MESOSCALE DISCUSSION 0456
   NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
   1134 AM CST THU MAR 31 2005
   
   AREAS AFFECTED...SERN CO...NERN NM...FAR WRN OK PANHANDLE/NWRN TX
   PANHANDLE
   
   CONCERNING...PRECIPITATION TRENDS...WINTER PRECIPITATION 
   
   VALID 311734Z - 312130Z
 
   
   MOD TO HVY SNOW ACCOMPANIED BY BLIZZARD CONDITIONS AT TIMES WILL
   GRADUALLY SHIFT SWD OUT OF SERN CO/FAR NERN NM INTO FAR WRN OK/NWRN
   TX PANHANDLE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. HRLY SNOWFALL RATES UP 2 INCHES
   WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE OVER THE UPSLOPE REGION OF THE RATON MESA
   THROUGH 21Z...BEFORE DIMINISHING TRENDS EXPECTED THEREAFTER.
   ELSEWHERE...1/2 TO 1 INCH/HR SNOWFALL RATES ANTICIPATED TO DEVELOP
   BETWEEN 18Z AND 21Z.
   
   STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENT /10 MB OVER 150 MILES/ WILL CONTINUE TO
   DEVELOP SWD INTO THE NWRN TX/OK PANHANDLE THROUGH 21Z AS SURFACE LOW
   MOVES INTO THE SRN TX PANHANDLE. THIS WILL SUPPORT SUSTAINED NNWLY
   WINDS AROUND 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH DEVELOPING SWD ACROSS
   THE WRN PANHANDLES DURING THIS TIME. PRONOUNCED DEFORMATION ZONE ON
   THE NW SIDE OF MID LEVEL CYCLONE WILL CONTINUE TO FAVOR ENHANCED
   SNOWFALL RATES OVER SERN CO...WHILE GRADUALLY DIMINISHING FROM N-S
   THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. A NEW AREA OF ENHANCED CLOUD TOP
   COOLING/CONVECTIVE PRECIP OVER SWRN KS WILL ROTATE INTO THE WRN
   OK/NWRN TX PANHANDLE DURING THE AFTERNOON. SNOW LEVELS CURRENTLY AT
   5500 FT ARE EXPECTED TO FALL TO AROUND 4000-4500 FT BY 21Z AS
   DYNAMIC COOLING ENSUES WITH HVY PRECIP. THUS A CHANGEOVER TO MOD-HVY
   SNOW IS EXPECTED OVER THE LOWER ELEVATIONS OF FAR NERN NM...AND
   HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE NWRN TX PANHANDLE/WRN OK PANHANDLE DURING
   THE AFTERNOON HOURS. HEAVIEST SNOWFALL RATES AROUND 2 IN/HR WILL
   REMAIN OVER THE NRN UPSLOPE REGION OF THE RATON MESA /LAS ANIMAS
   COUNTY CO...NCENTRAL/NERN COLFAX COUNTY NM/ THROUGH 21Z.