November 19, 2008

A recent blog question (under my 2008-2009 Winter Outlook) asked about heavy snow events in Denison. I decided to go ahead and compile, from the records that are available, a listing of the heavy snows over Texoma since 1960 (I like round numbers!).

Records for Grayson County and some other locations are quite sporadic, but I have compared records from adjacent areas and I’m confident this list includes all or nearly all of the heavy snow events.

According to the NWS, the 1964 snowstorm which dumped 8-12” on north Texas would rank as one of the heaviest, if not THE heaviest, for both amounts and coverage area during the past fifty years. The March snow of 2008 was also very heavy, but covered much less area. For instance, Sherman/Denison got 9” of snow while Ardmore only received 1” in that one.

Other heavy (4” or more) snows in our area of interest (since 1960):

March 4th and 6th, 2008:
6-10” Bryan Co. southward to northern Collin Co.

February 14, 2004:
5” of heavy wet snow along Red River Counties

February 24-25, 2003:
up to 4-6” sleet/snow Sherman-Denison to Antlers

February 5-6, 2002:
4-5” Much of Texoma

January 1, 2001:
5” Ada

January 2, 1996:
5” Ada

January 22, 1995:
8” Ada

January 18, 1992:
8” Ardmore

January 7, 1992:
7” Bryan County

March 5-6, 1989:
4” Ardmore, 10” Ada; near blizzard conditions

February 10, 1988:
4” Atoka

January 6-7, 1988:
5-7” Southern Oklahoma

January 30-31, 1985:
4-8” Southern Oklahoma

December 15-16, 1983
4-6” Much of Texoma

February 5, 1983:
4-5” Ada to Atoka

February 10, 1980:
5” Choctaw Co.

February 25, 1979:
6” Bryan/Atoka Co.

February 6-7, 1979:
4-6” Southern Oklahoma (less south of Red River)

February 17-18, 1978
4-8” Much of Texoma

February 10, 1978:
4” Ada

February 7, 1978:
5” Ada

January 25, 1978:
4-6” Ada to Atoka

January 12, 1978:
4” Atoka

January 30, 1977
4-6” Cooke/Grayson/Bryan/Fannin

January 9, 1977:
6-8” Ardmore/Ada east to Atoka

November 13-14, 1976
4-6” Cooke/Grayson/Fannin

February 25, 1975:
4” Ada east to Pushmataha County

March 3, 1971:
6” Ada

December 29, 1969:
4” Ada

March 12, 1968:
8” Ada

January 29, 1966:
4” Choctaw Co.

January 19-20, 1966:
4” Ardmore, 5” Atoka

***January 15-16, 1964
8-12” North Texas; 4-7” Southern Oklahoma (heaviest since 1960) ***

December 22, 1963:
4” Pushmataha/Choctaw Counties

February 7, 1961:
6” Ardmore

February 24, 1960:
4” Ardmore

January 5-6, 1960:
4” Ardmore, 5” Durant, 7” Hugo, 6” Atoka

It's a lot of numbers and dates: perhaps you can appreciate from this list that heavy snow comes around every few years to some portion of Texoma. Even though I expect the season overall to be dry, who knows? This could be the winter for another heavy snow.