ODOT Warns Of Refreezing, Black Ice For Morning Drivers

Dangerous ice returned to our roadways as rain, sleet and snow fell from the Oklahoma sky.

The sun helped melt a lot of the snow and ice late Monday afternoon, but all that melted is refreezing, which could mean danger for morning commuters.

Monday, the highways went from bad, to better to worse all because of our Oklahoma weather.

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“This has been the most amazing weather I think I've ever seen,” said Denver resident, Lucille Reilly.

Reilly is in the state visiting a friend. She drove in Sunday night and got a welcome that could only be found in Oklahoma.

“And we had thunder snow, and it was like tons of thunder. I've heard thunder snow like twice in my life,” she said.

Reilly is a New Jersey native who now calls Colorado home, so she knows all about shoveling snow; but ice is a different story.

“I have never seen ice like this in my life, the black part on the car here; that was total ice,” she said.

Her car wasn't the only thing covered in ice, so were the roads.

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Once the sun came out, plows could push slushy snow off the highways while spreading salt and sand in the process; but even treating the roads won't keep the highways from turning back into ice, according to Kenna Carmon with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.

“The big concern now is the re-freezing overnight that will cause some black ice conditions out there,” Carmon said.

ODOT said its crews will not let up as Monday turns into Tuesday. It's an around the clock operation that will require patience.

“Drivers have to understand, too, that even though the storm has passed it could take up to several days before the roads will be completely clear. It's not an instant clearing operation, it does take time to remove this thick layer of ice from the roadway,” Carmon said.

The best suggestion is to stay home, but, if that's not an option, take it slow and hope Green Country thaws soon.

Of the highways we drove, Highway 75 North, up toward Owasso, seemed to be in the worst shape - so keep that in mind.

ODOT said the biggest problem they had Monday was the ice. They could get the snow off the road, but in some areas ODOT said it was dealing with two inches of ice.

ODOT said workers had to treat and retreat the highways all day Monday.