Power Outage in Tulsa, OK

Strong thunderstorm wind caused widespread tree and power line damage in the area of E 41st Street and S Yale Avenue.

Strong thunderstorm wind blew down power lines and power poles near S 209th West Avenue and W Wekiwa Road.

Thunderstorm wind gusts were measured to 74 mph. This strong wind snapped numerous large tree limbs, and blew down power poles and lines.

Strong thunderstorm wind snapped numerous large tree limbs, and blew down power lines.

Strong thunderstorm wind caused extensive tree damage in this area, and blew down multiple power poles.

Strong thunderstorm wind blew down many large trees, power poles, and power lines.

Strong thunderstorm wind snapped numerous large tree limbs, and blew down power lines.

Thunderstorm wind, gusting to over 100 mph at times, resulted in at least $160 million in estimated damage across Tulsa County during this severe thunderstorm. Debris removal and damage to the utility infrastructure across the county accounted for about $57 million of that estimate. Some people were without power for over a week.

Strong thunderstorm wind damaged the roof of a home, blew down several large trees, and blew down power poles and power lines.

Thunderstorm wind, gusting to over 100 mph at times, resulted in at least $160 million in estimated damage across Tulsa County during this severe thunderstorm. Debris removal and damage to the utility infrastructure across the county accounted for about $57 million of that estimate. Some people were without power for over a week.

Power lines and large tree limbs were blown down by strong wind. A person was injured at the Gathering Place when a large tree limb fell on him.

Strong thunderstorm wind snapped a power pole and numerous large tree limbs.

Strong thunderstorm wind blew down power poles on E 31st Street, between S 130th E Avenue and S 137th E Avenue.

Strong thunderstorm wind blew down power lines.

Strong thunderstorm wind snapped large tree limbs, and blew down power lines.

This is the second segment of a two-segment tornado. This tornado crossed into Tulsa County near W 91st Street S, where large tree limbs were snapped and power poles were blown down. It moved northeast dissipating near Highway 75 and W 81 Street S. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in this segment of the tornado was 90 to 100 mph.

This is the second segment of a two-segment tornado. This tornado moved into Tulsa County near W 111th Street S and moved east across Jenks. It crossed the Arkansas River and dissipated east of S Yale Avenue, north of E 111th Street S. The tornado damaged the roofs of numerous homes, snapped or uprooted many trees, and blew down numerous power poles. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in the tornado was 90 to 100 mph.

This tornado developed just south of E Pine Street at N Rockford Avenue and moved east. The tornado damaged a number of homes and structures, blew down trees, and snapped two power poles. A man was injured when a large tree fell onto his house. The tornado dissipated just north of E Pine Street near N Oswego Avenue. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in the tornado was 90 to 100 mph.

This tornado developed just south of E Pine Street at N Rockford Avenue and moved east. The tornado damaged a number of homes and structures, blew down trees, and snapped two power poles. A man was injured when a large tree fell onto his house. The tornado dissipated just north of E Pine Street near N Oswego Avenue. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in the tornado was 90 to 100 mph.

A tornado snapped large tree limbs and blew down power poles. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in the tornado was 80 to 85 mph.

Strong thunderstorm wind blew down power lines.

Strong thunderstorm wind blew down power lines.

Strong thunderstorm wind blew down power lines across the northern portion of town.

Strong thunderstorm wind blew down power poles near E 46th Street N and Highway 169. Several large billboard signs were damaged near E 36th Street N and Highway 169.

Strong thunderstorm wind uprooted trees and blew down power poles near S 145th East Avenue and E Marshall Street.

This tornado developed over a neighborhood east of S Harvard Avenue and south of E 36th Street S, where large tree limbs were snapped and homes were damaged. The tornado moved east-southeast crossing S Yale Avenue where numerous trees and power poles were snapped. Numerous businesses were damaged or destroyed between S Yale Avenue and S Sheridan Road along and within a few blocks of E 41st Street S. Some of the worst damage in the path was in this area. Some of the businesses in the area had the roofs blown off the structure and some had exterior walls blown down. Several vehicles were rolled in this area, and reportedly 30 people were injured there. Numerous other businesses sustained mainly roof, wall, and window damage between S Sheridan Road and Highway 169. Many power poles and trees were also blown down in this area. The tornado turned more easterly near Highway 169 and moved roughly along E 51st Street S, dissipating just before reaching N Aspen Avenue (S 145th East Avenue). Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in the tornado was 120 to 130 mph.

