Posted on 12/25/2009, 7:08:16 AM by Star Traveler
Published December 25, 2009 12:15 am - A blizzard for the ages plowed through Norman and much of the state Thursday, leaving about a foot of snow on the ground and stranding motorists and emergency responders all over the city. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol shut down all of the interstates in the state, including Interstate 35 through Norman.
By Andrew Knittle
A blizzard for the ages plowed through Norman and much of the state Thursday, leaving about a foot of snow on the ground and stranding motorists and emergency responders all over the city.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol shut down all of the interstates in the state, including Interstate 35 through Norman. At about 5 p.m., law enforcement also barricaded on-ramps to I-35 as vehicles continued to try and access the highway only to get stuck along the way.
At press time, Deputy Fire Chief Jim Bailey said the fire department had been on nearly 100 calls, most to help stranded or marooned motorists. Numerous firefighters, police officers and motorists were stuck all over the city, most of them by snow drifts that could stand several feet tall.
According to scanner reports, one officer even had his door frozen open, apparently as he assisted a motorist somewhere in Norman.
Bailey, who's been working in Norman for the past 29 years, said Thursday's blizzard was one of the worst he's seen.
"We had one or two back in the 1980s that were pretty bad, one during the OU-OSU game as I recall," Bailey said. "But it's been a long time since we've seen something like this.
At press time, Bailey said he wasn't aware of any serious injuries or deaths in Norman attributed to the blizzard.
Vanessa Pearson, from Tyler, Texas, called The Transcript newsroom about 6 p.m. Thursday from her vehicle, which was stuck on I-35 south of Norman. She said the road conditions on the interstate weren't any better than those on city streets.
"I've moved maybe a half-mile in two-and-a-half hours," she said. "It's like L.A., Houston, Dallas traffic right now."
Pearson said she called authorities, but they told her it wasn't clear when help would arrive.
"I'm turning my car on and off," said Pearson, who was headed to Kansas. "I'm not sure what's going to happen tonight."
Power outages also were reported by OG--E in Moore, Norman and Noble, as of press time. At one point, Norman had more than 250 without power; Noble had 101 and Moore had about 1,100.
Statewide, about 7,000 OG--E customers were affected by the blizzard.
Andrew Knittle 366-3540 aknittle@normantranscript.com
December 25, 2009 -- Updated 0015 GMT (0815 HKT)
(CNN) -- Oklahoma's governor ordered every state highway, interstate and turnpike closed Thursday night, hours after declaring a statewide emergency because of a major winter storm battering the state and the rest of the central U.S.
"I am urging all Oklahomans to take winter storm precautions and stay off the roads unless travel is absolutely necessary," Gov. Brad Henry said earlier in the day after declaring a state of emergency. "This is a very serious winter storm, and we want Oklahomans to stay safe."
Heavy snow and limited visibility has left treacherous road conditions in Oklahoma on Christmas Eve, snarling holiday travel, according to CNN affiliate KOCO-TV.
In Midwest City, Oklahoma, nearly 50 vehicles were involved in a chain-reaction accident, the station reported. The quickly accumulating snow also caused the roof collapse of a well-known, landmark furniture store in Oklahoma City, officials told KOCO-TV
FROM STAFF REPORTS
Published: December 24, 2009
Blizzard-like conditions and wrecks prompted state authorities to close all interstate highways in Oklahoma City along with the H.E. Bailey and Turner turnpikes.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol closed Oklahoma City interstates about 2:30 p.m. Troopers had previously closed eastbound Interstate 40 at U.S. 81 in El Reno.
The H.E. Bailey Turnpike, which is the portion of Interstate 44 extending southwest from Newcastle to the Texas state line, is closed because of the weather, the patrol reported.
The Turner Turnpike, which is the portion of I-44 extending northeast from Oklahoma City to Tulsa, is also closed because of the weather, Oklahoma Turnpike Authority Jack Damrill said.
Military vehicles are being dispatched to H.E. Bailey Turnpike to pick up stranded motorists, Damrill said.
It's unknown how many motorists may be stranded on the turnpikes.
"We've got a couple troopers stranded," Damrill said.
Officials have not estimated when the roadways will reopen.
Troopers have reported numerous weather-related wrecks across the state because of today's storm.
By Staff and Wire Reports
Published: 12/24/2009 8:39 AM
Last Modified: 12/24/2009 8:43 PM
The blizzard that swept through Oklahoma on Christmas Eve was deadly for some travelers and forced many others to change their holiday plans.
Three people were killed in a crash on the icy Keystone Expressway west of Sand Springs, and Gov. Brad Henry declared a state of emergency for all 77 Oklahoma counties.
A blizzard warning was in effect through 6 a.m. Friday for more than 30 Oklahoma counties, including the Tulsa and Oklahoma City metropolitan areas.
