It was quite the Christmas Day across the US as arctic air dove south down the Plains and energized a major storm system developing over the Southern Plains. This storm brought not only record cold, snow along with blizzard conditions but also a tornado outbreak which currently stands at 33.

While snows broke out as far south as Lubbock, TX and across much of the TX/OK Panhandles, heavier snow broke out across central and eastern Oklahoma which extended east, northeast into Arkansas later on into the 25th. Temperatures were stuck in the teens across parts of NW Texas and W. Oklahoma on the rear of the system while even central OKC struggled to get above 24F as snow flakes flew. Many high temperatures were set during early Christmas morning and fall through the morning and early afternoon, only rising so far before falling around 4-5pm.

While it was very cold on the backside, very warm and juicy air flowed north from the Gulf up Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia which brought strong thunderstorms ahead of the cold front, within the warm sector. All the perfect ingredients came together to produce a wild storm.

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Snow

As for snowfall, as much as 6″ of snow fell around the Altus, OK area and there was a widespread 1-2″, 2-4″ swath across the Sooner state with even a coating to 2″ extending as far south as Dallas. Big snows were experienced during Christmas day across parts of Arkansas where the highest total as of mid-evening last night was 12″ at Vandervoort, AR, Bogg Springs, AR (Both Polk Co).

As for Little Rock, AR, they enjoyed their first measurable snow on Christmas Day since 1939. According to latest twitter reports, an impressive 9″ fell on Little Rock.

Heavy snow coupled with very strong northerly winds wrapping around the west wide of the circulation is bringing blizzard conditions to parts of Missouri and into southern Illinois where Carterville, IL reports 5″ along with thundersnow in the area.

Throughout the rest of tonight, while the cold air sinks south down the Plains, it remains balmy and stormy across eastern parts of Alabama, Georgia and NW Florida but in between, a blizzard continues across parts of Missouri into southern Illinois.

Here is the current weather map off TWC as of 3.45am, notice the worst of the storminess is now confined to Georgia and the western Carolinas.

Warm v Cold = Storms

It was a very active and stormy day across the South with tornado watches and warnings affecting areas from Houston all the way to Georgia and parts of Florida. A possible tornado brought damage to the Mobile area and if it wasn’t a tornado which brought damage to places, it was fierce straight line winds. As it stands, 2 people are killed and many more are injured. According to the NWS, 33 tornadoes have been counted and this is likely to become the largest Christmas Day troando outbreak in US history.

Here are the highs from yesterday. Notice the very cold air diving into the OK-TX Panhandles. Highs failed to reach 20 in several spots, while even across southeast Texas it was warm with 77 in Houston but check out the 88 down in Brownsville. Closer to the storm, it was a warm 76 in New Orleans, LA and with a strong circulation drawing together these large thermal contrasts, it is no wonder we saw wild weather.

Here is the latest storm report from the NWS for yesterday.

Cold

Throughout this morning, cold intensifies over the snowcovered ground of NW Texas and Oklahoma. Check out these current temps as of 3.15am ET. Sub-zero lows will reach into Texas by dawn with a readings already down to 1F in Pampa, 6F in Dalhart, TX,  11F in Amarillo, TX. It’s down to 10F in Gage, OK. Even OKC may get into the upper single digits or around 10F with a reading right now of 17F under cloud, breezy conditions. Down in the Big-D, it’s cloudy and 27F but if skies were to clear by dawn, the low could fall into the upper teens.

Note the -9F in NW Kansas.

More later!

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