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WEEKEND ARCTIC BLAST PUTS CENTRAL STATES IN THE FREEZER FROM
MICHIGAN TO TEXAS

March 4, 2002 — A deadly Arctic blast dropped temperatures over the weekend to the teens in southern Texas, well-below zero in eastern North Dakota and northwest Minnesota, according to NOAA's National Weather Service. The Arctic air plunged south across the central states to the Gulf of Mexico and combined with moisture to cover the area with ice and snow. The storm was blamed for 23 deaths. (Click image to see latest weather map from NOAA.)

Local National Weather Service forecast offices had warned early last week of impending ice and snow storms across much of the central United States.

North Dakota and Minnesota missed the brunt of the storm, but temperatures there plummeted to 10-15 degrees below zero with wind chills of 30 below zero.

As cold air dropped from the north, a storm system blew out of Colorado Friday, leaving 14 inches of snow in Eldorado Springs, Colo. Early Saturday, the storm covered Texas with a layer of sleet, snow and freezing rain and dropped temperatures into the single digits in southern states. Low temperatures in northern states plunged below zero and snowfall amounts of six-12 inches were common.

Snow and freezing rain forced cancellation of about 100 flights Saturday at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. Ten inches of snow Saturday at Chicago forced the cancellation of 153 flights at O'Hare and Midway airports. At the same time, Grand Rapids, Mich., received 13.6 inches of snow and 17 inches fell at Marquette, Mich. The storm dumped 11 inches of snow on Oshkosh, Wis., where Sunday night's temperature fell to 10 degrees below zero. Stephens Point, Wis., reported a low of 17 degrees below zero.

In Texas, Dallas recorded a high Sunday of only 15 degrees, Austin had a record low of 17 degrees and Houston reported a record low 22 degrees. Del Rio, Texas, on the Mexican border, reported 26 degrees. Springfield, Mo., reported an overnight low of 2 degrees below zero.

National Weather Service Central Region Meteorological Services Division Chief J. Mike Looney in Kansas City said some areas can expect to see more snow, but the worst of the cold weather is well over. "Folks in Dallas can look to temperatures closer to normal Monday with high temperatures of around 55 and reaching to around 68 Tuesday and Wednesday," Looney said. "Even northern locations will warm up considerably from the weekend."

Oklahoma City is forecast to reach 48 degrees Monday, 62 Tuesday and 65 Wednesday, according to Looney. Kansas City will warm to the mid-30s Monday, the upper-40s Tuesday and the mid-50s Wednesday.

Highs in Chicago are expected to reach only about 20 degrees Monday but will hit the upper-30s Tuesday and the lower-40s Wednesday. Detroit's high Monday is expected to reach only about 15-19 degrees, the mid-30s Tuesday and the mid-40s Wednesday. Marquette in Michigan's Upper Peninsula will remain cold with Monday's high expected to reach only 10-15 degrees and Monday night's low dropping to 5-10 degrees. Snow is expected to return to Marquette Tuesday and Wednesday with highs of 20-25 both days.

Relevant Web Sites
NOAA'S NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAYS: KNOW YOUR WINTER WEATHER TERMS

NOAA's NEW WIND CHILL TEMPERATURE INDEX

NOAA PLACES INTERACTIVE SNOWFALL MAPS AND DATA ONLINE

Winter Weather Watches, Warnings and Advisories — What do they all mean?

NOAA's Seasonal Outlook

U.S. Outlook Maps

NOAA's Climate Prediction Center

NOAA's National Weather Service

NOAA's Weather Page

NOAA's Storm Watch

Media Contact:
Patrick Slattery, NOAA's National Weather Service Central Region, (816) 426-7621, ext. 621

 

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