An upper level storm system intensified over the southwest United States on Christmas Day.  This system moved southeastward over the next two days across portions of northeast Mexico and Far West Texas.  This coincided with the arrival of an arctic air mass into the area, setting the stage for potential heavy snow and blustery conditions.  Forecasters recognized the potential for a snowstorm, mentioning its possibility as early as December 22, and then issuing the first watches three days in advance on Christmas Eve morning.  The result of this weather pattern was the most significant winter storm ever in the WFO Midland County Warning Area.
Danny Kiper (Field Site Security Officer) from FLETC (Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Artesia, NM) commented that the ���Forecast was spot on��� and the email briefings beforehand enabled them to prepare for the different contingencies. Based on the information in the email briefings FLETC provided clothes, blankets, food, and water that enabled the security personnel to shelter-in-place (for as long as 36 hours in some cases). There were snow drifts up to 10 feet deep at FLETC. Due to the briefings from the WFO Midland forecast staff, they were well-prepared and suffered zero injuries from the storm.
Jennifer Armendariz (Emergency Manager from Eddy County) commented that ���based on our email briefings ahead of the historic blizzard all the grocery stores were able to stock up and not run out of essentials.��� Jennifer was also informed that based on our email briefings that farmers were able to stock up on feed and hay for their cattle. Jennifer heard that only 500 cattle were lost���all from one ranch that didn���t believe that a blizzard could happen in Eddy County!   Based on the email briefings, and the early initiation of Winter Storm and Blizzard Watches, lives were saved and ranchers avoided loss of dairy cattle and milk from the blizzard.
NWS partner Wendell Malone stated, ���Your forecasts, watches, warnings, and special weather statements during this Historic Blizzard were simply phenomenal. No doubt your hard work paid off for us locally. No telling how many lives you may have saved. Congrats and job well done.
It was also the first storm ever in WFO Midland���s history where Blizzard Warnings were issued and verified.
While snows were widespread across west Texas, with 6-9 inch snow totals being common across the Texas Permian Basin, these were generally not of record magnitude.  Significant snows also extended back into the mountain areas of southwest Texas.
Below are the reported snowfall reports:
GREENWOOD                    	    12.0 IN    0659 AM 12/28
MIDLAND INTERNATIONAL           7.6 IN    1200 AM 12/28
GREENWOOD                   	      7.5 IN    0744 PM 12/27
PECOS                     		      6.0 IN    0713 PM 12/27
MIDLAND                  		      6.0 IN    0640 PM 12/27
MONAHANS                    	      6.0 IN    1227 PM 12/27
ALPINE                     		      5.0 IN    0514 PM 12/27
7 WNW ALPINE                 	      5.0 IN    0514 PM 12/27
SNYDER                      	      4.0 IN    0634 PM 12/27
BIG LAKE                    	      2.0 IN    0529 PM 12/27.

Blizzard in GAINES, TEXAS
From 26-DEC-15 19:35:00 to 28-DEC-15 03:15:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Social Media

Reports of 8-12.5 inches of snow with drifts of 3-4 feet from northeast winds of 25-35 mph and gusts near 50 mph in and around Seminole.

Blizzard in ANDREWS, TEXAS
From 26-DEC-15 22:55:00 to 28-DEC-15 03:55:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Social Media

Reports of 8.5-9.5 inches of snow with 3-4 foot drifts due to northeast winds of 25-35 mph and gusts near 50 mph in and around Andrews.

Blizzard in DAWSON, TEXAS
From 26-DEC-15 23:55:00 to 28-DEC-15 04:30:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Social Media

Report of 5-6 inches of snow on top of 0.5 inch of ice and sleet.  Drifts of 1-2 feet due to northeast winds of 25-35 mph and gusts near 50 mph in and around Lamesa.

Heavy Snow in SCURRY, TEXAS
From 27-DEC-15 00:15:00 to 28-DEC-15 02:15:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Report of 4 inches of snow in and around Snyder.  Winter precipitation began as a thundersnow and thundersleet late on the evening of the 26th, with thudersnow again reported around 1200 CST on the 27th.

Heavy Snow in HOWARD, TEXAS
From 26-DEC-15 22:15:00 to 27-DEC-15 22:15:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Social Media

Reports of 3-6 inches of snow in and around Big Spring.

Heavy Snow in REAGAN, TEXAS
From 26-DEC-15 13:00:00 to 27-DEC-15 23:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Report of 2-6 inches of snow across Reagan county with the highest amounts over the northeastern portion of the county.

