A potent winter weather system brought a swath of 6 to 7 inches of snow across Beaver County on the 21st. A southward digging upper level trough dove into northern Mexico during the late night hours of the 20th.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS AMA wrote it up.
A potent winter weather system brought a swath of 6 to 7 inches of snow across Beaver County on the 21st. A southward digging upper level trough dove into northern Mexico during the late night hours of the 20th. As the trough began to move northeastward out of Mexico and into Texas, the eastrn Oklahoma Panhandle was placed in the northwestern quadrant of the system. This quadrant is favorable for the development of snow bands which can produce swaths of higher totals. One such snow band developed and produced a swath of higher totals of 6 to 7 inches.
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 Amarillo, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 21, 11:36 AM CST, 24 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
1136 AM CST SAT DEC 21 2013
.UPDATE...
UPDATED THE FORECAST TO BEEF UP SNOWFALL AMOUNTS ACROSS THE WESTERN
AND CENTRAL OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE AND THE NORTHWEST TEXAS PANHANDLE.
ALSO LOWERED SOME SNOWFALL AMOUNTS IN THE FAR SOUTH CENTRAL AND
SOUTHEAST TEXAS PANHANDLE. BEST LIFT SEEMS TO BE SETTING UP FROM NEAR
ADRIAN TO HARTLEY TO GUYMON FOR THIS AFTERNOON AS THE UPPER LOW TO
OUR SOUTH LIFTS TO THE NORTHEAST. STILL THINK WE MAY GET 3 TO 5
INCHES IN THE NORTHEAST CWA AS THE COMMA HEAD MOVES EAST LATE THIS
AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING. THE FAR SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST
TEXAS PANHANDLE LOOKS TO MISS OUT ON THE HEAVIER SNOW AS THE DRY SLOT
WORKS INTO THIS AREA.
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1124 AM CST SAT DEC 21 2013/
AVIATION...
VERY DIFFICULT TAF CYCLE DUE TO WINTRY PRECIPITATION AND LOW
CLOUDS/VISIBILITIES AND AS A RESULT THIS WILL BE A VERY LOW CONFIDENCE
FORECAST. KAMA AND KDHT WILL BEGIN THE TAF WITH SNOW AND FREEZING FOG
IMPACTING THE TERMINALS. KGUY WILL START OUT WITHOUT FROZEN
PRECIPITATION BUT IS EXPECTED TO SEE FREEZING PRECIPITATION WITHIN THE
FIRST COUPLE HOURS OF THIS TAF. WHILE SNOW/FREEZING FOG IS AT THE
TERMINALS EXPECT IFR TO LIFR CONDITIONS AT THE TERMINAL. KAMA MAY BE
THE ONLY TERMINAL WHICH COULD HAVE A BRIEF WINDOW WITHOUT FROZEN
PRECIPITATION AROUND 18Z TO 20Z AS WINDS SHIFT TO THE SOUTH. THIS WILL
NOT LAST LONG AS WINDS WILL SHIFT BACK AROUND TO THE NORTH AND SNOW
WILL ONCE AGAIN IMPACT THE TERMINAL. CONFIDENCE ON TIMING THIS
POSSIBLE OCCURRENCE IS LOW AND THUS WILL BE HANDLED WITH AMENDMENTS.
FROZEN PRECIP IS EXPECTED TO END AT THE TERMINALS BETWEEN 22Z AND 00Z
THIS AFTERNOON. CEILINGS WILL INCREASE TO MVFR BEFORE GOING VFR FOR
THE REMAINDER OF THIS TAF ISSUANCE.
PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 433 AM CST SAT DEC 21 2013/
SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT)
WELL THE FIRST DAY OF WINTER WILL GREET US WITH SOME WINTRY WEATHER
TODAY! THE MOMENT OF TRUTH IS UPON US AS PRECIPITATION IS SLOWLY
BEGINNING TO OVERSPREAD THE PANHANDLES THIS EARLY MORNING.
TEMPERATURES HAVE SOLIDLY BEEN AT OR BELOW FREEZING ACROSS ALMOST THE
ENTIRE FORECAST AREA WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE FAR SOUTHWESTERN TEXAS
PANHANDLE. THAT FREEZING LINE WILL BE CONSTANTLY MONITORED THIS
MORNING FOR ANY MOVEMENT BACK TO THE EAST OR WEST. AT THIS TIME...IT
APPEARS OLDHAM AND DEAF SMITH COUNTIES MAY BE SPARED THE WORST OF THE
WINTRY PRECIPITATION AS IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME TO REACH BELOW
FREEZING (IF THEY DO AT ALL). THINK THE FAR EASTERN PORTIONS OF THESE
COUNTIES COULD SEE SNOW ACCUMULATIONS LATER TODAY SO KEPT THEM IN THE
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NOW.
