Ice Storm — Choctaw, Oklahoma

2013-12-05 to 2013-12-06 · Choctaw, Oklahoma

Wider weather episode

Arctic air spread across eastern Oklahoma on the 4th as a strong storm system developed across the western United States. Several upper level disturbances moved through the south central part of the country on the 5th through the 6th, resulting in widespread wintry precipitation across the region beginning during the morning hours of the 5th. The precipitation fell as mainly freezing rain across southeastern Oklahoma and as snow and sleet across northeastern Oklahoma. The precipitation changed to all snow by the time it ended on the 6th. By the end of the storm, portions of southeastern Oklahoma received over an inch of ice. Power outages were widespread across Choctaw, Pushmataha, and Le Flore Counties, some of which lasted for up to two weeks in remote areas. Several inches of snow fell atop the ice across southeastern Oklahoma while portions of northeastern Oklahoma received up to eight inches of snow from this storm. Roads were snow and ice covered across much of the region for days as temperatures remained below freezing. A federally-declared disaster declaration was made for this winter storm, which included Choctaw, Pushmataha, and Le Flore Counties.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 479506. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.