The blizzard warning was the first for Tulsa County since the National Weather Service’s Tulsa office was opened in the early 1990s, said NWS forecaster Max Blood.
The governor’s emergency 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 become necessary.
About 1,300 homes in the Tulsa area had reported power outages by about 7 p.m. Thursday, but more outages were anticipated as conditions worsened into the night, AEP-PSO spokeswoman Andrea Chancellor said.
Precarious roads: Henry said he was “urging all Oklahomans to take winter storm precautions and stay off the roads unless travel is absolutely necessary. This is a very serious winter storm, and we want Oklahomans to stay safe.”
Three people were killed in a two-vehicle crash west of Sand Springs about noon Thursday.
The vehicles, a Hummer H2 and a Chevrolet Cobalt, collided on the Keystone Expressway west of Oklahoma 97 about noon, Sand Springs Fire Department Lt. Steve Pilant said.
The three victims, whose names have not been released, were in the Cobalt, Pilant said. The driver of the Hummer had minor injuries and was taken by EMSA to a local hospital, he said.
The official Oklahoma Highway Patrol report with further details of the wreck was not available Thursday night.
In Tulsa, city crews began spreading a mixture of sand and salt on bridges and overpasses about 11:45 a.m. Thursday, said Darren Stefanek, Public Works Department street maintenance manager.
By 1 p.m., the crews had moved to treating city streets, he said.
Fifty-five trucks went into “plow mode” about 4 p.m. and worked into the night, Stefanek said.
“We’re getting hit by waves of this stuff,” he said. “We catch up, and then another wave comes. That’s the way it’s going to be the rest of the night.”
At the National Weather Service’s Tulsa office, Blood said meteorologists heard “thundersnow” and saw lightning during the height of the snow storm. “In those convective bursts, we believe it was falling at the rate of 4 inches per hour,” he said, adding that they didn’t last long.
By 8:30 p.m., 5 inches of snow had been recorded at the weather service’s Tulsa office, and 4 inches was on the ground at Tulsa International Airport, Blood said.
But meteorologists were hearing of 2- and 3-foot drifts in some areas because of the intense winds.
Heavier snowfall was recorded in areas just southwest of Tulsa County, Blood said.
Western Pawnee County had the most snow in the area, Blood said. Officials there measured 10 inches of snow on the ground, and an estimated 13 inches had fallen in some areas there, he said.
Another inch or so was still possible, but with continued winds throughout the night, drifting should continue, he said.
Tulsa officials closed some of the worst city streets during the height of the blizzard, and the full lengths of the Creek and Turner turnpikes, as well as parts of other highways across the state, were closed.
Local authorities put Tulsa police on Operation Slick Streets about 7 a.m. Thursday, meaning emergency crews would not respond to noninjury crashes until the designation was lifted.
Air travel: Blowing snow and sleet caused flight delays and cancellations at Tulsa International Airport, but many of the problems are not related to local runway conditions, officials said.
“The runway looks good,” said Ken Miller, deputy director of airport operations.
Between 3 and 9 p.m. Thursday, 13 of 19 flights that were scheduled to leave from Tulsa were cancelled by the airlines. Destinations of the cancelled flights were Denver, St. Louis, Memphis, Houston, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Dallas-Fort Worth, Detroit and Atlanta.
Out of 25 flights that were scheduled to arrive between 3 and 9 p.m., 14 were cancelled, according to the airport’s Web site at www.tulsaairports.com.
Due to weather and heavy snow, Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City was closed as of 1 p.m. Thursday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration’s Web site.
The FAA said arriving flights at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport were delayed an average of two hours and 20 minutes as of 4 p.m.
Miller said Tulsa International’s passenger terminal would be open regardless of the amount of snow.
The airport has a supply of de-icing chemicals and sand and plows to keep runways and roadways open, officials said.
The airport’s Web site published a winter weather advisory, saying, “Regardless of weather, the airline terminal building will remain open. Departing passengers and those picking up passengers for arriving flights are encouraged to confirm with their airline the status of that flight before leaving for the airport.”
“I’ve already cried,” said Kayla Barr, 23, of Tulsa, whose Christmas Eve flight from Tulsa to Memphis, Tenn., and on to Michigan on Delta Airlines was cancelled.
Barr said she wanted to see her 90-year-old great-grandmother, whose health has been declining.
Instead of rescheduling her flight for Friday, Barr said she will spend Christmas alone and request a $400 refund.
“I was supposed to fly back (to Tulsa) early Sunday morning, and there isn’t enough time because my family stays far from the airport in Michigan,” she said.
Mindy Sorey, 37, and her husband rented a car and planned to drive back to Colorado Springs with their 6-year-old son despite the icy road conditions Thursday evening.
