EDMOND — Edmond officials prepared for a powerful winter storm that could cause slick and hazardous road conditions, power outages and school closings.

Wednesday’s relatively pleasant conditions — partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the low 60s — gave Edmond and other metro residents some time to stock up on supplies for possible power outages.

The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for an area including central Oklahoma for ice, sleet and snow from 6 a.m. Thursday to 6 a.m. Friday, the most likely time for hazardous winter weather.

KOCO-5 chief meteorologist Rick Mitchell said freezing rain would begin to accumulate on power lines and elevated surfaces, most likely at mid-morning Thursday. Mitchell said snow totals likely will be up to 2 inches in the metro area, a smaller amount than some earlier predictions.

The most likely area for a quarter-inch to half-inch of ice accumulation is south of and east of a line from Stillwater to El Reno to Hobart to Altus, according to the National Weather Service. Greater sleet and snow accumulations are likely from west central to north central Oklahoma.

Mitchell said half an inch of ice might be a good average for the metro area. Area residents also might experience “thunder sleet,” he said.

“It’s looking more like an ice event than a snow event for Oklahoma City and Edmond,” Mitchell said.

Predicted gusty north and northeast winds of about 30 mph would add additional stress to power lines that may have ice accumulations, Mitchell said.

Dean Sherrick, distribution superintendent for Edmond Electric, the city’s electricity provider, said various city officials met mid-day Wednesday to discuss the response to the storm, which will depend on its severity.

City emergency management coordinator Mike Magee is updating officials on the weather situation through e-mail alerts, Sherrick said. A command post will be set up at Edmond’s Cross Timbers Municipal Complex.

Edmond Electric has a fleet of utility vehicles and 35 linemen and supervisors at its disposal, Sherrick said. As the storm develops, city officials will determine the extent of any damage and determine if there is a need to call in outside assistance, he said. Also, shifts may be extended during the storm.

“Then we just start taking care of business,” Sherrick said.

Shifts also could be extended for the city’s street crews, said Keith Stewart, Edmond’s field services superintendent. Plowing will begin as soon as ice begins to accumulate on city snow routes to minimize the accumulation of ice under the snow, Stewart said.

Regarding the issue of what streets are plowed first, Stewart said unlike most northern cities Edmond is not equipped to handle widespread plowing. Snow routes are a priority, and once they are cleared, the effort will expand to other areas, he said.

Edmond has eight trucks that can be outfitted with plows, a small truck with a plow for parking lots and one grader for plowing, Stewart said. Up to four contractor graders are available if needed, he said.

“These are 20- and 30-year storms and we just aren’t equipped to handle them on a regular basis,” Stewart said.

Stewart said stalled or stranded cars hinder plowing and he urged residents who don’t have to travel to stay home. That would speed up the plowing process, he said.

Edmond Police Sgt. Scott Fees also urged residents to heed weather warnings and road advisories.

“All too often, we see motorists out and about, making unnecessary trips, only to get stuck in the snow, slide off into a ditch, or have a collision,” Fees said.

Fees said during snow storms police also receive many calls about motorists “doing donuts” in parking lots, and pulling their children on sleds behind vehicles in residential neighborhoods. Police get unnecessarily bogged down with these calls, he said.

“We understand this can be fun, but it is actually illegal,” Fees said. “We ask that motorists be prepared and responsible, and more importantly, be safe.”

The city’s salt supply, partially used during the Christmas storm, is where it needs to be, Stewart said. The city has a storage capacity of 450-500 tons of an efficient salt blend, and 300-400 tons of sand, he said.

During the Dec. 8, 2007, storm, areas along the I-44 corridor received at least 1.5 inches of ice accumulation, with some areas up to 3 inches from Oklahoma City to Tulsa. OG&E completed electric system restoration on Dec. 21, 2007.



marks@edmondsun.com | 341-2121, ext. 102