People rally in opposition to government reform of health care in Washington, DC. President Barack Obama looked to energize his Democratic allies Saturday with an in-person appeal for his historic health care overhaul on the eve of a cliffhanger vote on the sweeping legislation. (AFP/Chris Kleponis)
I’m as far south as Lakeway, TX—and we are about to be blown away with high winds here. At least we don’t have any precipitation in our forcast!
Hmmm, will it be in DC tomorrow???
Why is the weather for Jimmy Carter’s birthplace being reported from Norman, Oklahoma?
I found it a good day to stay inside. High winds, blowing snow and the like. I guess I really don’t mind because I had some firewood left that I just didn’t want to haul back to the wood pile. Problem solved.
I love the smell of Gorebull Warming in the morning.
About 6 inches here so far in KC, and it’s still coming down.
Office of Governor Brad Henry
State of Oklahoma
State Capitol - Oklahoma City OK 73105
(405) 521-2342
State of Emergency Declared in Preparation for Winter Storm
March 19, 2010
Oklahoma City — State officials declared a state of emergency late Friday in all 77 of Oklahoma’s counties in preparation for a blizzard forecast in Oklahoma expected to bring snow and frigid temperatures to much of the state, as well as the potential for ice or flooding in some areas.
At the request of Gov. Henry, Lt. Gov. Jari Askins approved the paperwork declaring the emergency.
The declaration provides a formal mechanism for local governments to seek reimbursement for recovery costs through the state’s disaster public assistance program should conditions warrant. The executive order is also the first step toward seeking federal aid should it be necessary.
Gov. Henry is on a family trip to Colorado and is returning to the state on Saturday.
The State Emergency Operations Center will be activated by the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday morning.
For more information contact:
Michelann Ooten, Oklahoma Emergency Management, 405-205-1879
Thomas Larson, Press Secretary for Gov. Brad Henry, 405-301-6357
Posted by Bryan Painter
on March 20, 2010M at 8:19 am
WINTER STORM IMPACTING STATE
State Emergency Operations Center activated
Due to the winter storm moving through Oklahoma, the State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is activated and the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) is in contact with emergency managers in the affected areas and will call on state and federal agencies to provide resources as needed.
Oklahoma remains under a State of Emergency. At the request of Gov. Brad Henry, Lt. Gov. Jari Askins approved the paperwork declaring the emergency on Friday. The State of Emergency marks a first step toward seeking federal assistance, should it be necessary. Additionally, the executive order allows state agencies to make emergency purchases and acquisitions needed to expedite the delivery of resources to local jurisdictions.
The declaration provides a formal mechanism for local governments to seek reimbursement for recovery costs through the state’s disaster public assistance program as conditions warrant.
WEATHER CONDITIONS
A Winter Storm Warning continues for much of Oklahoma today. The arctic cold front that ushered in strong winds and much colder temperatures will exit southeast Oklahoma shortly. In the wake of this front, temperatures are below freezing across much of the warned area resulting in widespread snowfall. In areas near freezing a mixture of light freezing rain and sleet is occurring. Precipitation will continue through the day into the evening hours. In far western Oklahoma and the Panhandle precipitation will start to taper off during the evening hours. A band of heavy snow, in excess of 8 inches is expected across sections of eastern Oklahoma before the storm exits the state by late Sunday. All 77 Oklahoma counties are currently under winter weather advisories or warnings.
ROAD CONDITIONS
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation is monitoring road conditions statewide and reports 1/4 to 1/2 inches of snow in western Oklahoma, where crews are out monitoring and treating roads and bridges as necessary. In central Oklahoma, where a light mist and sleet is reported in some areas, along with freezing temperatures, crews are treating bridges, which are the first areas to freeze.
For information regarding Oklahoma road conditions, call 888-425-2385 or go to www.dps.state.ok.us. Oklahoma Turnpike Road Conditions, 877-403-7623
For surrounding state road conditions:
Spring may have to wait in state
BY BRYAN PAINTER
Published: March 19, 2010
Oklahoma has a very fresh memory of the fact that the end of winter does not mean the end of wintry weather.
Spring officially begins Saturday, but it may just be a continuation of winter in Oklahoma.
A winter storm watch is in effect from Saturday morning to Sunday morning. Temperatures Saturday may be about 35 to 40 degrees cooler than today’s high temperatures. Strong north winds are expected to drop wind chills into the teens and 20s in most areas Saturday.
Snow appears likely near and north of Interstate 40 in the western two-thirds of the state. Local amounts over 8 inches are forecast for north-central Oklahoma, with a threat of dropping into central Oklahoma, the weather service said.
Other areas could see accumulations of more than 4 inches, according to the National Weather Service. Wind gusts over 45 mph will produce blowing and drifting snow, and blizzard conditions may exist at times, the weather service said.
Before the snow, though, rain and thunderstorms are expected to break out along a cold front this afternoon in southwest, west-central and northern Oklahoma, with winds of 30 mph gusting over 40 mph. It should spread east and south tonight as cold air plunges deeper into the region, the weather service said.
The timeline and intensity of a winter storm changes rapidly, making it important to continue to monitor the weather, said Mike Foster, meteorologist in charge of the National Weather Service, Norman Forecast Office.
