Temps dropping rapidly today across TX

[GalvestonDuck]

Special Weather Update...for strong cold front
Issued by the Jamaica Beach Weather Observatory
8:15 AM CST Tuesday, December 9, 2003

...Another rapid change in the weather is on the way to Southeast Texas...

Early this morning, a strong cold front of Polar origin was moving southward through the
Texas Panhandle and Northwest Texas. At 8:00 AM CST...Dalhart...Amarillo and
Borger, Texas were all reporting light snow with temperatures in the upper 20s while
heavy snow with visibility down to 1/4 of a mile was observed in Perryton, Texas. To
make matters worse, strong Northerly winds of 20 to 25 mph with gusts to 37 mph
made the wind chill temperatures feel as low as 11. A Winter Storm Warning is
in effect for the Texas Panhandle and portions of Oklahoma today and tonight for
up to 4 inches of snow accumulation along with blowing and drifting snow. Rain
may mix with or change to sleet or snow this evening as far south as the Dallas/
Fort Worth Metroplex although no accumulation is expected there.

Ahead of the cold front and a pre-frontal trough of low pressure...the weather was
considerably different. Warm and muggy conditions prevailed with temperatures
in the 60s and even a few 70s. Strong South to Southwest winds of 15 to 25 mph
with gusts to over 30 mph were causing blowing dust in portions of West Texas
while a line of strong to severe thunderstorms was beginning to develop over
North Central and Northeast Texas along the low pressure trough.

The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma has
just issued Severe Thunderstorm Watch No. 978 for portions of Western Arkansas,
Eastern Oklahoma and a large part of Northern and Eastern Texas until 1:00 PM
CST this afternoon. The watch area is along and 70 miles east and west of a line
from 45 miles NNW of Fayetteville, AR to 35 miles WSW of Lufkin, TX. This
includes Trinity and Houston Counties in Southeast Texas. The watch does NOT
include the Houston/Galveston Area (Harris or Galveston Counties) at this time.

The cold front is expected to rapidly move across Texas today followed by a
rapid temperature drop of 20 to 30 within several hours of the frontal passage.
High temperatures in the mid 70s this afternoon in Southeast Texas will plummet
into the 40s and 50s by this evening...and in the 30s inland and 40s along the
coast by early Wednesday morning. Gusty winds from the North of 20 to 25 mph
inland and 25 to 35 mph along the coast will send wind chill temperatures into the
20s across all of Southeast Texas. Small Craft Advisories are in effect along the
entire Texas Coast including Matagorda and Galveston Bays.

Thunderstorms are expected to arrive in Southeast Texas later this morning and
continue into the afternoon and evening hours. Although the greatest risk of
severe thunderstorms with large hail and damaging winds will be north of the
Houston Metropolitan Area...there is a chance that a few severe thunderstorms
may develop in Southeast Texas. Therefore, persons throughout the area should
monitor the latest weather developments in case weather watches or warnings
become necessary.

Rain will come to an end by tonight and Wednesday should be mostly sunny,
although a bit windy with high temperatures only in the low 60s.

Jim O'Donnel
Jamaica Beach Weather Observatory