
Oklahoma Winter Storm Forecasts are Vastly Different Between Meteorologists
It seems everyone in Oklahoma is trying to look ahead to see what the weather is going to do on January 19th and 20th. Depending on where you look, you get a different picture of what to expect.
Earlier this week, the bold prediction was plunging temperatures and an all-out blizzard for the Sooner State, but as we get closer, the forecast has changed. It always changes, that's normal.

What isn't normal is the lack of consensus among Oklahoma's meteorologists. It's the same story in OKC as it is in Tulsa too.
Depending on what channel you're looking at, it seems you can find a prediction for "maybe trace amounts of snow across some of the state," while another is saying Southwest Oklahoma is gearing up for a few inches. There was even one very bold prediction of a foot of snow. So bold, it's no wonder the clip is locked from being able to share.
The actual meteorological services are playing it pretty conservatively, as they always do. Snow in the Texas Panhandle and Northwestern Oklahoma starting on Saturday night as this Polar Vortex plunged into the Heartland.
Trace amounts that could drift into accumulation in some areas to start, better chances on Sunday, and same/same but different on Monday... but still same. Any snow may or may not continue into the wee hours of Tuesday morning.
Even though the National Weather Service is usually very chill when it comes to forecasting, it's rare to have an outlook so far out from them.
Add in that this will likely change by the time Sunday rolls around, but this is likely the best prediction for what to expect early next week.
How accurate is the National Weather Service?
Last week's round of snow was close to NWS predictions, within an acceptable margin. Some areas got slightly more than predicted, others received slightly less. It's all washes out when it's a game of an inch plus or minus.
Alternatively, the Oklahoma Mesonet - which is also same/same but different than the National Weather Service - ran by OU, OSU, and the OU Climatological Survey instead of the government - is normally a little juicier with the forecasts. They'll take slight risks and make bold predictions, but their forecast is more conservative than NWS this time around.
The highest chance of snow is in NWOK and at 30% odds at that on Monday only. To be forthcoming, their focus is pretty much on the temperature plunge with this massive front.
We'll keep an eye out to see how it all changes throughout the weekend, but the general consensus is to prepare for the cold and not be shocked by the snow.
It's looking like the Southern US is prepping for the big snow this time around. From the Coastal Bend of Texas up through the Virginia's.
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