This tornado developed over a neighborhood east of S Harvard Avenue and south of E 36th Street S, where large tree limbs were snapped and homes were damaged. The tornado moved east-southeast crossing S Yale Avenue where numerous trees and power poles were snapped. Numerous businesses were damaged or destroyed between S Yale Avenue and S Sheridan Road along and within a few blocks of E 41st Street S. Some of the worst damage in the path was in this area. Some of the businesses in the area had the roofs blown off the structure and some had exterior walls blown down. Several vehicles were rolled in this area, and reportedly 30 people were injured there. Numerous other businesses sustained mainly roof, wall, and window damage between S Sheridan Road and Highway 169. Many power poles and trees were also blown down in this area. The tornado turned more easterly near Highway 169 and moved roughly along E 51st Street S, dissipating just before reaching N Aspen Avenue (S 145th East Avenue). Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in the tornado was 120 to 130 mph.

Strong thunderstorm wind blew down power poles and power lines near E 61st Street S and S Memorial Drive.

Strong thunderstorm wind blew down power lines near Woodland Hills Mall.

Strong thunderstorm wind blew down numerous tree limbs and power lines.

This tornado developed just west of Highway 75 and moved east northeast. It damaged a church and homes west of the Arkansas River, and snapped trees and power poles on Riverside Drive just east of the river. Homes were damaged, trees were snapped or uprooted, and power poles were blown down between Riverside Drive to near Harvard Avenue, where the tornado lifted. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in the tornado was 95 to 105 mph.

This tornado developed just west of Highway 75 and moved east northeast. It damaged a church and homes west of the Arkansas River, and snapped trees and power poles on Riverside Drive just east of the river. Homes were damaged, trees were snapped or uprooted, and power poles were blown down between Riverside Drive to near Harvard Avenue, where the tornado lifted. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in the tornado was 95 to 105 mph.

This is the second segment of a three segment tornado. In Tulsa County, the tornado moved east-northeast, roughly along E 46th Street N to the west of Highway 75. It damaged more than 300 homes, and thirteen churches and businesses. Seven people were injured in north Tulsa. Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted and numerous power poles were snapped. The tornado moved east-northeast across Mohawk Park where it snapped and uprooted numerous trees. Several large, metal-framed, industrial buildings were significantly damaged north-northeast of the Tulsa International Airport on N Mingo Road. The tornado then crossed Highway 169 just south of the Bird Creek Bridge where it destroyed several barns and snapped numerous trees along E 56th Street N. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in this segment of the tornado was 110 to 120 mph. The tornado continued into Rogers County, Oklahoma.

Strong thunderstorm wind apparently associated with the rear flank downdraft of the tornadic supercell just to the north and east resulted in widespread damage from along I-244 to east of Highway 169 south of I-44. Numerous homes were damaged, trees were snapped or uprooted, businesses were damaged, and power poles were blown down. The building that houses the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Tulsa had a glass door blown in by the wind and gravel was blown from the roof of the building onto the south parking lot, damaging numerous vehicles.

Strong thunderstorm wind blew down trees and power poles.

Strong thunderstorm wind apparently associated with the rear flank downdraft of the tornadic supercell just to the north and east resulted in widespread damage from along I-244 to east of Highway 169 south of I-44. Numerous homes were damaged, trees were snapped or uprooted, businesses were damaged, and power poles were blown down. The building that houses the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Tulsa had a glass door blown in by the wind and gravel was blown from the roof of the building onto the south parking lot, damaging numerous vehicles.

Strong thunderstorm wind blowing from the north to south damaged numerous homes, snapped or uprooted numerous trees, and blew down power poles. A building had the north-facing wall blown in and the roof above it collapsed. Seventy-five young girls were in the building at the time and sheltered in the basement just before the storm severely damaged the building. No injuries resulted from this damage.

Strong thunderstorm wind blew down power lines.

