OKC ice and snow situation update Feb. 18

Published on February 10, 2024

 

OKC Streets
Public Works crews are salting along OKC snow routes in 12-hour shifts around the clock until street conditions improve.

The City has 30 trucks affixed with salt spreaders. Public Works crews pretreated snow routes with a beet solution earlier this week.

People should avoid driving during hazardous conditions. If you must drive, you should have someone to call if you are stranded. If you get stranded, try to move your car off the road so other vehicles can safely pass.

  • Stay on snow routes - Stay home if you can. If you must drive, stay on the City’s snow routes. Visit okc.gov/prepare to see the regional snow route map.
  • Give plow/salt trucks space - Keep about 200 feet between your vehicle and salt/plow trucks.
  • Accident tracker - Residents can view accidents on OKC roads by logging on to the City’s accident tracker at okc.gov.

Please note that neighborhood streets are not part of the snow routes and will not be treated.

People who are unhoused
Key to Home Partnership outreach teams and service providers fanned out in the community warning people experiencing homelessness about the freezing temperatures moving into Oklahoma City.

EMBARK buses will transport people experiencing homelessness to a shelter free of charge. People who are homeless with pets are welcome to stay at the Homeless Alliance or City Care.

Overnight shelters need financial contributions and donations of hand warmers and shelf-stable food. People can drop items off at one of the shelters listed below.

Cash contributions, which can be made on each nonprofit's website, help pay for things like blankets, food and staffing.

Overnight shelters

Homeless Alliance, 1601 NW 4th St.

  • Day Shelter: 1729 NW 3rd St.

City Care, 532 N Villa Ave.

City Rescue Mission, 800 W California Ave.

Salvation Army, 1001 N Penn Ave.

Overnight youth shelters

Sisu Youth, 2129 NW 30th St.

Pivot, 201 NE 50th St.

If you see someone experiencing homelessness, call 211 to connect them to services. To contact an outreach team, call the Action Center at (405) 297-2535.

If there is an emergency, call 911.

Solid waste services

  • Trash and recycling collections scheduled for today, Feb. 18, have been postponed and will be collected on Saturday, Feb. 22.
  • Trash and recycling collections for Thursday and Friday are expected to run as scheduled.
  • Carts reported as missed on Monday, Feb. 17, will be collected as soon as possible this week when conditions improve.
  • All customers should place their carts at the curb by 6 a.m. on their designated or rescheduled collection day. Carts reported as missed should be left at the curb until collected.
  • The remainder of bulky waste/big junk collections scheduled for this week will take place on Thursday and Friday, and potentially Saturday if necessary.
  • Customers awaiting trash or recycling cart deliveries or repairs will experience delays, as these services will not resume until Thursday.

City offices
The City of Oklahoma City offices will be operating with limited staff on Wednesday, Feb. 19. Please do business online or over the phone.

Oklahoma City Municipal Court
Court has been canceled for Feb. 19. Oklahoma City Municipal Court will grant continuances or cancel court sessions if streets are slick and hazardous. Canceled court sessions will be posted on oklahomaclosings.com. Defendants will be notified of their new court date. The public counter will be open for those wanting to pay their fines in person. Payments can also be made by calling (405) 297-3898 or logging on to okc.gov.

OKC Parks
OKC Parks recreation centers, community centers, performing arts centers, senior centers and gyms will be closed Wednesday, Feb. 19. Pete White Health & Wellness Center will not provide meal service.

All outdoor parks will be open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Martin Park Nature Center and Will Rogers Gardens will keep their regular winter hours.

All five municipal golf courses will be closed Wednesday, Feb. 19.

EMBARK
EMBARK will continue to implement the following Winter Weather Service Detours and stop closures to ensure safer travel.  

Service levels through Wednesday, Feb. 19: 

  • OKC Fixed Route & RAPID NW: Level 2 Winter Weather Detours 
  • OKC Streetcar: Regular schedule

When temperatures drop below 32 degrees, EMBARK offers free transit services to the overnight shelters. For those needing public transportation to other destinations, see bus routes here: https://go.embarkok.com/.

