The Storm Prediction Center has issued a technical discussion regarding snows across West Texas moving eastward into the Big Country and North Texas. Lift is forecast to increase later this afternoon across the Big Country into western North Texas. As lift increases, we anticipate heavy snow becoming more common along the Interstate 20 corridor from near Midland eastward to Abilene to Fort Worth between 3 PM and 6 PM. Some snowfall rates could exceed one inch per hour. Travel will be hazardous across nearly every portion of Texas by late tonight. Winter weather will continue advancing eastward tonight. By the time all is said and done tomorrow morning, the entire state should have had at least some accumulating winter precipitation. It will also be bone-chilling cold…

Tonight’s Low-Temperature Forecast

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For those weather-savvy minds, here is the full technical discussion from the Storm Prediction Center…

DISCUSSION…Latest observations/radar mosaic imagery indicates widespread areas of light to moderate snow bands migrating east-northeastward across the discussion area.  Embedded heavier snow was also reported – most recently across Altus/Lawton/Hobart in southwestern Oklahoma and near Odessa in southwest Texas. The bands across southwestern Oklahoma may produce 1+ inch-per-hour snowfall rates as they expand northeastward toward the I-35 corridor in central Oklahoma over the next couple hours.

Farther southwest, models/observations indicate that coverage of moderate to heavy snow will increase over time from the Texas Big Country northeastward to western North Texas as forcing for ascent (lift) associated with a mid-level trough (storm system aloft) over New Mexico overspreads the area.  A gradual increase of 700hPa flow in central Texas will also contribute to increased ascent (lift) in this region.  The greater chance of 1 inch-per-hour rates will generally increase along the I-20 corridor in west Texas (Midland to Abilene to Fort Worth) in the 21-00Z (3PM to 6 PM) timeframe.