Posted on 03/20/2010 9:57:50 AM PDT by Star Traveler
By Staff Reports
Published: 3/20/2010 8:22 AM
Last Modified: 3/20/2010 11:17 AM
The National Weather Service is predicting that the Tulsa area will be hit with 5 to 10 inches of snow over the weekend.
Meteoroligist David Jankowski said Saturday morning's mix of sleet and rain will turn to snow by early afternoon.
"We're kind of in the transition stage," Jankowski said.
Tulsa should see 2 to 4 inches of snow Saturday and another 2 to 3 inches overnight, Jankowski said.
Another 1 to 3 inches is possible on Sunday before the precipitation stops Sunday afternoon.
"Monday, this should be pushing out of the area and we can see mostly sunny skies with temperatures rebounding into the mid-50's," Jankowski said.
The temperature at Tulsa International Airport at 8 a.m. was 31 degrees with Ponca City and Stillwater already showing snow.
"So the snow is not too far," Jankowski said.
Meanwhile, Tulsa Police say they have responded to at least four weather-related crashes Saturday morning.
"Those are either injury or possible injury" accidents," said Capt. Randy Hughes. "What I'm hearing is that the overpasses are slushy and slick."
Darren Stefanek, the manager of street maintenance in the Public Works Department, said the city has eight trucks on the streets with crews concentrating on bridges.
"I plan on having all 54 trucks in by four o'clock," Stefanek said. "However, if conditions deteriorate I'll have them in earlier."
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation is reporting one-quarter to one-half inch of snow in western Oklahoma and mist and sleet in the central part of the state.
ODOT crews are treating bridges, which are the first road surfaces to freeze, first.
As of 10:15 a.m. the Tulsa International Airport Web site was showing two flights delayed and one canceled. That's out of 25 flights scheduled to depart the airport between 10 a.m. and 5:45 p.m.
In advance of the winter storm, state officials declared a state of emergency late Friday for all 77 of Oklahoma's counties.
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.
The storm could make driving hazardous and hinder fans trying to get to men's and women's NCAA tournament games scheduled for Saturday and Sunday in Oklahoma City and Norman, officials said.
"We certainly hate that it may affect attendance," said Laura Kriegel, director of marketing and communications for the Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau. "We hope it passes by and we have some great basketball."
Kriegel said hotels in downtown Oklahoma City are sold out for the men's tournament, but she encouraged ticketholders who plan to drive to the Ford Center arena for the college basketball games to take road conditions into account.
"We want people to use their best judgment. Be mindful of the weather," she said.
The storm was expected to be the third major winter storm to hit the state in the past three months, starting with a Christmas Eve blizzard that dropped more than 14 inches of snow in some areas and stranded holiday travelers on snow-packed highways.
Forecasters said 8 to 10 inches of snow was likely Saturday from north central Oklahoma to southeast of the Oklahoma City area and that a blizzard warning could be issued as the storm intensifies.
"You just can't trust Mother Nature in Oklahoma," said Sukie Allison, spokeswoman for the state Department of Transportation.
Allison said more than 100 state road crews readied snow plows and other snow-removal equipment in advance of the storm and that the state had enough sand and salt to keep snow-covered roadways open.
Rick Smith, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Norman, said early spring snowstorms are not unprecedented in Oklahoma. A storm in late March 2009 dropped record snowfall in parts of the state and was the second-most-severe winter storm of the year, behind the Christmas Eve blizzard.
Where’e Al Gore? Heavy snows in late March? This has been such a miserable winter.
Wow, winter is sure going out with a bang!
It’s Coming down. Guess I’ll have to sit around, drink coffee and get mad as hell watching Fox News.
Associated Press - March 20, 2010 3:55 AM ET
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A powerful storm is expected to bring heavy snow and strong winds to Oklahoma and other parts of the southern Plains on the first day of spring.
Forecasters are expecting blizzard conditions Saturday, with winds of up to 35 mph that could create large snow drifts and make driving hazardous.
See you guys later. :)
Wow, winter is sure going out with a bang!
Same thing happened last year about the end of March, with about 8 inches of snow in Tulsa... on a Saturday, too...
Heavy snows in late March? This has been such a miserable winter.
Actually, my relatives tell me that it happens quite a bit around here in Tulsa, in March... they say there's usually a last snowstorm in March...
My cousin was telling me that for the last few weeks, and sure enough, here it is... :-)
It’s coming through. We were in the mid-60’s for a couple days then last night, 14degrees with 10-12”.
It moved east into the Texas panhandle.
Thank you Father God for this much needed moisture we are now receiving, our wheat farmers will be so happy when their crops come in. Thank you for this blessing.
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:
Curses, Global Warming!
Amazing, ain't it?
I’m gonna go downstairs and put on some music and reorganize my loading bench.
See you guys later. :)
An organized loading bench? What a sick mind.
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
It’s STILL snowing in KC. Wonder how many inches we’ll get.
***Rick Smith, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Norman, said early spring snowstorms are not unprecedented in Oklahoma.***
How many here remember March 14, 1968! Weatherman Don Woods said a dry front would be coming through and was nothing to worry about.
By March 15 there was TWO FEET of “dry front” on the ground in NE Oklahoman and NW Arkansas! Many had almost a full week without electricity and almost no one had a 4-wd vehicle then!
Good idea, I’m gonna crank out some .410 and 28 gauge today.
Yep, but I love it though... I like it when it swings from 71 degrees one day to 10 inches of snow the next.
And you know..., I didn’t bring my cross-country skis from Oregon, but after being here in Oklahoma again (after a long number of years away), I think I’m going to get some cross country skis here, because I could have used them several times now, in the last couple of winters... (and I didn’t think I would when I came here... LOL ...).
Hoo-boy! ... :-)
I wasn’t here then, but in Oregon, however, I do see this sort of thing is not unusual for Oklahoma and certainly not for Tulsa...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.