Our winter weather page will share information on the status of EMBARK’s senior transportation and mobility management programs. We will continue to monitor road conditions and resume regular service as soon as it is safe to do so. Call (405) 235-RIDE for the latest updates before traveling.

OKC Animal Welfare

The OKC Animal Shelter will be closed on Wednesday, Feb. 19.

OKC Animal Welfare reminds residents that if it is too cold for you, it’s probably too cold for your pet. Keep your animals inside. Dog owners must protect their dogs from the elements when the temperature dips below 32 degrees.

When left alone in freezing weather for more than 30 minutes, many dog breeds will become frostbitten and could even freeze to death. If a dog dies after being exposed to extreme weather, the dog’s owner can be charged with a felony.

  • Make sure your companion animal has a warm place to sleep, off the floor and away from all drafts. A cozy dog or cat bed with a warm blanket or pillow is perfect.
  • Dog houses without insulation are not enough to protect dogs from hypothermia. The structure should have a safe heat source. Vehicles are not considered adequate shelter.
  • Freezing drinking water also poses a risk to pets.
  • Towel dry your pet immediately after they come inside, paying attention to their paws and stomach.

OKC Will Rogers International Airport

During inclement weather, travelers should contact their airline to check on the status of their flight before leaving for the airport.

OKC Zoo

The OKC Zoo and Botanical Garden is closed on Feb. 19.

Protecting your pipes

During winter weather events, some customers choose to drip their faucets to prevent pipes from freezing. If you do, special care should be taken to prevent excessive water use and to protect our vital natural resource. Here are a few tips:

  • Only drip faucets on walls along the exterior of the home.
  • It does not take a heavy flow of water to effectively prevent pipes from freezing. Only a small, steady drip or stream no wider than a pencil lead is needed.
  • Avoid dripping faucets when temperatures rise above 32 degrees.
  • Open cabinets underneath sinks to allow warm air to circulate and keep pipes warmer.
  • If your house has a basement or crawl space, wrap exposed water pipes with frost- or freeze-protection wrap to insulate them against freezing.
  • If you notice your pipes are frozen, use your home’s shut-off valve to shut off water to your home and allow the pipes to thaw.

Oklahoma Natural Gas

Oklahoma Natural Gas continues to monitor the weather and deliver safe, reliable natural gas to its customers’ homes and businesses across the state.

The accumulation of snow and ice increases the potential for damage to natural gas meters and above-ground pipeline facilities. Here are some tips to stay safe and warm:

  • Keep exhaust and combustion air vents of natural gas appliances clear of snow and ice to maintain smooth operation and prevent carbon monoxide from entering homes and other structures.
  • Extreme care should be taken when removing ice or snow from such vents or a natural gas meter. When possible, use a broom instead of a shovel to avoid damage, and never stand or climb on unsafe ground or surfaces to reach vents.
  • If you smell natural gas:
  • Leave the area immediately.
  • Do not use electrical equipment.
  • Call 911 and Oklahoma Natural Gas at 800-458-4251.

Additionally, customers can follow the tips below to help reduce their natural gas use and lower their bills:

  • Keep warm, not hot — when possible, wear additional layers of clothing and check your programmable settings.
  • Hold off doing chores that involve using natural gas appliances until temperatures rebound.
  • Set the temperature on your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Apply weatherstripping and caulk to seal gaps and cracks around doors and windows.
  • Change or clean the filters on heating or air conditioning units.
  • Install foam gaskets to seal outlets and electrical switches.

    EMSA

    EMSA medics are responding to a significant increase in the number of traffic accidents, slips and falls and cold exposure calls in the Oklahoma City area. 

    As of 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, EMSA Paramedics and EMTs responded to six cold exposure calls and transported four patients to local hospitals. Crews have also responded to 23 traffic accidents and transported four patients to local hospitals, which is about three times more than normal.

    OG&E

    While OG&E does not anticipate broad impacts to the electrical grid, we are prepared to restore power safely and quickly if needed. We know how important it is to keep your homes and businesses powered and encourage you and your family to have a plan to stay safe and warm.

