Ticker for December 18, 2013

                
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December 18, 2013  December 18, 2013  December 18, 2013  December 18, 2013


A brown, slushy Christmas?

In lieu of this weekend's winter?/non-winter? (how about "winterish?") storm,
many folks are wondering about the possibility of a white Christmas.

Well, maybe not everybody.



This is probably not a big deal for those up north, but it would be down this
way, where it almost NEVER happens (climatologically speaking).



Chances for most of Oklahoma remain at 5% or below, but for folks up in the best
place in the universe, Buffalo, Oklahoma, and points northwest, chances are a bit
higher. And you can see for the mountainous regions and the northern reaches of
the country, its almost a certainty. Now we all remember the Christmas Eve
blizzard of 2009 (here's a look back from the NWS offices in Tulsa and Norman).

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/?n=events-20091224
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/tsa/?n=24dec2009_blizzard

It doesn't really look like we'll have a White Christmas this year, however,
unless it's leftover snow from this weekend. So that's looking highly doubtful,
and by that time, I'm afraid the best we'd get is a brown, slushy Christmas.
At least looking from 7-8 days out. However, if you are celebrating Christmas
this weekend, you might be in bidness. I'll just let the local NWS offices fill
you in with their pictures on that whole nearly-impossible-to-forecast affair.







We know there will be SOME cold air around, and we know there will be plenty of
moisture to work with:



The trouble is how they mix, and when. Until then, enjoy the warm weather. Here
are the forecast highs for the next couple of days.




It's the best early Christmas present a fella like me could want. If only it
came wrapped with a lovely bow of sunshine next Wednesday!

Gary McManus
Associate State Climatologist
Oklahoma Climatological Survey
(405) 325-2253
gmcmanus@mesonet.org