Major Winter Storm Feb. 8-9, 2011

Major Winter Storm February 8-9, 2011
Record Cold February 10, 2011

(last updated: 3:30 PM CDT 02/24/2011)

Storm Summary

An upper level storm system moving across Oklahoma and Arkansas, and cold arctic air spilling south into the area, resulted in another major winter storm across eastern Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas during the night of February 8th and the morning of February 9th. While this storm system was not as strong as the one the week before, strong frontogenetic forcing led to a narrow band of intense snowfall that remained nearly stationary for several hours near a Ponca City to Chelsea to Fayetteville line. Snowfall amounts within this band ranged from 12 to 18 inches in the western part of the band to 18 to 25 inches in the eastern part of the band. Outside of the intense snow band, snow amounts from 4 to 8 inches were widespread north of a McAlester to Poteau line, with 1 to 4 inches to the south in far southeast Oklahoma. Some sleet also briefly fell as the precipitation began in far southeast Oklahoma. Some blowing and drifting of snow also occurred, but winds were not as strong as they were with the system the previous week, and blizzard criteria was not met with this storm.

Record cold temperatures also occurred on the on the morning of February 10th as an arctic high pressure system built into Eastern Oklahoma and Northwest Arkansas in the wake of the winter storm.  Bartlesville, Oklahoma set their all time record low with a reading of -28°F. Tulsa had a record low of -12°F. Fayetteville, Arkansas set a record with a low of -18°F. Mc Alester, Oklahoma also set a record low with a reading of -4°F.

Two new state records were set in northeast Oklahoma during this winter weather event. Click here to read the Media Advisory.

New Oklahoma All-Time Record 24-hour Snowfall:
27" in Spavinaw, OK February 9, 2011
(previous record 26" in Woodward and Freedom March 28, 2009)  

New Oklahoma All-Time Record Minimum Temperature:
-31°F in Nowata, OK February 10, 2011
(previous record -27°F in Vinita February 13, 1905, Watts January 18, 1930, and Guthrie January 4, 1947)  

Tulsa Snowfall Records Set: (see below for Top 5 lists):

Snowfall Estimate

Click on image for a larger image

KINX Radar Loop (11pm CST 2/08/2011 - 4pm CST 2/09/2011)	Visible Satellite image of Snowfield at 3:15pm CDT February 10, 2011
Jay, OK Photo Credit: Von Castor and Fox23 Tulsa	Jay, OK Photo Credit: Von Castor and Fox23 Tulsa
Jay, OK Photo Credit: Von Castor and Fox23 Tulsa	Jay, OK Photo Credit: Von Castor and Fox23 Tulsa
Spavinaw Lake Permit Office where the record 24-hour snowfall was measured.  Photo courtesy of the City of Tulsa.	Spavinaw Lake Permit Office where the record 24-hour snowfall was measured.  Photo courtesy of the City of Tulsa.

Minimum Temperature and Wind Chill Images Courtesy of the Oklahoma Climate Survey

Period of Record for Tulsa Snowfall Top 5 Lists is January 1900 - February 10, 2011