
A cold front will cross the Great Lakes and Northeast U.S. through today with gusty winds and areas of rain showers. A strong atmospheric river is then expected to move into the Northwest by midweek bringing a threat for moderate to heavy rainfall and flooding, gusty winds, and mountain snows for parts of Washington, Oregon, northern California, and the Sierra Nevada. Read More >
On Thursday, December 19, 2013, a strong cold front swept south across the Central and Southern Plains region. This brought temperatures into the teens and twenties over much of Oklahoma by daybreak Friday, December 20, 2013. With this area of cold air in place, the only missing ingredient for an ice storm was abundant moisture in the mid and upper troposphere.

While temperatures at the ground remained at or below freezing, a potent upper low was taking shape over the southwestern U.S. As this upper level storm system nudged slowly eastward into eastern New Mexico and West Texas, it brought abundant moisture up and over the shallow sub-freezing surface airmass already in place. By mid to late afternoon, light shower activity was already developing over portions of southwestern and south central Oklahoma and north Texas. Some areas began to see a light glaze of ice before sunset Friday.
With a continuous fetch of rich moisture in the mid levels, light to moderate rainfall persisted overnight on the 20th and finally ended by late morning on Saturday - Dec 21st. By that time, a large part of southwestern and central Oklahoma had seen a quarter inch or more of ice accumulation. Localized portions of central Oklahoma, including Fort Cobb in Caddo County saw between three quarters and one inch of ice. Due to the weight of the ice, sporadic power outages occurred, and numerous trees and/or tree limbs were toppled.
Finally, As the upper level storm departed, a deformation zone and heavy snow bands developed over far northwest Oklahoma Saturday afternoon through early Sunday morning. While most areas only saw one to three inches of snow, portions of rural northwestern Harper county saw up to six inches of snow. Even after the low departed, prolonged freezing temperatures and cloud cover kept much of the ice and snow in place.