"This winter has been very active with record or near-record snow and ice events, each of which has presented very complex forecast problems,” he said. "The storm expected to impact us Friday and Saturday, is no exception.
"This very dynamic late winter storm will produce snow for many locations, but the amount at any spot will depend on small scale moisture and temperature details, which are still to be determined.”
Just a year ago, areas of Oklahoma received a state record dose of snow, a few days into spring.
On March 27-28, 2009, portions of northwest Oklahoma received more snow in a 24-hour period than any time since records began in 1892, with official measurements of 26 inches at Woodward and Freedom. Unofficial totals were even greater. The hardest hit areas in Oklahoma were in the extreme northwest as well as into the Panhandle.
Accumulations are not expected to reach those proportions. But, winter is expected to end with some of the same intensity it has displayed for months. And thus stores may see increased activity.
"We will sell a lot of milk and other groceries tomorrow for two reasons,” Terry Holden, a Braum’s spokesman said Thursday. "First, everybody who was going to come in Saturday will move it up a day. Second, folks do store up before bad weather.”
This winter’s weather
The winter of 2009-10 was not the coldest in Oklahoma history. It will end somewhere in the middle of the pack.
And, it was not the wettest, ranked at 23rd statewide going into Thursday.
"However, the cold and wet weather seemed to coincide at the most inopportune times to produce more bouts with frozen precipitation than we have seen in recent years,” said Gary McManus of the Oklahoma Climatological Survey.
Two storms definitely stand out, the Christmas Eve blizzard and the Jan. 28-29 ice storm.
"One of the strangest things about this winter, as it turns out, was not the cold weather but the lack of any substantial warm weather,” McManus said. "Oklahoma winters tend to be mild with intermittent bouts of frigid weather and pleasantly warm weather. The really cold weather showed, but the pleasantly warm weather was largely absent.”
With 20.7 inches of snow this winter, Oklahoma City enters the upcoming storm 4.5 inches short of tying its record.
Also this winter, temperatures in Oklahoma City dipped as low as 6 degrees on Jan. 10 and failed to reach 70 degrees, coming close with 69 degrees on March 5.
The highest temperature recorded this winter was 75 degrees at both Hollis and Waurika. The Oklahoma Mesonet failed to record a 70-degree temperature during February for the first time since the network’s inception in 1994.
The southern half of the state received far more moisture than did the northern half, McManus said. Up to 16 inches of precipitation fell in the southeast compared to just over 2 inches in the extreme northwest.
"That is a signature of an El Nino-influenced precipitation pattern,” McManus said.
Will spring arrive?
Eventually spring weather will show up.
But what will that mean this year?
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center says odds currently favor wetter-than-normal conditions in the Panhandle and northwestern Oklahoma and below-normal temperatures throughout most of the state.
We’ve known for about three days, here in Tulsa, that snow was coming... but it was kind of weird anyway — to be riding a bicycle out in 71-degree weather yesterday afternoon, knowing that in less than 24 hours from that time — there would be snow all over the ground and freezing weather... :-)
Also, you’ll find that here in Tulsa, having a March snowstorm is not that uncommon. In fact, I was told by my cousin (who has lived here for quite a while) that we could be expecting a March snowstorm, as a last gasp of winter... (that was up to a month ago... that I was told). And so, sure enough..., here it is... LOL ...
And another FReeper, on the other Oklahoma Snow Storm thread I posted up above, noted that a number of years ago (I think he said 1968) there was one where it dumped a couple of feet of snow... hoo-boy!
It does happen around here a lot, it seems... :-)
Oh yeah..., and one more thing... last year, at the end of March (and on a Saturday), we got 8 inches of snow in Tulsa... :-)
The rain and the front passed through Houston a few hours ago and I have a fire in my fireplace. I love cold weather, we get so little of it.
The Weather Channel lists OKC in the Top 10 of U.S. bad-winter cities.
By SARA PLUMMER World Staff Writer
Published: 3/19/2010 2:23 AM
Last Modified: 3/19/2010 4:58 AM
With nearly 21 inches of snow already recorded this winter season, Oklahoma City was among the Weather Channel's 10 worst winter-weather cities for 2009-10.
Robert Eliot waits on a tow truck after he lost control of his car on U.S. 75 near the 46th Street North exit on March 28, 2009. Tulsa, within reach of a record this year, could see snow Saturday. STEPHEN HOLMAN/Tulsa World file
Oklahoma City, only 100 miles from Tulsa, has had nearly 4 more inches of snow than Tulsa this winter, said Chuck Hodges, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
The biggest difference was Oklahoma City's 13.5 inches of snow on Christmas Eve and Christmas compared with the nearly 6 inches Tulsa saw.
The Weather Channel based its rankings on weather conditions and socioeconomic-related variables from Dec. 1 through Feb. 28 compared with averages of 30-year climatological data.
But meteorologists know that despite spring's official start Saturday, snow totals for both cities this season aren't set in stone yet.
National Weather Service meteorologist Kenneth Jackson said, "Some of our biggest snowstorms come in March."
