A significant winter storm affected all of the four state region which began in the pre-dawn hours thursday, February 11th. Arctic High pressure had built into the region during the early portion of the week ahead of a potent upper level disturbance which moved Across the southwestern states tapping a large plume of subtropical|moisture. As the upper disturbance moved closer to our region, the moisture was lifted up and over the cold artic air already in place. Light snow began to fall across areas west of Interstate 49 before sunrise Thursday and the intensities increased throughout the day mainly north of a Jacksonville, Texas, to Natchitoches, Louisiana|line. As the upper disturbance moved closer, snowfall rates increased to as much as 1 to 2 inches per hour in some locations during the evening hours on Thursday, lasting into the early morning hours Friday. The rain which had been falling across|portions of deep east Texas Thursday eventually changed over to all snow during the early morning hours Friday. When the storm ended early Friday, much of the area had received 4 to as much as 9 inches of heavy wet snow. Numerous schools and businesses were closed and many roads were closed due to snow and slush covering|them. Also, due to the weight of the snow, numerous trees were downed on powerlines causing power outages to nearly 100 thousand people across the region.|This storm ranks 7th all time in total snowfall, which was 5.4 Inches, for Shreveport since records began in 1871, and the most snow the metropolitan area has seen since December 16th, 1983, when 5.4 inches of snow was recorded.