National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Powerful Pacific System Impacting the West; First Significant Snow for Portions of the East

Power Pacific system will continue to bring significant impacts for Pacific Northwest into northern California the remainder of the week. Dangerous coastal affects, heavy rain, flooding, strong winds, and higher elevation mountain snow continues. Meanwhile, a storm across the east is set to bring the first accumulating snow to many higher elevations of the Catskills into the central Appalachians. Read More >

 

Strong Storm System Brings Heavy Snow and Thunderstorms

 

Event Summary:

A strong winter storm moved out of the Desert Southwest and across the South Plains of Texas during the day on Tuesday February 12th.  Moist air originating from the Gulf of Mexico combined with the strong lift from this system to bring heavy snow to much of the Panhandles.  Snow started late Monday night near Texline with thundersnow reported near Vega, Borger, and Amarillo.  Some graupel also mixed in with the storms.  Snow continued into Tuesday before tapering off during the afternoon.  By the time this storm exited the area, up to 9 inches of new snow fell in a corridor from Clarendon to Pampa while up to 8 inches fell in the northwestern Texas Panhandle at Dalhart.  The western Oklahoma Panhandle recieved the least amount of snow with up to an inch at Kenton.  This was a heavy wet snow with Amarillo, Borger, and Dalhart all breaking record precipitation and/or snowfall records for this date.  Amarillo officially recorded a record 4.7 inches of snow with a record liquid equivalent of 0.50 inches.  Borger also officially recorded a record 4.7 inches of snow with a record liquid equivalent of 0.51 inches while Dalhart received a record 8.0 inches of snow with a liquid equivalent of 0.26 inches.

 

 

Snow in Dumas

Dumas (courtesy Kimberly Holcomb)

New snow 7 miles north of Amarillo

6  inches of new snow 7 miles north of Amarillo (courtesty of Jeannette McFarlin)

Snowfall in Darrouzett

6 inches of new snow in Darrouzett (courtesy of Jennifer Maloy)

Around 5 inches of snow in Sunday Canyon

Around 5 inches of new snow in Sunday Canyon (courtesy of Woody Williams)

New snow at Dalhart

Dalhart (courtesy of Bruce Scott)