Storm Total Ice Accumulation Map for December 20-22, 2013

Storm Total Snowfall Map for December 20-22, 2013
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
344 AM CST SUN DEC 22 2013
..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..
1000 PM     ICE STORM        MIDWEST CITY            35.46N 97.37W
12/20/2013                   OKLAHOMA           OK   PUBLIC
            ICE ACCUMULATION OF 1/4 TO 1/3 INCH. FREEZING RAIN STILL
            FALLING.
1200 AM     ICE STORM        OKLAHOMA CITY           35.47N 97.51W
12/21/2013                   OKLAHOMA           OK   PUBLIC
            SPORADIC REPORTS OF UP TO 1/2 INCH ICE ACCUMULATION ALONG
            WITH DOWNED TREE LIMBS AND POWER OUTAGES. FREEZING RAIN
            STILL FALLING AT TIME OF REPORT.
0212 AM     ICE STORM        STILLWATER              36.12N 97.06W
12/21/2013                   PAYNE              OK   PUBLIC
            ICE ACCUMULATION OF 1/4 TO 1/2 INCH IN STILLWATER.
            FREEZING RAIN STILL FALLING.
0215 AM     ICE STORM        DUNCAN                  34.52N 97.97W
12/21/2013                   STEPHENS           OK   PUBLIC
            ICE ACCUMULATION OF 1/4 TO 1/2 INCH WITH REPORTS OF
            DOWNED TREE LIMBS AND POWER OUTAGES.
0230 AM     ICE STORM        NORMAN                  35.22N 97.44W
12/21/2013                   CLEVELAND          OK   NWS EMPLOYEE
            ICE ACCUMULATION OF 1/3 TO 1/2 INCH. FREEZING RAIN STILL
            FALLING.
0530 AM     ICE STORM        FORT SILL               34.66N 98.41W
12/21/2013                   COMANCHE           OK   OTHER FEDERAL
            ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF 1/3 TO 1/2 INCH ON TREES AND
            ELEVATED SURFACES.
0730 AM     ICE STORM        MOORE                   35.34N 97.49W
12/21/2013                   CLEVELAND          OK   PUBLIC
            ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF 1/3 TO 1/2 INCH ON TREES AND
            ELEVATED SURFACES.
0730 AM     ICE STORM        ELGIN                   34.78N 98.29W
12/21/2013                   COMANCHE           OK   PUBLIC
            ICE ACCUMULATION OF 1/4 TO 1/3 INCH REPORTED ON ELEVATED
            SURFACES.
0800 AM     ICE STORM        CHOCTAW                 35.48N 97.27W
12/21/2013                   OKLAHOMA           OK   PUBLIC
            ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF 1/3 TO 1/2 INCH ON TREES AND
            ELEVATED SURFACES.
0800 AM     ICE STORM        3 E SEMINOLE            35.23N 96.62W
12/21/2013                   SEMINOLE           OK   PUBLIC
            ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF 1/4 TO 1/3 INCH ON TREES AND
            ELEVATED SURFACES.
0800 AM     FREEZING RAIN    BLAIR                   34.78N 99.33W
12/21/2013  E0.20 INCH       JACKSON            OK   PUBLIC
            ICE ACCUMULATIONS BETWEEN 1/8 AND 1/4 INCH ON TREES AND
            ELEVATED SURFACES.
0800 AM     ICE STORM        NEWALLA                 35.40N 97.17W
12/21/2013                   OKLAHOMA           OK   PUBLIC
            ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF 1/3 TO 1/2 INCH ON TREES AND
            ELEVATED SURFACES.
0800 AM     ICE STORM        BETHEL ACRES            35.31N 97.04W
12/21/2013                   POTTAWATOMIE       OK   PUBLIC
            ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF 1/3 TO 1/2 INCH ON TREES AND
            ELEVATED SURFACES.
0800 AM     ICE STORM        FLETCHER                34.82N 98.24W
12/21/2013                   COMANCHE           OK   PUBLIC
            ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF 1/2 TO 2/3 INCH ON TREES AND
            ELEVATED SURFACES.
0800 AM     ICE STORM        RUSH SPRINGS            34.78N 97.96W
12/21/2013                   GRADY              OK   PUBLIC
            ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF 1/4 TO 1/2 INCH ON TREES AND
            ELEVATED SURFACES.
0800 AM     FREEZING RAIN    BURKBURNETT             34.08N 98.56W
12/21/2013  E0.20 INCH       WICHITA            TX   PUBLIC
            ICE ACCUMULATIONS BETWEEN 1/8 AND 1/4 INCH ON TREES AND
            ELEVATED SURFACES.
0831 AM     ICE STORM        QUANAH                  34.30N 99.74W
12/21/2013                   HARDEMAN           TX   BROADCAST MEDIA
            KOLJ RADIO REPORTS 0.45 INCHES OF ICE ON TREES AND POWER
            LINES.
0844 AM     ICE STORM        NW NORMAN               35.22N 97.44W
12/21/2013                   CLEVELAND          OK   NWS EMPLOYEE
            ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF 9/16 OF AN INCH ON TREE LIMBS
0900 AM     ICE STORM        EL RENO                 35.53N 97.95W
12/21/2013                   CANADIAN           OK   LAW ENFORCEMENT