Strong thunderstorm wind blowing from the north to south damaged numerous homes, snapped or uprooted numerous trees, and blew down power poles. A building had the north-facing wall blown in and the roof above it collapsed. Seventy-five young girls were in the building at the time and sheltered in the basement just before the storm severely damaged the building. No injuries resulted from this damage.

A home weather station in west Tulsa measured thunderstorm wind gusts to 91 mph. Widespread damage to trees and power lines occurred in this area, which resulted in widespread power outages.

Thunderstorm winds were estimated to 80 mph by broadcast media at Lookout Mountain. Large tree limbs and power lines were blown down resulting in power outages.

Strong thunderstorm wind damaged the roof of a home and blew down trees, one of which fell onto a home. Power lines were blown down resulting in power outages.

Strong thunderstorm wind damaged a barn and blew down trees and power lines. A tree fell on a house.

Strong thunderstorm wind blew down power lines near E 41st Street South and S 129th East Avenue.

Strong thunderstorm wind blew down power poles at E 71st Street South and Memorial Drive.

Strong thunderstorm wind uprooted a number of large trees, snapped many large tree limbs, snapped about 25 power poles, damaged roofs to homes, and broke out windows at Oral Roberts University. Much of this damage occurred between E 71st Street South and E 81st Street South, from South Lewis Avenue to Riverside Drive.

Strong thunderstorm wind blew down power lines.

Strong thunderstorm wind blew down power poles near E 45th Street South and S 129th East Avenue.

Power lines were blown down by strong thunderstorm wind along 145th East Avenue and the Broken Arrow Expressway.

Strong thunderstorm wind blew down power poles, uprooted large trees, and blew several storage buildings from a Lowe's Store parking lot into the roadway.

The tornado that developed near Kiefer in Creek County moved northeast across the north side of Glenpool before dissipating over Broken Arrow. In Tulsa County, the tornado damaged several homes, damaged a gas station canopy, uprooted several trees, snapped numerous large tree limbs, and blew down power poles. The estimated peak wind in the tornado based on this damage was 95 mph.

The tornado that developed on the west side of Sapulpa in Creek County moved northeast across the City of Tulsa. The tornado severely damaged a number of homes just west of Highway 75, where the most intense damage was noted. Numerous other homes and businesses were damaged as it moved through Tulsa. The tornado snapped or uprooted numerous trees, and blew down numerous power poles. The estimated peak wind in this tornado based on the most intense damage to homes was 120 mph.

The tornado that developed on the west side of Sapulpa in Creek County moved northeast across the City of Tulsa. The tornado severely damaged a number of homes just west of Highway 75, where the most intense damage was noted. Numerous other homes and businesses were damaged as it moved through Tulsa. The tornado snapped or uprooted numerous trees, and blew down numerous power poles. The estimated peak wind in this tornado based on the most intense damage to homes was 120 mph.

Strong thunderstorm wind blew down trees and power lines near 51st Street South and Lewis Avenue.

Strong thunderstorm wind blew down trees and power poles on 101st Street South between Mingo Road and Garnett Road.

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew down a power pole and damaged the roof of a building.

Up to two inches of ice accumulated on trees, power lines, and other exposed surfaces.

Numerous power lines and trees were blown down across parts of west, midtown and north Tulsa.

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 60 miles an hour blew down power lines near the intersection of 71st Street South and Memorial Avenue.

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour snapped three power poles.

A microburst occurred near the fairgrounds. There was extensive damage north to south from 11th Street to 21st Street and from east to west from Yale to the Broken Arrow Expressway. Wind speeds were estimated at 85 miles an hour based on the damage. 1420 homes were damaged, two of which received major damage as large trees were blown down onto them. At one time, 13,000 residents near the damaged area were without power.There was extensive roof damage at the fairgrounds and several rides at Bell's Amusement park were damaged. The most notable damage was the roof being peeled back at the trade center, the roof being stripped to the sheet metal at the exchange center, and the 80 year old Ferris wheel at Bell's being destroyed. Two churches near the fairgrounds received roof damage.There were four injuries for which people were taken to the hospital. All were considered minor.

The Oklahoma Mesonet station near Bixby measured 58 mph wind gusts. The wind blew down a few trees. One large tree in Tulsa fell on five cars. The wind also knocked down power lines causing power outages.

