A Winter Storm Watch is posted for the Tulsa area with considerable ice and snow expected across the region mid-week. It will all begin with thunderstorms tonight.
Storms will develop this evening across north Texas and spread across southeast Oklahoma through northwest Arkansas during the late evening and overnight hours. Sufficient instability and shear are expected to support severe storms with large hail and locally damaging winds being the primary hazards. The tornadic potential remains low but present through the evening and early morning hours.
Impactful winter weather is expected across eastern Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas Wednesday through Thursday. A mixture of freezing rain and sleet will impact travel conditions along with potential power grid issues across locations with the heaviest icing accumulations.
The heaviest accumulation periods currently appear on Wednesday during the day and again Thursday during the day. Precipitation is forecast to end from west to east Thursday evening.
In addition to the winter weather, gusty northerly winds and sharply
colder temperatures will overspread the region on Tuesday. Very cold
wind chill values will develop Tuesday night and continue at times through Friday night.
Text of Winter Storm Watch as transmitted by the National Weather Service:
...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON...
* WHAT...Heavy mixed wintry precipitation possible. Total sleet
and snow accumulations of up to around one inch and ice
accumulations of around one half of an inch possible.
* WHERE...Portions of east central, northeast and southeast Oklahoma and northwest and west central Arkansas.
* WHEN...From Wednesday morning through Thursday afternoon.
* IMPACTS...Power outages and tree damage are likely due to the
ice. Travel could be nearly impossible.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...At least two rounds of wintry precipitation
are expected Wednesday morning through Thursday afternoon. Sleet
and freezing rain are expected to be the most impactful precipitation
types with light snow also possible in some area.