.

THE AREA SHOULD EXPERIENCE A QUICK RETURN TO WARMER WEATHER WITH
TEMPERATURES BY TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY BACK IN THE 50S TO NEAR 60. NO
PRECIP WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE EXTENDED WITH THIS PACKAGE.

GAG 11/22/5/30/12 *3000
PNC 16/22/12/28/12 97000
HBR 16/25/10/32/14 74000
OKC 18/25/13/29/16 97000
SPS 20/26/12/34/18 43000
DUR 32/32/14/30/15 63000

.OUN...
OK...WINTER STORM WARNING TONIGHT OKZ004>013
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY TONIGHT OKZ014>020-024>026
...WIND ADVISORY TONIGHT OKZ021>023-027>031-033>040-044-045
TX...WIND ADVISORY TONIGHT TXZ083>090
JAMES

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

28 heavy snow, 10 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Dewey

When: March 1, 8:00 PM CST to March 2, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Dewey forecast zone
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 35.988, -99.008 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Blaine

When: March 1, 8:00 PM CST to March 2, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Blaine forecast zone
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 35.875, -98.433 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Caddo

When: March 1, 8:00 PM CST to March 2, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Caddo forecast zone
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 35.174, -98.375 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Canadian

When: March 1, 8:00 PM CST to March 2, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Canadian forecast zone
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 35.542, -97.982 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Cleveland

When: March 1, 8:00 PM CST to March 2, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Cleveland forecast zone
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 35.203, -97.326 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Comanche

When: March 1, 8:00 PM CST to March 2, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Comanche forecast zone
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 34.662, -98.472 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Cotton

When: March 1, 8:00 PM CST to March 2, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Cotton forecast zone
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 34.290, -98.372 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Custer

When: March 1, 8:00 PM CST to March 2, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Custer forecast zone
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 35.639, -99.001 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Grady

When: March 1, 8:00 PM CST to March 2, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Grady forecast zone
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 35.017, -97.884 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Kingfisher

When: March 1, 8:00 PM CST to March 2, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Kingfisher forecast zone
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 35.945, -97.942 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Kiowa

When: March 1, 8:00 PM CST to March 2, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Kiowa forecast zone
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 34.916, -98.981 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Lincoln

When: March 1, 8:00 PM CST to March 2, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Lincoln forecast zone
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 35.703, -96.881 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Logan

When: March 1, 8:00 PM CST to March 2, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Logan forecast zone
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 35.919, -97.443 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, McClain

When: March 1, 8:00 PM CST to March 2, 4:00 AM CST
Where: McClain forecast zone
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 35.009, -97.444 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Oklahoma

When: March 1, 8:00 PM CST to March 2, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Oklahoma forecast zone
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 35.552, -97.407 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Payne

When: March 1, 8:00 PM CST to March 2, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Payne forecast zone
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 36.077, -96.976 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Roger Mills

When: March 1, 8:00 PM CST to March 2, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Roger Mills forecast zone
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 35.688, -99.696 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Tillman

When: March 1, 8:00 PM CST to March 2, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Tillman forecast zone
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 34.373, -98.924 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Washita

When: March 1, 8:00 PM CST to March 2, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Washita forecast zone
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 35.290, -98.992 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Harper

When: March 1, 9:00 PM CST to March 2, 5:00 AM CST
Where: Harper forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 36.789, -99.667 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Alfalfa

When: March 1, 9:00 PM CST to March 2, 5:00 AM CST
Where: Alfalfa forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 36.731, -98.324 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Ellis

When: March 1, 9:00 PM CST to March 2, 5:00 AM CST
Where: Ellis forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 36.218, -99.755 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Garfield

When: March 1, 9:00 PM CST to March 2, 5:00 AM CST
Where: Garfield forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 36.379, -97.783 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Grant

When: March 1, 9:00 PM CST to March 2, 5:00 AM CST
Where: Grant forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 36.796, -97.786 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Kay

When: March 1, 9:00 PM CST to March 2, 5:00 AM CST
Where: Kay forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 36.818, -97.144 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Major

When: March 1, 9:00 PM CST to March 2, 5:00 AM CST
Where: Major forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 36.312, -98.536 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Noble

When: March 1, 9:00 PM CST to March 2, 5:00 AM CST
Where: Noble forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 36.389, -97.230 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Woods

When: March 1, 9:00 PM CST to March 2, 5:00 AM CST
Where: Woods forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 36.767, -98.865 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Woodward

When: March 1, 9:00 PM CST to March 2, 5:00 AM CST
Where: Woodward forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 36.423, -99.265 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Pottawatomie

When: March 1, 11:00 PM CST to March 2, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Pottawatomie forecast zone
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 35.207, -96.948 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Carter

When: March 1, 11:00 PM CST to March 2, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Carter forecast zone
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 34.251, -97.286 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Garvin

When: March 1, 11:00 PM CST to March 2, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Garvin forecast zone
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 34.705, -97.309 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Hughes

When: March 1, 11:00 PM CST to March 2, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Hughes forecast zone
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 35.048, -96.250 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Jefferson

When: March 1, 11:00 PM CST to March 2, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Jefferson forecast zone
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 34.111, -97.836 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Murray

When: March 1, 11:00 PM CST to March 2, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Murray forecast zone
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 34.482, -97.068 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Pontotoc

When: March 1, 11:00 PM CST to March 2, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Pontotoc forecast zone
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 34.728, -96.684 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Seminole

When: March 1, 11:00 PM CST to March 2, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Seminole forecast zone
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 35.168, -96.615 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Stephens

When: March 1, 11:00 PM CST to March 2, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Stephens forecast zone
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 34.486, -97.851 (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 2002 Every state in 2002 This day in weather history Warnings in Oklahoma, March 2002

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: 5280767, 5280768, 5280769, 5280770, 5280771, 5280772, 5280773, 5280774, 5280775, 5280776, 5280777, 5280778, 5280779, 5280780, 5280781, 5280782, 5280783, 5280784, 5280785, 5280668, 5280669, 5280670, 5280760, 5280761, 5280762, 5280763, 5280764, 5280765, 5280766, 5280786, 5280787, 5280788, 5280789, 5280790, 5280791, 5280792, 5280793, 5280794.