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew down a few trees and numerous large tree limbs, some of which fell on power lines resulting in power outages to as many as 15,000 homes.

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 60 miles an hour blew down large tree limbs. The downed tree limbs fell on power lines resulting in the loss of power to 26,000 homes.

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour toppled trees and blew down tree limbs south of downtown Tulsa. The falling trees and tree limbs caused power outages. As many as 9,000 homes were without power at one time.

Trees, tree limbs, and power lines were blown down by high wind caused by a heat burst. As many as 40,000 homes were left without power. A car window was blown out by the winds near 11th Street and Highway 169.

Thunderstorm winds estimated near 80 miles an hour blew glass windows out of the the Adams Mark Hotel downtown. Not too far away the Wiltel building received structural damage to its northeast facade including several broken glass windows. One person was injured by the breaking glass. Areas just to the south and southeast side of downtown suffered major power outages which took days to completely fix.As many as 70,000 Tulsa area customers were without power at the peek of the outage. American Electric Power estimated the cost was several million dollars to repair the damages in the Tulsa area.

Thunderstorms winds estimated at 60 miles an hour caused extensive damage at the Mayfest celebration in downtown Tulsa and also caused power outages to thousands of customers in that part of town. Much of the damage at Mayfest was due to blown down tents and displays in combination with the heavy rain which accompanied the wind.

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew down numerous large trees, tree limbs and power lines mainly across the southern part of the city of Tulsa. Some cars were damaged by the debris and up to 38,000 customers lost power.

Thunderstorm winds blew down several power lines in the north part of Tulsa.

An F1 tornado touched down for a minute one mile southeast of Tulsa International airport or in the vicinity of the corner of Pine and Garnett. The tornado damaged some equipment at a farm implement dealership and threw a parked car on top of another parked car. Six to eight power poles were blown down as well.

Severe thunderstorms developed over the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles, southwestern Kansas, and southeastern Colorado during the afternoon of the 17th, along and ahead of a cold front as a strong upper level disturbance translated into the Southern Plains. These storms organized into a surging line of severe thunderstorms as they moved east across northern Oklahoma, reaching eastern Oklahoma during the late evening. Moderately strong instability was in place ahead of the storms, and the wind fields aloft, along with the deep-layer and low-level wind shear, became strong as the upper level disturbance approached from the west. The line of thunderstorms produced widespread wind damage across eastern Oklahoma, with wind gusts in excess of 100 mph at times. Widespread damage to the utility infrastructure occurred, especially throughout counties in northeastern Oklahoma, with nearly a million people without power during the peak of the storm. Some of these outages lasted more than a week. Many trees were blown down, and widespread damage to homes and businesses occurred. A tree fell onto a manufactured home near Oilton in Creek County, killing one of the occupants and injuring three others. Three tornadoes also occurred across portions of northeastern Oklahoma, each forming on the leading edge of the squall line.||Other severe thunderstorms developed during the late evening hours of the 17th near a stationary front that stretched across northern Texas and southern Oklahoma. These storms produced damaging wind across portions of southeastern Oklahoma.

A strong low pressure system was centered over the Central Plains on the 31st, with a very strong pressure gradient across eastern Oklahoma. Very strong wind fields were also present above the ground. The dry line associated with the low pressure system moved through eastern Oklahoma during the early afternoon, allowing the strong wind above the ground to mix to the surface, enhancing the already strong surface flow. Peak wind gusts to 65 mph were measured at the Oklahoma Mesonet station near Foraker in Osage County. Peak wind gusts to 64 mph were measured by the ASOS at the Tulsa International Airport. Wind gusts to 62 mph were measured by the Oklahoma Mesonet station near Centralia in Craig County. Wind gusts to 60 mph were measured by the Oklahoma Mesonet station near Wynona in Osage County, and by the ASOS at the Bartlesville Airport. Wind gusts to 59 mph were measured by the Oklahoma Mesonet station near Talala in Rogers County, and 58 mph wind gusts were measured by the ASOS at the Muskogee Airport. Tree and power line damage occurred as a result of these winds. One person was injured in Tulsa when a large tree limb fell on them at the Gathering Place.