ENHANCEMENT OF PRECIPITATION IS DEFINITELY EVIDENT ON INFRARED
SATELLITE THIS MORNING ACROSS EASTERN NEW MEXICO AS CLOUD TOPS
CONTINUE TO COOL. THIS AREA OF PRECIPITATION WILL BE THE MAIN FACTOR
AND HEAVIEST WINTRY MIX FOR THE PANHANDLE REGION. A WEAK SURFACE LOW
HAS DEVELOPED JUST EAST OF ALBUQUERQUE AND MAY INFLUENCE TEMPERATURES
SOME WHEN IT ACTUALLY BEGINS MOVING EAST...SO DO THINK THE FREEZING
LINE COULD MOVE EAST A LITTLE BUT WITH PREDOMINATELY EASTERLY
WINDS...DO NOT THINK IT WILL BE OUR SAVING GRACE FROM SOME OF THE
AREA DEALING WITH FREEZING RAIN THIS MORNING.
FOR THIS EARLY MORNING...LOOKS LIKE FREEZING RAIN HAS MADE IT INTO
THE AMARILLO METRO AREA. THE TEMPERATURE HAS DROPPED 2 DEGREES SINCE
WALKING IN THE DOOR AT MIDNIGHT WHICH DOES NOT SPELL WELL FOR MORE
OF A RAIN CHANGING TO SNOW SOLUTION UNTIL LATER ON. IT DOES APPEAR
PORTIONS OF THE AREA WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH SOME LIGHT FREEZING RAIN
AND SLEET FOR THE NEXT FEW HOURS BEFORE A CHANGEOVER TO ALL SNOW
OCCURS BY MID MORNING. IT WILL BE VERY INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT THE
12Z SOUNDING/WEATHER BALLOON RELEASE LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT THE MOISTURE
PROGRESSION IS IN THE SNOW GROWTH REGION.
SO WITH ALL OF THIS SAID...LOOKS LIKE WE CONTINUE TO BE IN A
WATCH...WAIT...AND SEE MODE FOR THE FORECAST THROUGH 10AM BEFORE A
CHANGEOVER TO ALL SNOW OCCURS. REGARDLESS...THINK ANY ICE
ACCUMULATIONS WILL REMAIN BELOW A TENTH OF AN INCH...BUT WHERE THERE
IS ICE...THERE WILL BE LESS SNOW ACCUMULATIONS.
FOR THE DAYTIME PERIOD TODAY...BULLSEYE OF PRECIPITATION SHOULD BE
ALL SNOW AND MOVE SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST ACROSS THE PANHANDLES. LOOKS
LIKE SNOW AMOUNTS WILL BE LIGHTEST ACROSS THE FAR NORTHWESTERN AND
WESTERN PANHANDLES (AROUND 1-2 INCHES) TO POTENTIALLY 3-5 INCHES
ELSEWHERE WITH A POTENTIAL LOCALIZED BULLSEYE OF 6+ INCHES POSSIBLE
SOMEWHERE IN THE CENTRAL TO NORTHEAST TEXAS PANHANDLE AND FAR EASTERN
OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE. NOT CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO FULLY COMMIT TO 6+ INCH
ACCUMULATIONS SO HAVE NOT UPGRADED TO A WINTER STORM WARNING
ANYWHERE...BUT THIS WILL NEED TO BE WATCHED THROUGHOUT THE DAY. FOR
THE AMARILLO METRO AREA...2-4 INCHES OF SNOW SEEMS REASONABLE.
WITH THIS BEING A BUSY TRAVEL HOLIDAY WEEKEND...WE CANNOT STRESS
ENOUGH TO SLOW DOWN AND CHECK THE WEATHER AND ROAD CONDITIONS BEFORE
HEADING OUT! IF YOU HAVE PLANS TO TRAVEL ON INTERSTATE 40 EAST INTO
OKLAHOMA...YOU MAY WANT TO RECONSIDER AS A SIGNIFICANT ICE STORM IS
IMPACTING THE OKC METRO AREA. PLEASE BE SAFE AND BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!