Heavy Snow in MIDLAND, TEXAS
From 26-DEC-15 21:39:00 to 27-DEC-15 23:53:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Employee

Report of 7-8 inches of snow in and around Midland, but also across the county.  Snow drifts of 1-2 feet.  There was a period of sleet and snow on the evening of the 26th around 2100 and thundersnow around 1500 on the 27th.

Heavy Snow in ECTOR, TEXAS
From 26-DEC-15 21:00:00 to 27-DEC-15 23:51:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Employee

Report of 7-8.5 inches of snow in and around Odessa, and over the county.  There was a period of sleet and snow on the evening of the 26th around 2100 and thundersnow around 1500 on the 27th.

Heavy Snow in REEVES COUNTY AND UPPER TRANS PECOS, TEXAS
From 26-DEC-15 21:15:00 to 27-DEC-15 21:15:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Report of 5-6 inches of snow in and around Pecos.

Heavy Snow in WINKLER, TEXAS
From 26-DEC-15 22:06:00 to 27-DEC-15 22:29:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Social Media

Report of 7-8 inches of snow in and around Kermit.

Heavy Snow in WARD, TEXAS
From 26-DEC-15 22:00:00 to 27-DEC-15 23:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Social Media

Report of 4-7.7 inches of snow in and around Pyote and Monahans.

Blizzard in BORDEN, TEXAS
From 27-DEC-15 00:00:00 to 28-DEC-15 03:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Unknown

Extrapolation between observation sites to the east and west of Borden county, and visible satellite imagery yielded an estimate of 4-6 inches of snow across much of Borden county.   Snow drifts of 3-4 feet estimated also due to northeast winds of 25-35 mph and gusts near 50 mph.

Blizzard in MARTIN, TEXAS
From 26-DEC-15 22:00:00 to 28-DEC-15 03:30:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Unknown

Extrapolation between counties to the north, south, east and west of Martin county, and visible satellite imagery yielded an estimate of 6-8 inches of snow.  Snow drifts of 3-4 feet also estimated.

Heavy Snow in DAVIS / APACHE MOUNTAINS AREA, TEXAS
From 26-DEC-15 23:55:00 to 27-DEC-15 23:35:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Report of 4-11 inches of snow.  the lesser amounts were in the lower elevations, while McDonald Observatory reported 11 inches.

Heavy Snow in PRESIDIO VALLEY, TEXAS
From 27-DEC-15 01:00:00 to 27-DEC-15 21:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Social Media

Report of 4 inches of snow in Candelaria.

Heavy Snow in BIG BEND AREA, TEXAS
From 27-DEC-15 01:00:00 to 28-DEC-15 02:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Report of 7 inches of snow from the Persimmon Gap Cooperative Observer, and 5 inches of snow from the Big Bend Cooperative Observer.

Heavy Snow in CRANE, TEXAS
From 26-DEC-15 22:00:00 to 28-DEC-15 00:30:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Social Media

Reports of 4.4-7.5 inches of snow in and around Crane.

Heavy Snow in PECOS, TEXAS
From 26-DEC-15 23:37:00 to 28-DEC-15 01:26:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Social Media

Report of 3 inches of snow in and around Fort Stockton.  There were likely 3-6 inches of snow in northern portions of the county according to extrapolation and visible satellite imagery.

Heavy Snow in VAN HORN & HWY 54 CORRIDOR, TEXAS
From 26-DEC-15 18:00:00 to 27-DEC-15 22:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Report of 3 inches of snow in Van Horn.

Blizzard in GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS OF CULBERSON COUNTY, TEXAS
From 26-DEC-15 13:30:00 to 28-DEC-15 01:00:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Park/Forest Service

Report of 14-18 inches of snow in the Guadalupe Mountains with drifts of 4-6 feet due to
northeast winds of 35-45 mph and gusts near 60 mph.

Heavy Snow in UPTON, TEXAS
From 26-DEC-15 22:30:00 to 28-DEC-15 00:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Unknown

Extrapolation from counties surrounding Upton county and visible satellite imagery yielded an estimate of 4-6 inches of snow.

Heavy Snow in GLASSCOCK, TEXAS
From 26-DEC-15 22:00:00 to 28-DEC-15 01:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Unknown

Extrapolation from counties surrounding Glasscock county and visible satellite imagery yielded an estimate of 3-5 inches of snow.