Oklahoma, 2011

Winter Weather in Oklahoma, February 4, 2011

February 4, 2011 · NWS OUN · 16 events in 16 counties and zones

A slow-moving upper level low pressure moved from central Texas through the eastern half of Oklahoma. Broad-scale ascent over a very cold temperatures at the surface allowed for very dry snow to fall over southern and eastern Oklahoma.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 16 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
16

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 slow-moving upper level low pressure moved from central Texas through the eastern half of Oklahoma. Broad-scale ascent over a very cold temperatures at the surface allowed for very dry snow to fall over southern and eastern Oklahoma. An area of two to four inches extended over a large area, with lighter amounts further north into central Oklahoma. The snow ended from west to east, pushing out of the region by late afternoon.

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 Feb 3, 10:02 PM CST, 3 hours 58 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 3, 10:02 PM CST, 3 hours 58 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
1002 PM CST THU FEB 3 2011

.UPDATE...
HAVE UPDATED ZONES THIS EVENING TO INCREASE CLOUD COVER AND
MINIMUM TEMPERATURE FOR MUCH OF THE SOUTHEAST TWO-THIRDS OF THE
AREA... AND INCREASED POPS SOME IN THE SOUTHEAST. PRECIP IS
DEVELOPING IN CENTRAL TEXAS AS UPPER WAVE BEGINS TO LIFT OUT. THIS
PRECIPITATION WILL SPREAD NORTHEAST TOWARD SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA.
INITIALLY THE PRECIPITATION WILL HAVE TO OVERCOME SOME DRY LOW-
LEVEL AIR... ALTHOUGH NAM TIME-HEIGHT CROSS SECTIONS SHOW THE LOW
LEVELS SATURATING NEAR DURANT BY AROUND 10Z-12Z. HAVE THE POPS
BOTH FOR LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY TOMORROW MORNING. EXPLICIT
SNOWFALL FROM THE NAM HAS INCREASED IN THE 00Z RUN ALTHOUGH OTHER
MODELS ARE NOT AS BULLISH WITH THE PRECIP AMOUNTS. HAVE UPPED
SNOWFALL POTENTIAL TO NEAR 1 INCH AROUND DURANT WITH LIGHTER
AMOUNTS FARTHER NORTHWEST. WILL WATCH TRENDS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF
THE PRECIPITATION IN CASE AN ADVISORY MAY BE NEEDED BUT DO NOT
EXPECT ONE AT THIS TIME.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 238 PM CST THU FEB 3 2011/

DISCUSSION...
UPPER LOW OVER SOUTHERN NM/NORTHERN OLD MEXICO WILL MOVE EAST
ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS TONIGHT AND FRIDAY. THIS SYSTEM HAS
BROUGHT MID-LEVEL CLOUDS TO PARTS OF THE FA WHICH ARE EXPECTED TO
PERSIST OVERNIGHT INTO FRIDAY. WITH THE CLOUD COVER TEMPERATURES
TONIGHT WILL REMAIN SLIGHTLY WARMER THAN LAST NIGHT IN MANY
LOCATIONS. HOWEVER... WILL STILL BE COLD WITH LOWS RANGING FROM
AROUND ZERO IN THE NORTH TO THE LOW TEENS ALONG THE RED RIVER. THE
UPPER LOW WILL ALSO BRING A CHANCE OF LIGHT SNOW OR SNOW FLURRIES
TO APPROXIMATELY THE SOUTHEAST HALF OF THE FA BY FRIDAY. SOME
ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE. HOWEVER... THESE ARE NOT EXPECTED
TO BE LARGE WITH THE GREATEST AMOUNTS... MAYBE UP TO AN INCH...
EXPECTED IN SE PORTIONS OF THE FA. TEMPERATURES WILL CONT TO
GRADUALLY WARM FRIDAY AND SATURDAY WITH MOST PLACES EXPECTED TO
CLIMB ABOVE FREEZING SATURDAY.

NW FLOW ALOFT WILL AFFECT THE SOUTHERN PLAINS THIS WEEKEND INTO
EARLY NEXT WEEK. MODELS SHOW SEVERAL DISTURBANCES THAT WILL MOVE
THROUGH THIS FLOW... BRINGING SEVERAL CHANCES FOR LIGHT SNOW/SNOW
FLURRIES SAT NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF AN
INCH OR TWO WILL BE POSSIBLE IN SOME LOCATIONS BY MONDAY BUT NO
SIGNIFICANT PRECIP IS EXPECTED. A COLD FRONT WILL ALSO MOVE ACROSS
THE REGION SUNDAY BRINGING ANOTHER ROUND OF COLD AIR THAT WILL
CONTINUE INTO THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK.

