February 11-12, 2010: Snow Across the Four State Region

Overview

A significant winter storm affected all of the Four State Region, which began in the pre-dawn hours of Thursday, February 11th, 2010. An arctic high pressure had built into the region during the early portion of the week ahead of a potent upper level disturbance, which moved across the southwestern states tapping a large plume of subtropical moisture. As the upper disturbance moved closer to our region, the moisture was lifted up and over the cold arctic air already in place. Light snow began to fall across areas west of Interstate 49 before sunrise Thursday and the intensities increased throughout the day mainly north of a Jacksonville, TX, to Natchitoches, LA, line. As the upper disturbance moved closer, snowfall rates increased to as much as 1 to 2 inches per hour in some locations. During the evening hours on Thursday and lasting into the early morning hours of Friday, the rain, which had been falling across portions of Deep East Texas eventually changed over to all Snow during the early morning hours Friday. When the storm ended early Friday, much of the area had received 4 to as much as 9 inches of heavy wet snow. Numerous schools and businesses were closed and many roads were closed due to snow and slush covering them. Also, due to the weight of the snow, numerous trees were downed on power lines causing power outages to nearly 100,000 people across the region.

This storm ranks 7th all time in total snowfall in Shreveport since records began in 1871, with 5.4 inches being recorded. This was also the most snow the Shreveport-Bossier Metro Area has seen since December 16th, 1983, when 5.4 inches of snow was recorded.

*Snow Accumulations from February 11-12, 2010*
ARKANSAS
LOCATION	AMOUNT
Athens	3 inches
De Queen	2 inches
Stamps	2 inches
Texarkana	5.8 inches
LOUISIANA
Arcadia	4 inches
Benton	3 inches
Blanchard	3 inches
Clarence	4 inches
Columbia	3 inches
Farmerville	3 inches
Hanna	5 inches
Homer	4 inches
Jena	6 inches
Monroe	5 inches
5 miles SE of Montgomery	6 inches
Natchitoches	6 inches
5 miles NW of Natchitoches	6 inches
4 miles W of Plain Dealing	4 inches
5 miles N of Shongaloo	6 inches
Shreveport NWS	5.4 inches
Swartz	4.2 inches
Wheeling	5.2 inches
10 miles E of Winnfield	6 inches

*Snow Accumulations from February 11-12, 2010*
OKLAHOMA
LOCATION	AMOUNT
Battiest	3 inches
Broken Bow	5.5 inches
8 miles SE of Idabel	7.5 inches
Valiant	6 inches
TEXAS
Atlanta	6 inches
8 miles NW of Bullard	5 inches
Carthage	9 inches
Center	6.5 inches
5 E of Chireno	3 inches
De Kalb	8 inches
Diana	7 inches
Elysian Fields	7 inches
Gilmer	6.6 inches
2 miles N of Gladewater	4 inches
5 miles NE of Hallsville	6 inches
Hemphill	2 inches
Henderson	6 inches
Joaquin	4 inches
Lindale	10 inches
Longview	7 inches
2 miles NE of Longview	6.5 inches
11 miles NW of Lufkin	2 inches
Maud	6 inches
Mineola	7.5 inches
Mount Pleasant	7.0 inches
9 miles S of Mount Vernon	7.5 inches
Nacogdoches	6 inches
Rusk	4,7 inches

Radar imaged combined with surface temperatures on Thursday, Feb. 11 at 9:30am, shows most of the region is breaking out in snow. The rain/snow line wavered during the day but stayed primarily over Deep East Texas until late Thursday night when everything changed over to all snow.

Map of the many snowfall reports from across the region.

A meteorological overview of the pattern which led to the historic snowfall amounts across the region.

The weather balloon launched at 6am on Thursday indicated that the atmosphere was entirely below freezing except for the lowest few hundred feet. This is a typical profile for a snow event.

Atlanta, TX, in Cass County reported 6 inches of snow. This photo was submitted by a Skywarn spotter..

Longview, TX, received 6 to 7 inches of snow. Photo was submitted by an amateur radio operator..

Winnfield, LA, reported 6 inches of snow. Areas stretching from Natchitoches to Jena, LA, reported 5-7 inches of snow.

Stonewall, LA, reported 5 inches of snow.

Many of the trees across the region were weighed down by the heavy snow. Power outages were widespread. This photo was taken in Longview, TX.