A strong storm system translated into the Southern Plains from the Southern Rockies on the 26th, resulting in a very strong surface pressure gradient developing across northeastern Oklahoma and northwestern Arkansas by the evening. The gradient wind was enhanced by the evaporative cooling processes associated with an area of high-based showers that developed across the region. Very little of this rain reached the ground, as there was a deep layer of dry air between the cloud base and the ground. Westerly wind gusted to 45 mph across much of the area but was higher in some locations. The Oklahoma Mesonet site near Pawnee measured peak winds of 58 mph, and the site near Copan measured peak wind gusts of 63 mph. The ASOS units at the Bartlesville Airport and the Tulsa International Airport both measured peak wind gusts of 66 mph. In addition to these measured gusts, the high wind also resulted in damage to trees, barns, and power lines across portions of Mayes, Wagoner, and Rogers Counties.

A strong storm system moved slowly across the southwestern United States into the Southern Rockies, and then across the Southern Plains on the 13th and 14th. Several weaker disturbances translated across the area as this system slowly approached, resulting in several periods of precipitation. Arctic air had already spread into the region ahead of this system, but had not become deep enough to support anything but freezing rain. Ice accretions of one quarter to one half inch were observed across most of northeastern Oklahoma along and north of I-44. The lack of wind precluded significant damage to trees and power poles, but power outages did occur, most numerous across Osage and Pawnee Counties. Tree limbs were also snapped across much of northeastern Oklahoma. Roads were reported slick and hazardous in Pawnee, Osage, and Washington Counties.

A small complex of thunderstorms developed across northeastern Oklahoma during the early morning hours of the 14th. The strongest of these storms produced damaging wind and hail as they moved southeast across the area.||Another complex of severe thunderstorms developed along a cold front over southern Kansas and central Oklahoma. These storms became very organized and intensified as they moved into unstable air over eastern Oklahoma during the late morning hours. The complex evolved into a fast-moving line of severe thunderstorms that produced widespread damaging wind that likely gusted to over 100 mph at times across northeastern Oklahoma. Widespread, significant wind damage resulted from these storms. Several gust front vortices, or so-called gustnadoes, were observed along the leading edge of the outflow from this complex. Some people were without power for nearly two weeks after this event. Some large hail and locally heavy rainfall also occurred with this storm system as it moved southeast across the area. Wind damage from these storms continued through the afternoon and evening hours across southwestern Arkansas, northern Louisiana, and western Mississippi, thus meeting the definition of a derecho.

Arctic air spread across all of eastern Oklahoma on the 20th as a strong storm system developed into the Southern Rockies. Precipitation began to increase across northeastern Oklahoma during the evening hours of the 20th and continued through the 21st. Warm air overriding the shallow cold air near the ground resulted in freezing rain. Much of eastern Oklahoma north of a McAlester to Stillwell line received between a quarter and a half inch of ice with locally near three quarters of an inch in some areas of northeastern Oklahoma. Scattered to numerous power outages and widespread tree damage occurred across the region. The freezing rain changed to snow during the evening of the 21st with very light accumulations across portions of northeastern Oklahoma. The ice and snow resulted in slick and hazardous roads. The ice finally melted off trees and power lines on the 24th, when temperatures climbed above freezing for the first time since the storm.

Arctic air spread across eastern Oklahoma on the 4th as a strong storm system developed across the western United States. Several upper level disturbances moved through the south central part of the country on the 5th through the 6th, resulting in widespread wintry precipitation across the region beginning during the morning hours of the 5th. The precipitation fell as mainly freezing rain across southeastern Oklahoma and as snow and sleet across northeastern Oklahoma. The precipitation changed to all snow by the time it ended on the 6th. By the end of the storm, portions of southeastern Oklahoma received over an inch of ice. Power outages were widespread across Choctaw, Pushmataha, and Le Flore Counties, some of which lasted for up to two weeks in remote areas. Several inches of snow fell atop the ice across southeastern Oklahoma while portions of northeastern Oklahoma received up to eight inches of snow from this storm. Roads were snow and ice covered across much of the region for days as temperatures remained below freezing. A federally-declared disaster declaration was made for this winter storm, which included Choctaw, Pushmataha, and Le Flore Counties.