            OFF DUTY POLICE OFFICER REPORTS 1/2 TO 2/3 INCH ICE
            ACCUMULATION ON ELEVATED SURFACES.
0900 AM     ICE STORM        5 ESE TINKER AIR FORCE  35.39N 97.31W
12/21/2013                   OKLAHOMA           OK   PUBLIC
            PUBLIC REPORTS 0.25 INCHES OF ICE ACCUMULATION ON TREES
            AND ELEVATED SURFACES.
0929 AM     ICE STORM        1 E NORMAN              35.22N 97.42W
12/21/2013                   CLEVELAND          OK   PUBLIC
            3/8 INCH OF ICE ON TREE LIMBS.
1000 AM     ICE STORM        BRIDGE CREEK            35.23N 97.72W
12/21/2013                   GRADY              OK   PUBLIC
            ICE ACCUMULATION OF 1/4 TO 1/3 INCH ON TREES AND ELEVATED
            SURFACES.
1000 AM     ICE STORM        3 WNW NORMAN            35.24N 97.49W
12/21/2013                   CLEVELAND          OK   PUBLIC
            ESTIMATED 0.50IN OF ICE AT 36TH AND ROBINSON.
1100 AM     ICE STORM        HOBART                  35.03N 99.09W
12/21/2013                   KIOWA              OK   PUBLIC
            ICE ACCUMULATION OF 1/3 TO 1/2 INCH ON TREES AND ELEVATED
            SURFACES. TREE DAMAGE AND POWER OUTAGES ALSO REPORTED.
1130 AM     ICE STORM        8 N PRAGUE              35.60N 96.69W
12/21/2013                   LINCOLN            OK   PUBLIC
            3/8 INCH OF ICE ON ELEVATED SURFACES.
1200 PM     FREEZING RAIN    ANADARKO                35.07N 98.24W
12/21/2013  M0.96 INCH       CADDO              OK   CO-OP OBSERVER
            0.60 INCHES OF ICE ON WIRES AND TREE LIMBS.
1230 PM     ICE STORM        WEATHERFORD             35.53N 98.71W
12/21/2013                   CUSTER             OK   PUBLIC
            ICE ACCUMULATION OF 1/3 TO 1/2 INCH ON TREES AND ELEVATED
            SURFACES.
1247 PM     ICE STORM        1 E MOORE               35.34N 97.47W
12/21/2013                   CLEVELAND          OK   NWS EMPLOYEE
            NWS EMPLOYEE MEASURED 0.25 INCHES OF ICE.
0109 PM     ICE STORM        FORT COBB               35.10N 98.44W
12/21/2013                   CADDO              OK   EMERGENCY MNGR
            EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MEASURED 0.75 INCHES OF ICE ON
            ELEVATED SURFACES.
0230 PM     ICE STORM        STROUD                  35.75N 96.66W
12/21/2013                   LINCOLN            OK   PUBLIC
            ICE ACCUMULATIONS BETWEEN 1/3 AND 1/2 INCH ON TREES AND
            ELEVATED SURFACES.
0300 PM     ICE STORM        NEWCASTLE               35.25N 97.60W
12/21/2013                   MCCLAIN            OK   NWS EMPLOYEE
            OFF DUTY NWS EMPLOYEE REPORTED 1/2 INCH OF ICE ON TREES
            AND ELEVATED SURFACES.
0730 PM     FREEZING RAIN    VANCE AIR FORCE BASE    36.34N 97.90W
12/21/2013  M0.40 INCH       GARFIELD           OK   CO-OP OBSERVER
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
206 PM CST SUN DEC 22 2013
..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..
0700 AM     SNOW             LEEDEY                  35.87N 99.35W
12/22/2013  M2.0 INCH        DEWEY              OK   CO-OP OBSERVER
0700 AM     SNOW             JEFFERSON               36.72N 97.79W
12/22/2013  M1.2 INCH        GRANT              OK   CO-OP OBSERVER
0700 AM     SNOW             LAVERNE                 36.71N 99.90W
12/22/2013  M5.0 INCH        HARPER             OK   CO-OP OBSERVER
0700 AM     SNOW             MOORELAND               36.44N 99.21W
12/22/2013  M3.0 INCH        WOODWARD           OK   PUBLIC
0700 AM     SNOW             ALVA                    36.80N 98.67W
12/22/2013  M1.0 INCH        WOODS              OK   CO-OP OBSERVER
0700 AM     SNOW             ARNETT                  36.14N 99.77W
12/22/2013  M2.0 INCH        ELLIS              OK   CO-OP OBSERVER
0700 AM     SNOW             N ROSSTON               36.81N 99.93W
12/22/2013  M6.0 INCH        HARPER             OK   COCORAHS
0700 AM     SNOW             MUTUAL                  36.23N 99.17W
12/22/2013  M5.0 INCH        WOODWARD           OK   CO-OP OBSERVER
0830 AM     SNOW             1 SSW SHATTUCK          36.26N 99.89W
12/22/2013  M2.7 INCH        ELLIS              OK   COCORAHS
0830 AM     SNOW             FREEDOM                 36.77N 99.11W
12/22/2013  M1.0 INCH        WOODS              OK   CO-OP OBSERVER
0830 AM     SNOW             LAVERNE                 36.71N 99.90W
12/22/2013  M5.0 INCH        HARPER             OK   CO-OP OBSERVER
0830 AM     SNOW             CHEROKEE                36.75N 98.35W
12/22/2013  E1.0 INCH        ALFALFA            OK   LAW ENFORCEMENT
0830 AM     SNOW             FAIRVIEW                36.27N 98.48W
12/22/2013  E1.5 INCH        MAJOR              OK   LAW ENFORCEMENT
0830 AM     SNOW             1 SSW ORIENTA           36.35N 98.48W
12/22/2013  M3.0 INCH        MAJOR              OK   CO-OP OBSERVER
 
