Winter Finds Its Voice
Winter made a striking return to Oklahoma in January, surprising a state that had just experienced its fourth-warmest December on record. This frosty resurgence brought with it a myriad of wintry phenomena, including freezing fog, freezing rain, snowstorms, a blizzard warning, an ice storm warning, and the lengthiest stretch of sub-freezing temperatures since the infamous Arctic air outbreak of February 2021. Following a seasonably mild first week, Arctic air surged southward in multiple waves. The initial wave blanketed northern Oklahoma with snow on January 8-9, accompanied by a blizzard warning in the Panhandle. Snow accumulations were generally modest, though the western Panhandle saw over 6 inches, coupled with wind gusts exceeding 60 mph. This led to near-zero visibility and whiteout conditions, resulting in road closures. Subsequent blasts of frigid Arctic air infiltrated the state starting late on the 11th, persisting until the morning of the 17th, holding much of Oklahoma in a deep freeze for over 100 hours. Some northern regions endured over 100 hours below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, a clear indicator of the polar origin of the air mass. Mercury readings plummeted to as low as minus 15 degrees, marking the coldest recorded temperature in the state since February 26, 2021, when Nowata recorded minus 22 degrees. Additionally, light snowfall graced northern and eastern Oklahoma on the 15th.
02/07/2024 04:00 AM