Severe thunderstorms developed over central Kansas during the late afternoon of the 23rd. These storms moved southeast during the evening and into eastern Oklahoma during the late evening and overnight hours. High amounts of instability and considerable deep layer shear over eastern Oklahoma resulted in the development of a highly organized line of storms. Widespread damaging wind, a tornado, and some large hail resulted across eastern Oklahoma as the line of thunderstorms moved through the region. At least 300,000 people were reportedly without power due to the storms in the area surrounding Tulsa. Some of these outages lasted for nearly a week. In addition, lightning from these storms resulted in a number of structural fires.

A strong upper level low pressure system moved from Baja California into the Southern Rockies on the 28th and into the Southern Plains on the 29th. Rain changed to freezing rain and sleet during the morning and early afternoon of the 28th. The freezing rain resulted in 1/4 to 3/4 of an inch of glaze across much of northeast Oklahoma. Sleet amounts were up to an inch across portions of northeast Oklahoma. An estimated 5000 electric customers in northeastern Oklahoma were without power during the height of the storm. As the upper low neared the region on the 29th, the precipitation changed to snow with more than 4 inches falling generally north of a McAlester to Fort Smith line. Up to 8 inches of snow fell across portions of northeast Oklahoma by the evening of the 29th. Many automobile accidents occurred across the area as a result of the icy conditions, which resulted in numerous indirect injuries.

Upper level disturbances passing through the Southern Plains resulted in precipitation development north of a stationary arctic front located in North Texas. Freezing rain began across the area during the late morning hours of the 26th and became more widespread and heavy during the afternoon and evening hours. Freezing rain changed to sleet north of a Okemah-Wagoner-Colcord line during the morning of the 27th with heavy freezing rain continuing south of that line. The heaviest icing and most widespread power outages and tree damage occurred across portions of Cherokee, Sequoyah, Muskogee, and Adair Counties where one to one and a half inches of ice accumulated. More than 100,000 electric customers were without power during the height of the storm in eastern Oklahoma and some customers in remote rural areas continued to be without power for more than two weeks.||A 40 to 50 mile wide swath of heavy sleet occurred just to the west of the most significant ice with two to three inches accumulating along and near an Okehah-Wagoner-Grove line. Elsewhere up to an inch of sleet fell on top of the heavy ice.||One direct injury occurred from the storm in eastern Oklahoma. A man was injured by ice coated tree limbs that fell on him in Cherokee County.

Arctic air spread into the region ahead of a strong storm system over the desert southwest. Several disturbances translated from the low pressure area across the Southern Plains, resulting in several periods of precipitation, including thunderstorms. Freezing rain was the dominant precipitation type during the event; the thunderstorms resulted in an increased rate of ice accumulation. One to two inches of ice accumulated on trees and power lines within a 40 mile wide band along a Bristow-Tulsa-Vinita-Miami line and one to one and a half inches of ice accumulated on exposed surfaces along a Welty-Coweta-Jay line. ||Nearly one million people were estimated to be without power in eastern Oklahoma after this event, some of which remained without power for up to two weeks. Early estimates indicate that this storm could be the most costly weather-related disaster in Oklahoma history. A number of indirect related injuries and fatalities were attributed to this storm in eastern Oklahoma, including seven fatalities in automobile accidents on treacherous roads; one carbon monoxide fatality due to improper use of a heat source indoors; and six fatalities due to house fires that were started by temporary heat or light sources during the power outages. There were also three direct fatalities, including one in which a male was killed in Tulsa when a utility pole fell on his vehicle due to ice weighting; and two hypothermia deaths, one in Tulsa on the 15th and one in Skiatook on the 18th.

