Hurricane and Storm Surge Watches Issued for the Northern Gulf Coast for Strengthening Tropical Storm Isaias

Tropical Storm Isaias is forecast to track toward the central Gulf Coast while strengthening into a hurricane on Thursday. There is an increasing risk of damaging hurricane-force winds and life-threatening storm surge impacts along portions of the northern Gulf Coast Friday into Saturday. Isaias will bring heavy rainfall to the central Gulf Coast and much of the Southeast Friday into the weekend. Read More >

Overview

A potent upper level low pressure wrapped cold arctic air and moisture around the north and west side of the low. This helped to produce light to moderate snow across portions of the area. Heavy snow was reported in McCurtain County in Southeast Oklahoma, where up to six inches was reported.

*Snow Accumulations from March 21, 2010*
OKLAHOMA
LOCATION	AMOUNT
Broken Bow	3 inches
Idabel	1.5 inches
ARKANSAS
LOCATION	AMOUNT
Ashdown	0.8 inch
De Queen	0.2 inch
Hope	0.2 inch
Nashville	0.2 inch
LOUISIANA
Shreveport	0.1 inch

*Snow Accumulations from March 21, 2010*
TEXAS
LOCATION	AMOUNT
Clarksvile	4 inches
Daingerfield	0.2 inch
6 miles S of Gilmer	1 inch
Lindale	2 inches
2 miles SW of Lindale	1.5 inches
Longview	0.2 inch
1 mile W of Longview	0.5 inch
Marshall	1 inch
Mount Pleasant	1.5 inches
7 miles SSE of Mount Vernon	1 inch
New Boston	0.5 inch
Quitman	2 inches
Tyler	0.2 inch
5 miles N of Tyler	0.5 inch
8 miles S of Tyler	0.5 inch
Yantis	1.5 inches

The snow wasn't the only story. The cold temperatures set daily low maximum records at many locations. Here is a list:

LOCATION	OLD RECORD	NEW RECORD	RECORD SINCE
Shreveport, LA	42 in 1970	40 in 2010	Records since 1874
Monroe, LA	43 in 1970	42 in 2010	Records since 1930
Texarkana, AR	44 in 1956	38 in 2010	Records since 1896
El Dorado, AR	40 in 1970	40 in 2010	Records since 1907
Longview, TX	42 in 1915	40 in 2010	Records since 1902
Lufkin, TX	46 in 1968	44 in 2010	Records since 1906

Radar image of snow bands at 11am CDT on March 21, 2010

Radar image from 11am CDT on March 21. Snow bands had developed on the west side of the upper level low and funneled south. Temperatures were generally in the low to mid 30s areawide..

12z sounding from KSHV on March 22, 2010

Upper-air profile taken Sunday morning at the NWS office in Shreveport. Very cold temperatures existed aloft. In fact, the 850 mb (5000 ft) temperature was -9 degrees C.

Water vapor imagery showing the upper trough over Northwest Louisiana

Water vapor satellite imagery showing the "bowling ball" low over Northwest Louisiana early Sunday morning.

Picture from the Winnsboro, TX, area where up to 2 inches of snow was reported. Photo is courtesy of KLTV.

Picture from the Lindale, TX, area. Photo is courtesy of KLTV.

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Hurricane and Storm Surge Watches Issued for the Northern Gulf Coast for Strengthening Tropical Storm Isaias

March 21, 2010: Winter Weather Across the Four State Region