    Our power plants are running 24/7 to generate electricity for the grid. We completed our winter preparations last fall and have fuel in storage and identified fuel sources to ensure we can continue to run our power plants.

    Keep these tips in mind for your safety: 

    • Stay weather aware
    • Be mindful of road conditions - don’t travel unless you must
    • Check on family, friends, and pets
    • Sign up for myOGEalerts to report and monitor outages or download the OG&E app ( iOS and Android) 

    If needed, find a list of warming stations at OGE.com/WarmingStations.

    Outdoor water lines

    Here are some recommendations to try and prevent outside pipe breaks:

    • If you have not done so, turn off your automatic sprinkler system so it does not turn on during the freezing weather.
    • Remove garden hoses and cover outdoor water spigots.
    • If you experience a water line break, shut the water off to limit the amount of excess water flow, and call Utilities Customer Service at (405) 297-2833 for assistance.

    Turn off sprinklers

    Residents and business owners are asked to turn off sprinkler systems when the temperature drops below freezing. Water sprayed or running onto streets and sidewalks during freezing temperatures causes hazardous conditions for pedestrians and drivers.

    The City also recommends inspecting your sprinklers and irrigation systems for leaks and to confirm the system has been turned off or adjusted to prevent icy streets and sidewalks.

    Winter weather tips to help you prepare for storms:

    Keep necessities on-hand

    Items for winter storms to add to your disaster kit include extra non-perishable food and water for one or two weeks, extra blankets, coats, gloves, winter hats and water-resistant boots. Get extra medication, oxygen or other medical supplies.

    Check on your neighbors

    Check on elderly family members, friends and neighbors before, during and after storms. Don’t wait for them to ask for help.

    Cell phones

    Keep your cell phone charged in case of a power outage.

    Safely use alternative heating sources

    Fires at home are common in the winter because of improper use of dangerous heating sources. Here are some tips from the Fire Department:

    • Make sure working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are properly installed in your home. Alarms should be installed inside each sleeping area, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of the home. Test your smoke alarms monthly and install fresh batteries twice per year when the time changes.
    • Space heaters need space. Keep space heaters at least three feet away from anything that can burn (furniture, bedding, curtains, etc.) Turn off space heaters when you leave the room or go to bed.
    • Keep all combustible materials away from floor furnaces.
    • Remove any combustibles from central heater closets.
    • Use a metal grate to hold logs inside fireplaces. Use an approved metal or glass screen in front of fireplaces to prevent embers from flying out of the firebox and into the home.
    • Ensure the fire in the fireplace is completely extinguished before going to bed.
    • Have fireplaces inspected and/or cleaned annually by a qualified chimney sweep specialist.
    • Do not place hot fireplace ashes into dumpsters. Place ashes into a sealed metal container and store well away from the home for several days before final disposal.
    • Remember to open the damper before lighting the fireplace.
    • Never use your oven to heat your home.
    • Use portable generators outside and well away from the home. Position so that fumes and deadly carbon monoxide will not enter the home through doors, windows, or vents.

      Dress for the conditions

      Dressing in layers is key, as it not only keeps you warm but allows you to adjust to changing temperatures. Proper gloves, socks and footwear are essential. Choose headwear that keeps your head and ears warm. Ski masks can also help to warm your neck and warm the air you’re breathing.

      Winter driving

      • If possible, avoid driving while streets are covered in ice and snow.
      • Have your vehicle winterized by a qualified mechanic.
      • Make sure your tires have adequate tread and pressure for the conditions.
      • Reduce speeds.
      • Fill up your gas tank.
      • Allow more time to slow down and stop.
      • Allow more space between you and the car in front of you.
      • Be sure to use your headlights so your car is visible during inclement weather.
      • Watch this video with winter driving tips.

        Winter weather vehicle emergency preparedness kit

        • Blankets or sleeping bags.
        • Jumper cables.
        • Fire extinguisher (5 lb., A-B-C type).
        • Compass and road maps.
        • Shovel.
        • Tire repair kit and pump.
        • Flares.
        • Extra clothing to keep dry and gloves.
        • Sack of sand or cat litter (for tire traction).
        • Tow rope.

         

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