Special Weather Statement NWS

Active Watches and Warnings

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK

318 PM CST FRI JAN 18 2008
OKZ004>048-050>052-TXZ083>090-191000-
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-
318 PM CST FRI JAN 18 2008
...EXTENDED COLD SNAP TO BEGIN LATE MONDAY...

THE WEATHER PATTERN WHICH OCCASIONALLY BROUGHT ARCTIC AIR INTO
THE PLAINS DURING THE PAST FEW WEEKS...WILL BECOME MORE STRONGLY
ESTABLISHED OVER THE REGION EARLY NEXT WEEK. HIGH PRESSURE
ORIGINATING IN ALASKA WILL DROP QUICKLY THROUGH WESTERN CANADA...
AND SETTLE INTO THE CENTRAL UNITED STATES. THE LEADING EDGE OF THE
COLD AIR IS EXPECTED TO ENTER NORTHERN AND WESTERN OKLAHOMA DURING
THE DAY ON MONDAY...AND SLIDE THROUGH SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTH
TEXAS MONDAY EVENING.

THE FORECAST TIMING OF THE FRONT MAY CHANGE BY A FEW HOURS AT ANY
GIVEN LOCATION...BUT IT IS LIKELY THAT THE ENTIRE REGION WILL
EXPERIENCE MUCH COLDER WEATHER BY MONDAY NIGHT. TEMPERATURES ARE
FORECAST TO DROP INTO THE TEENS AND 20S BEHIND THE FRONT...WITH WIND
CHILL VALUES RANGING FROM ZERO DEGREES IN NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA...TO
THE MID TEENS IN SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA...AND AROUND WICHITA FALLS. THE
COLD AIR IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGHOUT THE WEEK...WITH
HIGH TEMPERATURES RANGING FROM THE UPPER 20S TO UPPER 30S FOR
SEVERAL DAYS IN A ROW.

ALONG WITH THE SUB FREEZING AIR...THERE WILL ALSO BE A CHANCE FOR
ICE AND SNOW. WHEN THE FRONT FIRST ARRIVES ON MONDAY...LIGHT RAIN
MAY CHANGE TO A MIXTURE OF FREEZING RAIN...SLEET...AND SNOW. ANOTHER
ROUND OF COLD RAIN...AND POSSIBLY WINTRY PRECIPITATION...IS EXPECTED
WEDNESDAY THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY...WITH GREATEST CHANCES TO THE
SOUTH AND EAST OF INTERSTATE 44.

AT THIS TIME...A STRONG WINTER STORM DOES NOT APPEAR LIKELY...BUT
LIGHT TO MODERATE ACCUMULATION OF ICE OR SNOW MAY CAUSE DISRUPTIONS
TO TRAVEL...AT LEAST ON A LOCAL BASIS. BEFORE LEAVING HOME ON
MONDAY...PEOPLE SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR A SHARP CHANGE IN
TEMPERATURE...AND MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS REGARDING THE CHANCE
FOR ICE AND SNOW.