			Alex, OK - Photo Courtesy of Jennifer Bumpas  | 
		
 
			Bethel Acres, OK - Photo Courtesy of Carin Marcussen  | 
		
 
			Blair, OK - Photo Courtesy of Rick Curiel  | 
		
 
			Bridge Creek, OK - Photo Courtesy of Brittany Nicole  | 
		
 
			Chickasha, OK - Photo Courtesy of Doug Matlock  | 
		
 
			Dibble, OK - Photo Courtesy of Chance Plett  | 
		
 
			Duncan, OK - Photo Courtesy of Amy Solomon  | 
		
 
			Edmond, OK - Photo Courtesy of Dan DeGeus  | 
		
 
			Elgin, OK - Photo Courtesy of Christy Burgess  | 
		
 
			Fletcher, OK - Photo Courtesy of Donna Overacker  | 
		
 
			Ft. Sill, OK - Photo Courtesy of Jason Holden  | 
		
 
			Ft. Sill, OK - Photo Courtesy of Jason Holden  | 
		
 
			Midwest City, OK - Photo Courtesy of Chellie Mills  | 
		
 
			Moore, OK - Photo Courtesy of Chad Jarvis  | 
		
 
			Moore, OK - Photo Courtesy of Steve Center  | 
		
 
			Newalla, OK - Photo Courtesy of Susan Garrett  | 
		
 
			Newcastle, OK - Photo Courtesy of Kellie Raye  | 
		
 
			Norman, OK - Photo Courtesy of Brian Bauknecht  | 
		
 
			Norman, OK - Photo Courtesy of Haley StJohn  | 
		
 
			Norman, OK - Photo Courtesy of Mary Beth Atkinson  | 
		
 
			Norman, OK - Photo Courtesy of Kuster  | 
		
 
			Oklahoma City, OK - Photo Courtesy of Danielle Barber  | 
		
 
			Oklahoma City, OK - Photo Courtesy of Eli Farrar  | 
		
 
			Rush Springs, OK - Photo Courtesy of Daniel Ball  | 
		
 
			Seminole, OK - Photo Courtesy of Tena Stout  | 
		
 
			Stillwater, OK - Photo Courtesy of Michaela Bradt  | 
		
 
			Stroud, OK - Photo Courtesy of Delbert Humphries  | 
		
 
			Weatherford, OK - Photo Courtesy of Matt Holder  | 
		
 
			Yukon, OK - Photo Courtesy of Jeannie McDowell  |