Last year in Tulsa, 10.4 inches of snow fell in March, 6 inches of that in one day. In 1994, more than 14 inches of snow fell in the city in March.
"Every year, we've had something — either a trace (of snow) or a couple inches," Jackson said.
Snow is likely in Oklahoma in early spring because more moisture makes its way north from the Gulf of Mexico while northern cold fronts still come this far south, Jackson said.
And even though it happens every year, snow in March still surprises Oklahomans.
"We warm up to the 50s and 60s (and) you think winter's over," Jackson said. "It can swing from one extreme to another. It's Oklahoma weather."
The temperature extremes will be evident this weekend. Friday's springlike temperatures are expected to give way to thunderstorms and a cold front Saturday with a chance for snow, according to the National Weather Service.
The warm, fast southern winds from the Gulf of Mexico could actually increase the chance of snow because of all the moisture they bring, Jackson said.
After so much snow this winter, it might as well keep coming, he said.
"We might as well break the record if we can," Jackson said of Tulsa's 25.6-inch record, which was set in the winter of 1923-24. "It would have to be like last March."
With Tulsa sitting on 17.1 inches of snow this season, it would take more than 8 inches for that to happen. Official snowfall is measured at Tulsa International Airport.
If snow does accumulate Saturday, don't expect school to be closed Monday, Jackson said. Spring snowfalls rarely stick around.
"It's there, and the next day it's gone," he said.
10 worst winter-weather cities of 2009-10
* tied
Source: The Weather Channel
BY TIM HRENCHIR, KEVIN ELLIOTT
Created March 20, 2010 at 8:47pm
Updated March 21, 2010 at 12:28am
A late winter storm this weekend that ushered in the start of spring dropped more than 5 inches of snow in Topeka by Saturday night, nearly doubling the average snowfall for the month of March.
John Woynick, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Topeka, said additional accumulations were expected Saturday as another wave of snow moved toward the capital city from south-central Kansas.
Snow accumulation at 8 p.m. measured 5.2 inches at Topeka's Phillip Billard Municipal Airport, surpassing the area's 2.8-inch average for the entire month of March, according to the weather service.
Top 5 snowfalls
This weekend’s snow storm raises Topeka’s snowfall total for the 2009-2010 cold weather season to 40.7 inches by 5 p.m. Saturday, moving it from 10th to eighth on the city’s snowiest winters on record.
- 47.9 inches in 1912
- 44.4 inches in 1960
- 43.2 inhes in 1993
- 42.9 inches in 1979
- 42.5 inches in 1915
Source: National Weather Service
As much as 7 inches of snow had fallen by 8 p.m. in parts of Shawnee, Douglas, Jefferson, Wabaunsee, Jackson and Osage counties. The weather service estimated about 4 inches of snow by 8 p.m. Saturday in the Manhattan area and 2 or 3 inches of snow in parts of Geary and Lyon counties.
The weather service estimated an additional 1 to 3 inches were possible by Sunday morning along and southeast of a line from Lawrence to Emporia.
The snowfall attracted sledders to Quinton Heights hill just west of S.W. 24th and Topeka Boulevard, where Vernon Neff and his 7-year-old son, Nate, were among about 25 people taking trips down the hill using sleds or other means.
When asked about the sledding conditions, Vernon Neff said they were "a little windy," while Nate said he thought they were good.
"It doesn't seem to affect them," Vernon Neff said, gesturing toward his son and another child who was nearby.
City spokesman David Bevens said the city had 10 road crews working to clear streets but planned to call it a day at 7 p.m. Saturday. He said someone would be on call overnight if authorities made any requests.
Slick roadways helped precipitate what a Kansas Highway Patrol dispatcher described as "numerous slide-offs" in the Topeka area.
The Kansas Highway Patrol on Saturday morning said slick conditions caused a temporarily closure of Interstate 70 just west of Topeka, near S.W. Valencia Road. Dispatchers said the move was made in an effort to avoid serious problems linked to semi-trailers having trouble climbing ice-packed hills on I-70 in that area. The roadway was reopened at 9:43 a.m.
Injuries from a weather-related crash Saturday morning claimed the life of an Overland Park man when his vehicle struck the back of a tow truck in Johnson County, the patrol said.
Troopers said the man, Courtney Smith, 21, lost control of his 2004 Chevrolet Impala about 4:18 a.m. and struck the rear of a tow truck that was pulling a vehicle out of the median on southbound US-169 highway at 175th Street.
Shawnee County emergency dispatchers said sheriff's deputies responded to 20 accidents between 10 p.m. Friday and 5 p.m. Saturday, including one injury accident. Topeka police responded to 22 accidents, including one injury wreck and three hit-and-runs.
Topeka police at 6 p.m. Saturday remained in its Phase III accident reporting stage, meaning officers respond to injury accidents, hit-and-run crashes and disabling vehicle wrecks. Motorists involved in minor, non-injury accidents are advised to exchange information and file a report when weather improves.
Tim Hrenchir can be reached at (785) 295-1184 or tim.hrenchir@cjonline.com. Kevin Elliott can be reached at (785) 295-1192 or kevin.elliott@cjonline.com.