Sorey said she and her family had spent a week in Bartlesville and were supposed to have flown to Denver on Thursday evening.
“We were told we wouldn’t be able to fly back to Colorado until New Year’s Eve because we needed three passenger seats,” she said.
Wesley Anderson of Tulsa was flying to Indiana but was supposed to have a layover in Memphis before his flight was cancelled.
“I’m angry, and I’ve been let down,” said Anderson, who would have to see his girlfriend, sister and mother a day later than planned.
He rescheduled his flights for early Friday morning.
Last-minute shopping: The weather improved Christmas Eve morning shopping, according to several local businesses, as those who had procrastinated until the last day rushed to do their shopping early, before conditions got too bad.
Daniel Moore, Food Pyramid store director at 41st Street and Peoria Avenue, said shoppers were stocking up on supplies and winter items such as ice-melting chemicals.
“People are probably buying a little more today so they don’t have to get out in that (weather) tomorrow,” Moore said.
Mangers of the J.C. Penney and Dillard’s stores at the Tulsa Promenade mall said they were ahead of their goals going into Thursday afternoon, as last-minute shoppers raced the weather.
Dillard’s manager Dennis Hix said his store was doing better than last year.
“We’re real pleased with the traffic,” he said. “Since 8 a.m., we’ve been packed.”
Ron Kise, the Penney’s manager, said the weather helped pack shoppers into his Tulsa store, but he said stores in the Oklahoma City area, which was hit by icy weather much earlier in the day, suffered.
World staff writers Jarrel Wade, Deon Hampton, Matt Barnard, Shannon Muchmore, Althea Peterson and D.R. Stewart contributed to this story.
The Oklahoma Corporation Commission reports about 16,000 homes and businesses are without power due to the storm. This includes the following outages:
How to drive on snow and ice
The following winter-weather tips for motorists were provided by AAA-Oklahoma:
Contact information for airlines serving Tulsa International Airport:
Source: Tulsa Airport Authority.
How’s that global warming working for you?
(We were in not-dissimilar straits last year here.)
Just WOW...I’m certainly counting my blessings down here in southeast Texas.
“
A blizzard for the ages plowed through Norman and much of the state
Thursday, leaving about a foot of snow on the ground and stranding motorists
and emergency responders all over the city.
“
In Oklahoma, winter precipitation is like going to the casino.
It’s usually any combination of the following:
no precip
rain
sleet
ice
little snow
lots of snow
I’ll never foget driving from Okalhoma City to my home in north-central
OK on I-35.
Had to drive on the shoulder about the last 60 miles as it was gravely...
and thus provided about the only real traction during the ice storm.
I suspect I averaged about 30 miles per hour, if that. But did get
home safe. Quite an adventure.
Life is so hard in those lowlands. ;-) Keep safe, y’all.
It’s Obama’s fault
TTISWOP
?
****
No, no, no. It's George Bush's fault. Everything that is bad or wrong is George Bush's fault. He and Dick Cheney control the weather too, ya know. (sarc.)
How’s that global warming working for you?
For me Global Warming is just like a coin in my pocket. It's got a heads and tails... :-)
So, with Global Warming is Global Cooling... one is heads and the other is tails. You never get them both on the same toss. It's got to come up either heads or tails.
Likewise, it's Global Warming one time, and then later it's Global Cooling... and you get one or the other... no big deal... LOL...
But, in this case, I would be more worried if I saw 12 inches of snow in July and August -- or -- we have a 110-degree heat wave in December and January... :-) But, in this case, it's the same ole stuff for this time of year...
It’s too dark for pictures right now... :-)
I learned that driving on the shoulder trick back in Oklahoma in the sixties. I left Norman for Christmass break heading to Ardmore. Usually took about 1 1/2 hours. Took almost six that day. Hit snow just south of Purcell and was too stupid to go back to OU. Only two cars on the road. Just me and a Oklahoma State Trooper. I followed him and did everything he did to include the driving on the shoulder trick. Even bumped into him once when he suddenly slowed down. He just waved and we kept on.
BTW, this was before I35 over the Arbuckles. We took the old way on US 77. Just as we got to the top, I tuned in a local radio station that reported that Highway patrol car 57 had just phoned in to annnounce 77 was closed. I looked up and I was following car 57.
My dad almost killed me when I got home for being so stupid.
Lake of the Ozarks must be just on the edge of this storm. Its blowing like mad right now but there’s less than two inches of snow.
Prayers, just prayers right now.
Amazing.
My Prayers with my Okie friends.
We drove from Hutto TX to my home (60 mi. N. of Abilene) last night arriving at 6:30PM. Normal 5 hour trip took 10 hours of driving.
We were very very fortunate to arrive back home safely. 2 cars of us.
Merry Christmas & enjoy a “White” Christmas.
And you global warming idiots, please turn up the heat.
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