Midwest Blizzard Storm Warnings: 'Historic' Snowfall, Hurricane Force Wind in Texas

By Maria Vultaggio | February 25 2013 7:07 PM

Just a few weeks after the Northeast was blasted with Blizzard Nemo, the southern Plains are battling a blizzard of their own on Monday.

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Highways were closed and thousands lost power in Texas and Oklahoma as a result of the storm.

The region had already endured a major snowfall last week and places like Kansas are still covered from that storm.

Blizzard warnings are in effect for the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles and southern Kansas until early Tuesday morning, the Associated Press reported.

Many states will be seeing historic snow fall, weather forecasts are predicting. Texas might be getting the brunt of the storm and face two to three inches of snow per hour. Some locations, including Amarillo, are reporting hurricane force winds of 75 mph. The city had 17 inches of snowfall by noon.

The National Weather Service also warned the Gulf Coast of severe thunderstorms:

“A winter storm will bring a variety of hazards to parts of the central & southern U.S. on Monday,” the agency said. “Heavy snow is possible from the Mid-Mississippi Valley to the southern Plains, with blizzard conditions possible for some locations. Parts of central Okla., Kan. & western Mo. could see more than a foot of snow through Tuesday. Severe thunderstorms are possible on Monday across much of the Gulf Coast.”

A strong low pressure system is feeding the wintry beast, the Washington Post reported. As meteorologist Greg Carbin from Storm Prediction Center explained, "The more intense the low, the stronger the storm as far as pulling air in. That’s what gives us the high winds.”

The blizzard could be devastating for Texas ranchers as their grazing cattle and calves are expected to be at major risk during the snow storm.

"This type of snow is a cattle-killer," rancher Jay O'Brien told the AP.

The only silver lining to the frigid storm is it will help provide some relief for drought-stricken areas.

Victor Murphy from the National Weather Service in Fort Worth explained to the news site what is expected of the storm:

“Is it a drought buster? Absolutely not. Will it bring short-term improvement? Yes.”