Severe weather had severe impacts on Southwest Oklahoma roads on Monday, and today looks to be more of the same.
Representatives from the Norman Office of the National Weather Service estimated the area had received up to 2 inches of rain by early Monday afternoon, which, combined with temperatures as low as 33 degrees and winds up to 21 mph, caused slick roads, reports of arcing power lines and school closures.
With icy conditions predicted for much of today, AEP-PSO has crews ready to move into action if the ice brings down power lines.
In addition to crews already in the area, 270 workers from Louisiana and Texas were moving into Southwest Oklahoma by Monday afternoon, said AEP-PSO spokesman Tim Hushbeck, adding the additional employees will work with existing crews to resolve problems by downed power lines in the southwest Oklahoma quadrant. While some crews will be staging in Chickasha, locally those crews will be staging at the L.O. Ranch Arena, he said.
“We are in preparation,” Hushbeck said.
The additional workers means the company will have dedicated crews working to restore power, as well as contracted tree crews — those normally assigned to the area to maintain vegetation around power lines — ready to respond to ice accumulations that had been predicted to be as much as 1 inch in some areas, under weather predictions released Monday. Some of those effects already were being felt in the area by Monday afternoon, to include areas around Elgin and Sterling, Hushbeck said.
Lawton, Elgin, Great Plains Technology Center and Altus Public Schools made the decision early to close schools today; however, area schools such as Anadarko and Cache were waiting to see how the weather developed before making the decision. Hobart and Anadarko both released early Monday due to the weather.
Lawton Public Schools announced mid-afternoon Monday that its traditional, in-class students would have a virtual day today because of inclement weather. LPS Superintendent Kevin Hime had said earlier this year that in the event of inclement weather, the district could convert its entire student body to virtual classes, without losing a day of school. Monday’s announcement, made after ice was predicted for the area, said all students would receive instructions/work from their teacher(s) via Google Classroom, SeeSaw or before leaving school Monday.
Great Plains Technology Center’s Lawton campus will be closed today for inclement weather, after closing at 3 p.m. Monday for the same reason. The closure means short-term adult evening classes also are canceled.
Elgin Public Schools announced Monday that it would cancel classes for all students today, due to the weather.
At Fort Sill, all essential personnel will report at normal hours today. Non-mission-essential personnel will report at noon, Public Affairs Officer Darrell Ames said.
The PX will open at noon. The Army/Air Force Exchange Service’s 24-hour Express at the southwest corner of Mow-Way and Sheridan roads will remain open, but other Shoppettes will open at noon. Religious services are closed until noon. All Fort Sill Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation facilities are closed until noon today.
Check the US Army Fort Sill Facebook page for more information and updates.
By early afternoon Monday, the Caddo County Communications Center had already been inundated with calls. One representative said the Oklahoma Highway Patrol was working multiple accidents and dealing with cars in ditches. The center also was receiving calls for arcing power lines.
Jackson County Undersheriff Stacy Randolph said his deputies and OHP had already worked 11 accidents, mostly on or near bridges, by 1 p.m. Monday. Neither county reported fatalities.
“I’m urging people to slow down,” Randolph said. “Approach bridges with caution and take extra time to get where you’re going.”
Comanche County Memorial said several of its clinics are planning delayed openings or closures today and requests patients call before they venture out to their appointments to ensure their clinic is open.
According to the National Weather Service, the frozen precipitation isn’t in any hurry to leave the state. The National Weather Service is forecasting freezing rain before 10 a.m. today, then rain and freezing rain, possibly mixed with sleet between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., then rain after 1 p.m. Temperatures are estimated to reach a high near 35 with winds out of the north at 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New ice accumulation of 0.10 to 0.30 of an inch are possible with little or no sleet accumulation expected.
Reporters Chris Wilson, Kim McConnell and Mitch Meador contributed to this report.
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October 27, 2020 at 01:00PM
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Monday's severe weather | News | swoknews.com - The Lawton Constitution
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