First Day of Spring Brings Snow to Oklahoma

News9.com

OKLAHOMA CITY – A winter storm made its way across Oklahoma Saturday. Winds gusted between 20 and 50 mph with higher gusts from the north. Those winds combined with heavy snow created blizzard conditions and very hazardous travel conditions.

Late Sunday morning, the Department of Public Safety was still urging motorists to stay off the roads in Eastern Oklahoma if at all possible.

Oklahoma Department of Transportation representative Kenna Mitchell said crews are on the highways clearing the lanes, and motorists should be sure to give them plenty of room.

Snow accumulations averaged 4 to 8 inches over much of northern, central and eastern Oklahoma, with up to a foot in some areas northeast of Oklahoma City. During the overnight hours, some locations in extreme Northeastern Oklahoma and Northwestern Arkansas have received around a foot of snow.

Snow Storm March 2010

By late afternoon Saturday, snowfall totals ranged from 1 inch to 7 inches across Oklahoma, with the highest accumulations in the north-central part of the state. In Braman, just south of the Kansas state line, 7 inches had fallen, while 6 inches fell in Stillwater. Will Rogers World Airport has reported over 1 inch and 3 inches were reported in Warr Acres.

It is possible temperatures should rebound into the 60s as soon as Monday.

State officials declared a state of emergency for all 77 of Oklahoma's counties Friday in preparation for the winter weather that moved in.

The declaration from Governor Brad Henry allows local governments to seek reimbursement for storm costs through the state's disaster public assistance program. The executive order is also the first step toward seeking federal aid should it be necessary.

The State Emergency Operations Center was activated by the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management at 7 a.m. Saturday morning.

First Day of Spring

Over 300 OG&E customers were without power during the storm. Check power outages.

Oklahoma City road crews also drove snow routes throughout Saturday, salting them in preparation for the weather.

"We know that we've got a lot of out of towners in town for the NCAA and so we're going to have to concentrate some efforts in that area and in other areas to make sure we're providing what services we can with the best of what we've got," said Mike DeGiacomo, the Oklahoma City Street Superintendent.

"The snow is kind of slushy so we're not too concerned but that water could turn to ice tonight with our freezing temperatures," DeGiacomo added.

He said crews will continue to treat roads and they will be concentrating on dealing with the rush hour traffic come Monday morning as a precaution.

More March Snow Photos

Get tips on how to get ready for the storm | Extreme Cold Information | Interactive ESP Radar

Road Conditions Update: Sunday at 4:30 p.m.

Roads are clearing rapidly across central Oklahoma; however, some currently wet areas will refreeze overnight and could cause problems during Monday's morning drive. Motorists in the eastern and northeastern portions of the state, including the Tulsa metro area, should allow extra travel time in the morning and be aware of these black ice conditions.

In central and north central Oklahoma, conditions are much improved, and traffic has become extremely heavy on interstates. Congestion in construction zones is causing travel delays.

Now that roads in the central portion of the state have been cleared, additional crews have been dispatched to eastern and southeastern counties, where many roads are still snow covered, particularly in Latimer, Pushmataha, LeFlore and McCurtain counties.

Crews will continue to monitor and treat areas of snow and ice throughout the night as necessary.

Motorists are strongly advised to check conditions before heading out, adjust their route as necessary and to allow additional travel time.

Motorists can call Oklahoma's Road Conditions hotline at 888-425-2385 for the latest information.

During snow and/or ice conditions, motorists are asked to:

• Be aware that conditions are continually changing; drive cautiously and for the conditions on the roadway.
• Check road conditions before getting out on the roads.
• Allow extra space between vehicles, so there is adequate distance for braking in wet and icy conditions.
• Stay at least 200 feet behind road-clearing equipment; crews need room to maneuver and can engage plowing or spreading materials without notice.
• Be aware of "black ice," which looks wet on the roadway, but is actually a thin layer of ice.
• Please be patient, plan trips ahead and allow extra time to reach destinations.