Weather Flashback

Summary

This historic Atkinson, Topeka & Santa Fe locomotive on display at Santa Fe Depot in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma was shrouded in falling snow. Snowfall on this day occurred on the backside of a developing Dixie connection-type low-pressure system that tracked from coastal Texas through Louisiana and Mississippi. The ascent for precipitation in Oklahoma was largely driven by sharpening temperature difference from west to east over top a layer cool air near the surface. The cool air near the surface over Oklahoma was to the north and west of the aforementioned surface low. When superimposed with strong ascent in moist air, the cool air in place near the surface favored numerous rounds of freezing and frozen precipitation. This included some banded precipitation which result in locally higher accumulations and poorer visibility than what is shown here. More information about this storm event can be found: here.