An arctic cold front moved into northeastern Oklahoma during the late evening hours of the 11th and had finally passed through the southeastern portion of the state by the evening of the 12th. A strong upper level low pressure system moved into the southern Rockies and several disturbances translated across the Southern Plains bringing periods of heavy sleet and freezing rain to the region. The initial precipitation began around daybreak on the 12th and the final round occurred on the 14th. |A devastating swath of one to three inch ice amounts fell in an estimated 60 to 80 mile wide band from roughly Atoka to McAlester to Muskogee to Grove. An estimated 120,000 electric customers were without power due to downed power poles and power lines within this swath, some of which were without power for more than two weeks. West of the heavy ice, one to three inches of sleet occurred with lesser amounts of freezing rain, generally between 1/4 to 1/2 inch. The worst damage to the public infrastructure from the storm in eastern Oklahoma occurred in Muskogee County ($10.5 million), Pittsburg County ($7.5 million), McIntosh County ($6 million), Haskell County ($5 million), Delaware County ($3 million), Wagoner County ($2 million), Mayes County ($1.5 million), and Cherokee County ($1 million).

A strong arctic cold front moved into northeastern Oklahoma by sunrise on the 29th and through southeastern Oklahoma during the evening of the 29th. Precipitation developed behind the front as warm, moist air was drawn northward above the shallow cold air near the ground. |The precipitation changed to freezing rain north of Interstate 44 by the evening of the 29th and then began mixing with some sleet northwest of a Siloam Springs to McAlester line by sunrise on the 30th. The mixture continued into the morning hours of the 30th with up to two inches of sleet occurring in some locations before the precipitation changed over to snow across the entire region during the afternoon. Heavy snow fell over a large portion of the area with up to 15 inches in the heaviest swath across portions of Osage and Washington Counties. |The combination of freezing rain, sleet, and heavy snowfall through the duration of this event resulted in a crippling winter event. The Will Rogers, Cimarron, and Turner Turnpikes were closed for up to nine hours during the heaviest precipitation. Many flights into and out of the Tulsa International Airport were canceled during this storm. Sporadic power outages were reported during the storm across the region. In Ottawa County, the roof of a boat manufacturing facility collapsed due to the weight of the snow destroying 40 boats worth more than $1 million.

A powerful upper level system dove southeast out of the central rockies and into Oklahoma on February 23rd. This upper level system produced heavy snow across much of Northeast Oklahoma. The heaviest snow occurred near the Kansas border where near blizzard conditions occurred as north winds averaged 20 to 30 miles an hour. Due to the restricted visibility a major automobile accident occurred on Interstate 44 near Miami. A three car accident turned into a 30 car pile up. This accident closed west bound lanes for several hours. East bound lanes were also closed for a time as a semi jackknifed while trying to avoid the pile up and crossed onto the other side of the highway. Despite the magnitude of the event, no serious injuries were reported. Other area roads were also impassable and some schools in the area were closed the next two days. Some snowfall totals included 16 inches at Pawhuska, 15 inches at Hominy, 15 inches at South Coffeyville, 13 inches at Lenapah, 12 inches at Bartlesville, 12 inches at Pawnee, 12 inches at Miami, 11 inches at Nowata, 10 inches at Vinita, 10 inches at Catoosa, 8 inches at Pryor, 8 inches at downtown Tulsa, 8 inches at Claremore and 6 inches at Jay.

An upper level system moved out of the southern rockies and across the southern plains including Oklahoma December 23rd and 24th. Rain began to fall during the morning of the 23rd and due to evaporational cooling and colder air filtering into the area from the north it began to change over to snow from west to east across the area from 10 am cst on. During the first few hours at any given location the snow fell at an inch or two per hour rate. Due to the heavy snow and temperatures dropping below freezing travel became extremely difficult. Numerous accidents were reported across northeast Oklahoma and several included injuries. One accident around midday on the 23rd resulted in a death about 8 miles east of Ponca City in Osage county. In addition to the difficult travel the snow caused some tree limbs to fall onto power lines producing a few power outages. As many as 13,000 customers in Owasso and eastern part of the city of Tulsa experienced an interruption of electric service. Four to five hundred customers scatterred around Ottawa, Craig, Delaware and Mayes counties also suffered power outages. The snow began to taper off from west to east during the late afternoon and early evening hours of the 23rd. However, the snow began again during the late evening hours of the 23rd and the early morning hours of the 24th. This snow lasted into the morning hours of the 24th. Although the snow during the nighttime period was not as heavy as that during the previous afternoon another one to three inches of snow accumulated. Some snow accumulations from the storm include:10 inches at Miami, 10 inches at South Coffeyville, 10 inches at Ralston, 9 inches at Bartlesville, 9 inches at Jay, 8 inches at Pawnee, 7 inches at Pawhuska, 7 inches at Tulsa, 6 inches at Drumright, 5 inches at Wagoner, 5 inches at Pryor and 5 inches at Tahlequah.