MORE SIGNIFICANT WINTER PRECIPITATION MAY BE POSSIBLE TUESDAY AND
WEDNESDAY. MODELS SHOW A SHORTWAVE MOVING SE TOWARDS THE SOUTHERN
PLAINS TUESDAY THEN MOVING ACROSS THE REGION WEDNESDAY. RIGHT NOW
THIS SYSTEM DOES NOT LOOK AS STRONG AS THE ONE FROM EARLIER THIS
WEEK. HOWEVER... THE SYSTEM COULD STILL PRODUCE SEVERAL INCHES OF
SNOW IN SOME LOCATIONS ALONG WITH GUSTY WINDS AND COLD WIND CHILLS.
BEING SIX TO SEVEN DAYS AWAY MANY THINGS CAN CHANGE BUT RIGHT NOW
TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY LOOKS LIKE THE NEXT CHANCE FOR IMPACTFUL SNOW
ACCUMULATIONS IN PARTS OF THE FA.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
OKLAHOMA CITY OK  10  25  16  39 /  10  20  10  10
HOBART OK          7  26  18  44 /  10  10  10  10
WICHITA FALLS TX  12  27  18  44 /  20  20  10  10
GAGE OK            5  36  19  51 /  10   0  10  10
PONCA CITY OK      4  29  13  38 /  10  10  10  10
DURANT OK         14  23  19  40 /  40  50  10  10

&&

.OUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OK...NONE.
TX...NONE.
&&
Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 3, 1:50 PM CST, 12 hours 10 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK ...UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
150 PM CST THU FEB 3 2011

OKZ004>048-050>052-TXZ083>090-041100-
HARPER-WOODS-ALFALFA-GRANT-KAY-ELLIS-WOODWARD-MAJOR-GARFIELD-NOBLE-
ROGER MILLS-DEWEY-CUSTER-BLAINE-KINGFISHER-LOGAN-PAYNE-BECKHAM-
WASHITA-CADDO-CANADIAN-OKLAHOMA-LINCOLN-GRADY-MCCLAIN-CLEVELAND-
POTTAWATOMIE-SEMINOLE-HUGHES-HARMON-GREER-KIOWA-JACKSON-TILLMAN-
COMANCHE-STEPHENS-GARVIN-MURRAY-PONTOTOC-COAL-COTTON-JEFFERSON-
CARTER-JOHNSTON-ATOKA-LOVE-MARSHALL-BRYAN-HARDEMAN-FOARD-WILBARGER-
WICHITA-KNOX-BAYLOR-ARCHER-CLAY-
150 PM CST THU FEB 3 2011

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK COVERS NORTHERN...WESTERN...
CENTRAL...AND SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA...AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK...
THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED.

DISCUSSION...
CLOUD COVER WILL INCREASE AHEAD OF A SLOW MOVING UPPER LEVEL TROUGH.
ISOLATED SNOW FLURRIES ARE POSSIBLE...BUT THE AIR WILL REMAIN COLD
AND STABLE.

PROBABILITY TABLE...
VALID THROUGH 700 AM CST FRI FEB 4.
PROBABILITY OF THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRING IN THE
              NWS NORMAN COUNTY WARNING AREA...ZERO PERCENT.

OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER...
WITH LIGHT WINDS...BUT COLD TEMPERATURES...WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES
WILL REMAIN QUITE COLD THROUGH TONIGHT. ANYONE SPENDING AN EXTENDED
TIME OUTDOORS SHOULD CONTINUE TO GUARD AGAINST FROSTBITE.

KEEP IN MIND THAT ANY SNOW THAT MELTS TODAY WILL REFREEZE ON ROADS
AND SIDEWALKS TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...

THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK...
THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED.

OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER...
AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL TRACK EASTWARD THROUGH THE REGION ON
FRIDAY. ALTHOUGH LOW LEVELS REMAIN COLD AND STABLE...THE LIFT
GENERATED AT UPPER LEVELS...WILL RESULT IN VERY LIGHT SNOW AFFECTING
THE AREA NEAR AND EAST OF OKLAHOMA CITY TO WICHITA FALLS. LIGHT SNOW
ACCUMULATION OF ONE HALF OR ONE INCH IS POSSIBLE.

