EDMOND — Edmond area schools closed Thursday as a developing ice storm slowed motorists and kept city street crews busy.
At mid-day in the Oklahoma City area, moisture was streaming northward above a shallow layer of cold air as a strong upper level storm system moved northeastward toward the area. A strong cold front pushed through the state Wednesday night and early Thursday morning, bringing sub-freezing temperatures and wind gusts around 30 mph.
Freezing rain was falling along and south of a line from Sayre to El Reno to Oklahoma City and to Tulsa. Edmond was included in a band in which a quarter-inch to 1-inch of freezing rain could fall, before turning to sleet and snow Thursday night or Friday morning. Road conditions were expected to gradually deteriorate.
City officials continued to meet on a regular basis, and some employees were working longer shifts as the storm developed. Matt Stillwell, director of central communications and emergency management for Edmond, said the updates have been helpful.
“We’re in good shape here,” Stillwell said. “We’re ready to go.”
Dean Sherrick, distribution superintendent for Edmond Electric, the city’s electricity provider, said city departments met around noon and would meet again at about 4 p.m. Thursday to assess the situation.
Sherrick said as of mid-afternoon there were no weather-related power outages. Sherrick said he had stepped outside several times and had not yet seen any ice accumulating on power lines.
However, that was expected to change later in the day, Sherrick said.
Stillwell said the information being broadcast by Oklahoma City television stations was fairly consistent with the information city officials were receiving, that the area could expect a quarter-inch to 1-inch worth of ice. Stillwell said workers were preparing for the worst but hoping for the best.
Area closings, delays
In addition to Edmond schools and all activities closing Thursday, an Edmond North wrestling tournament scheduled for Friday and Saturday was canceled. Deer Creek also was closed Thursday, and patrons were urged to monitor the school Web site and local news outlets for decisions regarding school closings for Friday.
The University of Central Oklahoma closed at noon and will remain closed through Sunday evening. All classes and events were canceled and all offices were closed.
Among Edmond’s private schools, Oklahoma Christian School was closed on Thursday and Friday.
In other storm-related developments, state offices closed for non-essential personnel in Oklahoma County. Oklahoma County courthouse offices also closed Thursday.
Edmond trash collection for today was delayed one day to Saturday.
State of emergency
On Wednesday, prompted by the threat of widespread power outages, Gov. Brad Henry declared a state of emergency for all of Oklahoma’s 77 counties as local and state officials continued their emergency response preparations.
The executive order was the first step toward seeking federal aid should it be necessary. The governor urged Oklahomans to do their part by staying aware of weather conditions and to not take any unnecessary risks.
“Our hope is the storm will not be as severe as many weather models have predicted, but we will be ready to respond to anything,” Henry said in a news release.
Henry said officials began preparing for the storm earlier this week by pre-positioning assets across the state. State troopers, National Guard personnel, emergency management officials, road crews and other first responders were on call.
marks@edmondsun.com | 341-2121, ext. 102
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MARK SCHLACHTENHAUFEN | THE EDMOND SUN Edmond heavy equipment operator David Noriega loads salt into a city truck Thursday at the Cross Timbers Municipal Complex. Field services supervisor Herb Mason said the city uses a treated salt product, which spreads better and doesn't slide as much as some other products. As the ice storm developed, a growing number of streets were being salted and sanded.
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MARK SCHLACHTENHAUFEN | THE EDMOND SUN Brittany Bowens, a University of Central Oklahoma student from Lawton, chips ice that had accumulated on her car while it sat in the UCO parking lot. UCO closed early on Thursday and will remain closed until Sunday evening.
Discussion
Edmond, state officials respond to winter storm
Gov. Henry declares state of emergency
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