AS THE SURFACE LOW MOVES EAST...SO WILL THE SNOW AS IT ENDS SOUTHWEST
TO NORTHEAST THIS EVENING. ALL PRECIPITATION SHOULD BE OUT OF THE
AREA BY MIDNIGHT. LOW TEMPERATURES TONIGHT WILL BOTTOM OUT IN THE
TEENS TO LOWER 20S IN MOST LOCATIONS.
KNS
LONG TERM...(SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY)
WELL ONE THING CAN REALLY DESCRIBE THE FORECAST PERIOD AFTER
TONIGHT...HIGH AND DRY! HIGH TEMPERATURES ON SUNDAY WILL STRUGGLE TO
REACH ABOVE THE FREEZING MARK ACROSS THE AREA AS CLOUD COVER HANGS
AROUND THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. HOWEVER...TEMPERATURES WILL SLOWLY
MODERATE BY MONDAY TO SEASONAL NORMALS WITH HIGHS ON TUESDAY GETTING
WELL INTO THE 50S. COLD FRONT LOOKS TO BARREL THROUGH THE AREA
TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY...ALTHOUGH THERE IS SOME DISAGREEMENT
INTO THE EXACT TIMING. REGARDLESS...IT WILL BE COLDER ON CHRISTMAS
DAY WITH HIGHS IN THE 30S AND 40S AREAWIDE WITH DRY CONDITIONS.
TEMPERATURES REBOUND QUICKLY THURSDAY...FRIDAY...AND THROUGH NEXT
WEEKEND AS ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES LOOK TO BE THE NORM.
KNS
FIRE WEATHER...
NEITHER ELEVATED NOR CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED
FOR THE NEXT SEVEN DAYS.
KNS
&&
.AMA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR THE
FOLLOWING ZONES: HANSFORD...HEMPHILL...HUTCHINSON...
LIPSCOMB...OCHILTREE...ROBERTS.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR THE
FOLLOWING ZONES: ARMSTRONG...CARSON...COLLINGSWORTH...
DALLAM...DEAF SMITH...DONLEY...GRAY...HARTLEY...MOORE...
OLDHAM...POTTER...RANDALL...SHERMAN...WHEELER.
OK...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR THE
FOLLOWING ZONES: BEAVER...TEXAS.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR THE
FOLLOWING ZONES: CIMARRON.
&&
14/15HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX 1143 AM CST SAT DEC 21 2013 OKZ001>003-TXZ001>020-220545- CIMARRON-TEXAS-BEAVER-DALLAM-SHERMAN-HANSFORD-OCHILTREE-LIPSCOMB- HARTLEY-MOORE-HUTCHINSON-ROBERTS-HEMPHILL-OLDHAM-POTTER-CARSON- GRAY-WHEELER-DEAF SMITH-RANDALL-ARMSTRONG-DONLEY-COLLINGSWORTH- 1143 AM CST SAT DEC 21 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 5 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS ALL OF THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES WITH THE HIGHEST SNOWFALL AMOUNTS LIKELY ACROSS THE OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE AND THE NORTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLE WHERE SOME AMOUNTS MAY BE LOCALLY HIGHER. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE ENTIRE AREA THROUGH MID EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. GOEHRING
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
925 AM CST SAT DEC 21 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0925 AM SNOW VEGA 35.25N 102.43W
12/21/2013 E1.0 INCH OLDHAM TX LAW ENFORCEMENT
&&
EVENT NUMBER AMA1300908
LGPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
929 AM CST SAT DEC 21 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0927 AM SNOW ADRIAN 35.28N 102.66W
12/21/2013 E1.5 INCH OLDHAM TX FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
&&
EVENT NUMBER AMA1300909
LGPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
931 AM CST SAT DEC 21 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0845 AM FREEZING RAIN CHANNING 35.68N 102.33W
12/21/2013 U0.00 INCH HARTLEY TX PUBLIC
LIGHT ICE COATING ON THE GROUND IN THE CITY OF
CHANNING. LIGHT FREEZING RAIN HAS NOW TRANSITIONED TO
SNOW.
&&
EVENT NUMBER AMA1300911
CMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
1127 AM CST SAT DEC 21 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1118 AM SNOW HARTLEY 35.89N 102.40W
12/21/2013 E2.8 INCH HARTLEY TX PUBLIC
2.75 INCHES IN HARTLEY WITH SNOW ONGOING.
&&
EVENT NUMBER AMA1300912
CMThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Six to seven inches of storm total snow in Beaver.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oklahoma in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Oklahoma, December 2013
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: 491192.