WINTER STORM NOW 12/08-11/2007: KS, OK, NE, MO, IA, CO, among others

[Andrew Ryan]

The sidewalks, streets, and even the grass are not freezing because the ground is way too warm. Also, they've done a pretty good job of salting everything.

 

[Brandon Lawson]

Yeah. I was thinking about the roads and sidewalks when I was referring to the ground. I went out earlier today, as well, and definitely saw the grass, the trees, and pretty much everything else had a nice coating of ice.

 

[Dan Dawson]

The roads are holding up surprisingly well, but pretty much everything else has a nice glaze on it. I imagine when the roads finally do cool down enough, they are going to ice over in a hurry.

 

[Rocky Rascovich]

ZR is picking up as of 1713cst here near Piedmont, OK. Trees are coated with about 1/3" on average, maybe a tad more. side streets are totally glazed over, not sure about more major throughfares.

A Loooong fetch of light to moderate ZR w/imbedded thunder extending from Stillwater, OK clear down to west of Abilene, TX. This doesn't look like its going to move anywhere quick soon as the imbedded cells are moving NE around 35kts, and the line itself moving very little. I'm square in the crosshairs of this line of ZR.

With the main vortmax ejecting out tomorrow afternoon/evening, its looking as though the fun and games have just begun. I'm not enthused.

Rocky&family

 

[Andrew Francis]

Steady flow into SW OK into central OK into NE OK.....

Seems as if it is not showing signs of letting up anytime soon.

28F Here in Stillwater. We got some waves of sleet earlier today. Seems as if everything is freezing up tonight...

Could be an epic ugly storm if the precip keeps up

 

[David Poch]

For whatever reason, the ground refuses to freeze in Norman. I'm wondering if that will change later tonight.

I was thinking the same thing a while ago when I went outside. The grass has a glaze of ice on it and everything else above the ground has ice, but my street, driveway and sidewalk are just wet. I didn't salt the drive or sidewalks, not sure if they did the street yet.

David

 

[Jonathan Whitehead]

I was thinking the same thing a while ago when I went outside. The grass has a glaze of ice on it and everything else above the ground has ice, but my street, driveway and sidewalk are just wet. I didn't salt the drive or sidewalks, not sure if they did the street yet.

David

A lot of that is due to the fact that before this event we were in the 40s and 50s last few days. Look at Mesonet, ground temps still in low 40s. And also must consider the forecast for us to go abover freezing late Monday. Therefore I really dont anticipate signifcant travel issues (unlike my post last night, I was expecting much worst).

I think for thus of us at OU with finals this week, my suggestion is to keep studying. I dont see final cancellations on this one. I mean even at 30deg is enough to keep ground warm. The only thing that would disrupt that is power disruptions, which is possible with the training thats currently taking place. Right now no major problems but check back at say 4 or 5am. Now another problem against that is OUs power as you know is underground so its last to go out, however, physical plant doesnt supply all OU's power only critical places like OMU, NWC, etc.. Also you have to consider the physical plants supply which is outside OU which might be a problem, so, theres still hope. Regardless im not in the mood to scrape my car, im taking the CART bus to the airport tomorrow. **** it.

 

[Wesley Luginbyhl]

I went walking on the street behind my apartment complex here near the OU campus and the streets are definitely beginning to freeze up. They are not super slick but my foot was sliding pretty easy. I went walking on campus today and noticed were some quite large branches came down (over 1 foot diameter branches). I expect a lot more trees to come down as the night goes on. Power outages are becoming quite common if oyu are watching OGE System Watch, over 20,000 in the OKC metro without power.

 

[Gabe Garfield]

A lot of that is due to the fact that before this event we were in the 40s and 50s last few days. Look at Mesonet, ground temps still in low 40s. And also must consider the forecast for us to go abover freezing late Monday. Therefore I really dont anticipate signifcant travel issues (unlike my post last night, I was expecting much worst).

I think for thus of us at OU with finals this week, my suggestion is to keep studying. I dont see final cancellations on this one. I mean even at 30deg is enough to keep ground warm.

I think the roadways will start to ice over once the temperature drops to ~25 F tonight and the traffic slows down. In general, freezing rain isn't as big a problem for traffic as it is for power concerns. But I agree, OU students should keep studying.

Otherwise, I noticed snowflakes falling about 30 minutes ago (in Norman)! It is quite surprising considering the "warm nose" that is present on the 00z OUN sounding. I think that, since the snowflakes were fairly small, the snow was generated very close to the surface (maybe frozen mist?).

Gabe

 

[Andrew Francis]

Here @ OSU studying is underway. Physical Plant is out all over the roads trying to keep up. Just from my form window overlooking a major road on campus I've seen cars and pedestrians sliding around... One guy fell pretty hard.

Physical Plant here is really determined to get finals in tomorow. Dang


UCO in Edmond has already cancelled classes tomorow and they're also on finals.



We'll see what happens, because in the past OSU always waits until about an hour to 45 min before class before they cancel

 

[Billy Griffin]

Anyone noticing a slow warming trend per the OUN mesonet? Watching the radar animation, coupled with refreshing the mesonet page over the past hour, looks like the radar echoes seem to be moving ever so slightly north, just a tad. Along with that, I note the temperature here in Norman now has risen to 30. Wonder as the next wave now kicks out, the stalled upper trough is beginning to slowly retreat North????? Just thinking out loud.

 

[Rocky Rascovich]

We're still sitting at 27F here at the farm. Moderate showers of ZR continue, ice getting thicker... we've had some power surges too.
Lets hope this ever so subtle shift to the north manifests itself more hastily tonight... Can't take much more ice before the lights go out.

 

[Billy Griffin]

Not sure if the anemometers are all froze up or if it's true data, but according to OK Mesonet, there's barely a breeze over most of the entire state. The temperatures just seem to be fluctuating a few degrees, as I guess is to be expected. Yeah, we've had a few power surges here on the east side of Norman as well. Hoping for the best regarding the electricity situation... even with gas heat, central air doesn't work very well without AC.

Looks like a pretty solid area of FZR moving west of the OKC metro area to the ENE. Most of OUN should miss out on this if it continues its current path.

 

[Jonathan Whitehead]

FINALS MONDAY POSTPONED See OUMail for further details (for those that apply)

 

[Andrew Francis]

This freezing rain band setting up over Central OK seems as if it will never stop. In fact - models show that before it stops its just going to get worse when the low kicks out.

Here in Stillwater, the roads are ice. The sidwalks are basically impossible to walk on here on campus (I cant see them having class tomorow).

The main band of precip is pushing slightly North of OKC it seems. Stillwater is going to be getting another good layering of ice on top of the already frozen surface.

The sidewalks are the worst by far. The street is frozen as well. - Just a little broken up in spots due to cars and plows.


Gunna be a long night.