The National Weather Service stations in Tulsa, Okla., and Springfield are warning residents in far southern Missouri, northern Arkansas and Oklahoma to brace for ice and possibly heavy snow.
The Tulsa office has issued a winter storm watch that includes Ottawa and Delaware counties in Oklahoma as well as Northwest Arkansas.
“Rain will transition to freezing rain, sleet and finally snow beginning Thursday morning and continuing through Friday morning. The heaviest precipitation is expected late Thursday through Thursday night. Four to eight inches of snow and sleet accumulation are expected with isolated amounts near 10 inches possible. The heaviest snows are forecast along and north of a line from Bristow (Okla.) to Bentonville (Ark.) Also, ice accumulations of one-quarter to one-half inch with isolated amounts approaching one inch are possible, with the heaviest amounts near a line from Okemah (Okla.) to Fayetteville (Ark.)
“Significant ice accumulation on trees and power lines is likely ... which could cause power outages that may last for several days.”
The National Weather Service in Springfield has issued a winter storm watch that includes Neosho, Anderson, Pineville, Monett and Cassville.
“Accumulations could impact far southern Missouri Thursday into Friday morning along and south of a line from Neosho to Ava to West Plains, or south of U.S. Highway 60. A wintry mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow will develop as early as Thursday morning across far southern Missouri.
“ ... Ice accumulations will generally be around one-tenth of an inch with local accumulations near one quarter of an inch. Total storm snow and sleet accumulations of four to seven inches will be possible. Heavier snow accumulations could develop but the exact track of the winter storm remains uncertain at this time.”