An upper level system system moving out of the desert southwest into the southern plains interacted with cold air near the surface to produce freezing rain from the afternoon hours on December 3rd to the early morning hours on December 4th. The freezing rain resulted in ice on power lines and trees causing power outages. The power outages were the most widespread to the west and north of Tulsa in western Tulsa, northern Creek, Pawnee, Osage, Washington and Nowata counties. At one time 4,000 homes were without power in Sand Springs and 2,000 homes were without power in Bartlesville. The cities of Drumright, Skiatook and Nowata also experienced siginificant power outages. Isolated power outages occurred in the rural areas of Rogers, Craig, Mayes, Ottawa and Delaware counties. In addition to the power outages, many roads in the area became slick and hazardous. Several schools were closed on the 4th.

Summary of winter weather events for December 25-27 2000.A slow moving winter storm moved across the State Christmas day bringing heavy freezing rain and dangerous ice accumulations. While all of Eastern Oklahoma received significant ice accumulations, East Central and Southeast Oklahoma were hardest hit. One to two inches of ice accumulation were common in these areas with locally higher amounts. Over 500 power poles were downed during the event and over 200,000 Oklahomans were without power. The heavy ice accumulations also left thousands without telephone and water service. Some locations in Southeast Oklahoma were without utility services for more than a week. Numerous shelters and feeding sites were established across Southeast Oklahoma to provide water, food and a warm place to sleep. Thousands of trees were damaged across Southeast Oklahoma including 7 State parks where damage was estimated at over 1 million dollars. Numerous reports of trees downed on vehicles and homes were reported across Southeast Oklahoma. Some of the areas that experienced the most damage were in Pittsburg, Latimer and LeFlore counties. While damage estimates were not finalized as of late February, a preliminary total for the state was $168.9 million.

Summary of winter weather on December 12-13 2000.A powerful winter storm developed over the Southern Plains and produced a mixture of snow...sleet and freezing rain. The precipitation was mostly snow in parts of Northeast Oklahoma near and to the north of Interstate 44. A mixture of sleet, snow and some freezing rain fell between Interstate 44 and Interstate 40 in East Central Oklahoma. Across Southeast Oklahoma the precipitation was mainly sleet and freezing rain. The icing was significant enough in the far Southeast Oklahoma counties of Pushmataha and Choctaw that 5,000 customers of Choctaw Electric were without power on December 13. Some snow and sleet totals include: Big Cabin...16, Miami...13, Ketchum...13, Bartlesville...12, Nowata...12, Chelsea...12, Grove...12, Vera...11, Lenapah...11, Rose...11, Pawhuska...10, Claremore...10, Hominy...10, Owasso...9, Copan...9, Sapulpa...9, Skiatook...9, Catoosa...9, Tulsa...8.4, Hulbert...8, Pryor...8, Grainola...7, Bixby...7, Pawnee...7, Jenks...7, Broken Arrow...7, Tahlequah...6, Drumright...6, mazie...6, Stilwell...6, Bristow...5, Coweta...5, Glenpool...5, Henryetta...4, Wagoner...4, Okmulgee...5, Welty...3, Clayton...3, Wilburton...3, Haskell...3, Muskogee...3, Okemah...2, McAlester...2, Porter...2, Oktaha...2, Webbers Falls...2, Sallisaw...2, Poteau...2, Stigler...1 and Talihina...1 inches.

A strong Arctic cold front moved south across Eastern Oklahoma on the morning of December 11, 2000. Freezing rain and freezing drizzle developed behind the boundary producing a thin layer of ice on pavement surfaces. Cold temperatures produced black ice across a large portion of Eastern Oklahoma. This thin layer of ice was responsible for numerous accidents during the morning commute across a large portion of Eastern Oklahoma. No widespread power outages were reported. Many area schools and some government offices were also closed due to the slick roads.