AFTER A BRIEF PERIOD OF WARMER TEMPERATURES EARLY THIS WEEKEND...
NORTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT WILL BRING A SERIES OF DISTURBANCES...AND
INCREASINGLY COLDER WEATHER BEGINNING SUNDAY. ANY OF THESE
DISTURBANCES MAY PRODUCE LIGHT ACCUMULATION OF SNOW FROM SATURDAY
NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY. A MORE SIGNIFICANT FALL OF SNOW MAY OCCUR WITH
A TROUGH ARRIVING NEXT TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. ALTHOUGH NOT AS STRONG
AS THE PREVIOUS WINTER STORM...THE WEATHER SYSTEM FORECAST FOR NEXT
TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY HAS POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE MULTIPLE INCHES OF
SNOW ALONG WITH GUSTY WINDS AND VERY LOW WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES.

THE NEXT SCHEDULED HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK WILL BE ISSUED AT 5 AM
FRIDAY.

CJS/BURKE

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

16 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Bryan

When
February 4, 2:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where
Bryan forecast zone
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
33.962, -96.260 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Around two inches of snow accumulated in Durant.

Winter Weather, Johnston

When
February 4, 2:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where
Johnston forecast zone
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
34.317, -96.661 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

One to two inches of snow accumulated in Tishomingo.

Winter Weather, Marshall

When
February 4, 2:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where
Marshall forecast zone
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
34.025, -96.769 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Two to three inches of snow accumulated around Madill, Oakland, and Kingston.

Winter Weather, Atoka

When
February 4, 4:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where
Atoka forecast zone
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
34.374, -96.038 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Around four inches of snow accumulated in Atoka.

Winter Weather, Coal

When
February 4, 4:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where
Coal forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.588, -96.298 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Two to four inches of snow accumulated in and around Coalgate.

Winter Weather, Stephens

When
February 4, 5:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where
Stephens forecast zone
Reported by
Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates
34.486, -97.851 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Duncan Fire Department measure 1.2 inches of snow on the ground.

Winter Weather, Carter

When
February 4, 5:00 AM CST to 3:00 PM CST
Where
Carter forecast zone
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
34.251, -97.286 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Two to four inches of snow accumulated in and around Ardmore.

Winter Weather, Murray

When
February 4, 5:00 AM CST to 3:00 PM CST
Where
Murray forecast zone
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
34.482, -97.068 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Three to five inches of snow accumulated in Sulphur.

Winter Weather, Pontotoc

When
February 4, 7:00 AM CST to 3:00 PM CST
Where
Pontotoc forecast zone
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
34.728, -96.684 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Two to four inches of snow accumulated around Ada and Roff.

Winter Weather, Garvin

When
February 4, 8:00 AM CST to 3:00 PM CST
Where
Garvin forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.705, -97.309 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

One to two inches of snow accumulated around Pauls Valley and Elmore City.

Winter Weather, Pottawatomie

When
February 4, 8:00 AM CST to 3:00 PM CST
Where
Pottawatomie forecast zone
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
35.207, -96.948 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Two to three inches of snow accumulated in Shawnee.

Winter Weather, Oklahoma

When
February 4, 8:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where
Oklahoma forecast zone
Reported by
Official NWS Observations
Coordinates
35.552, -97.407 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The observer at Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma measured 1.2 inches of snow on the ground.

Winter Weather, McClain

When
February 4, 8:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where
McClain forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
35.009, -97.444 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Around four inches of snow was measured 7 miles west of Purcell.

Winter Weather, Seminole

When
February 4, 8:00 AM CST to 3:00 PM CST
Where
Seminole forecast zone
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
35.168, -96.615 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Three to five inches of snow accumulated in Wewoka.

Winter Weather, Cleveland

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

Around two inches of snow accumulated in and around Norman.

Winter Weather, Lincoln

When
February 4, 9:00 AM CST to 3:00 PM CST
Where
Lincoln forecast zone
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
35.703, -96.881 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Two to three inches of snow accumulated in Prague.

What these are

Winter Weather
Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Oklahoma in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Oklahoma, February 2011

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: 278246, 278247, 278248, 278249, 278250, 278251, 278252, 278261, 278255, 278253, 278259, 278260, 278262, 278263, 278264, 278257.