Winter storm in Tulsa: The impact left behind from Tuesday's icy, snowy conditions

Your News On 6 weather experts are monitoring the latest data to keep you safe and informed.

A powerful winter storm swept through Oklahoma on Tuesday, bringing heavy snowfall, frigid temperatures, and hazardous travel conditions across the state. The storm prompted emergency declarations, road closures, and widespread disruptions, with officials urging residents to stay off the roads.

Treacherous Travel and Road Closures

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) reported multiple accidents, including wrecks on I-44 and I-40, forcing authorities to shut down portions of the highways. US-75 in Okmulgee County was also closed for several hours due to ice-related crashes. Throughout the day, News On 6 trackers reported slick and dangerous roads, with travel advisories in effect.

City and State Response

City, county, and state crews worked throughout the storm to clear roads and keep motorists safe. The City of Tulsa deployed crews at 4 a.m. to treat major roadways, but flash freezing and persistent snowfall created ongoing challenges. ODOT officials warned of rapidly changing conditions and continued ice buildup despite treatment efforts.

Plunging Temperatures and Frostbite Risk

As the storm moved eastward, temperatures plummeted to the teens, with wind chills dipping well below zero. Forecasters warned of frostbite risks for anyone exposed to the cold for extended periods.

Emergency Shelters Open Across the State

With life-threatening cold settling in, emergency shelters opened in several locations, including the Tulsa Dream Center, John 3:16 Mission, and Gray Mental Health in Vinita. Officials urged residents without heat to seek shelter as conditions worsened.

---

Original story below...

----

9 p.m. The snow band is continuing south and east in Oklahoma, the last of it should be out of Oklahoma by midnight. The main concern is ice on roads and any power outages around the area. As snow moves out, the temperatures drop, causing streets to turn to a sheet of ice.

8:15: p.m. The cold, frigid and icy weather remains in Green Country, and the last band of heavy snow is moving out of the area. The further west we go, the less heavy the snow is. News On 6 trackers still report slick and dangerous roads.

7:45 p.m. Temperatures are around 15 degrees, so snow’s not going to melt. Traffic is slow, with one lane of traffic moving on I-44, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol advises against non-essential travel due to hazardous conditions.

7:00 p.m. The radar is showing active snow across the area, particularly in the Tulsa region and northern Osage County. Travis says the snow is expected to persist until at least 10 p.m., especially to the east of Tulsa.

6:15 p.m. Wind chills are already well below zero across northeast Oklahoma and southeast Kansas, and they only get worse areawide tonight into Wednesday morning.

Limit your exposure, this is dangerous cold that poses a frostbite risk!

5:45 p.m. News On 6 crews are all over northeast Oklahoma to show you how city, county and state crews are working to clear roads and keep people safe from the bitter cold.

Tulsa Dream Center warming shelter: Ethan Wright shares details as Tulsa takes on snow, deadly cold

Pryor winter storm: Reagan Ledbetter shows the strong winds and bitter cold in Mayes County

Bartlesville winter weather: Cal Day shows the hazardous road conditions

Dangerous winter weather in Vinita: Kaitlyn Deggs shares emergency efforts

Highway 75 in Okmulgee County reopens: Eden Jones reports on the icy roads that led to hours-long closure

As of 3:30 p.m., EMSA has responded to:

1. Cold Exposure: 5 responses, 2 transports.
2. Slips/ Falls: 24 responses, 14 transports.
3. Traffic accidents: 30 responses, 8 transports. 

5:00 pm: Authorities are closing I-44 EB at the BA. All traffic will be diverted. OHP says there are a total of 3 wrecks in the EB lanes of I-44 east of the BA interchange.

OHP also says I-40 EB is closed due to a 3-semi crash at mile marker 243.

3:00 pm: Snow is falling across the area and temperatures are dangerously cold. Roads are in rough shape. Stay in if you can and take it slow if you do have to be out.

2:15 pm: Snow continues north and east of Tulsa with locally heavy totals. Getting accurate measurements could be difficult at times since it's a very dry powdery snow that's blowing around and drifting in spots.

Tulsa will see additional areas of snow move in this afternoon and those snow bands will continue to gradually slide east and south. Unfortunately, areas west of Tulsa have been impacted by a wedge of drier air so western counties are missing out on most of the snow.

1:00 pm: Areas across the state are covered in snow, with emergency management crews, police, ODOT, and more working to keep folks safe.

11:00 am: Snow continues to move through the state and is expected to keep accumulating as the afternoon goes on. We are seeing icy road conditions around the state and Tulsa Police are currently operating under 'Slick Streets' policy which means officers are only responding to injury crashes unless a driver is under the influence.

9:45 am: Rogers County Courthouse to close at 10:30 a.m.

9:30 am: Snow has started to fall in the most northern parts of the state. Bartlesville has seen a dramatic increase in just a 30-minute window.

9:05 am: US-75 is shut down near Preston in Okmulgee County due to multiple crashes in this morning's very icy conditions.

9:03 am: Trash services in Tulsa have been suspended on Tuesday due to slick spots forming in neighborhoods. Tulsa residents who use City of Tulsa for their services are asked to leave carts at the curb so that crews can resume collection as soon as conditions allow.

9:00 am: Okmulgee County Emergency Management says roads are becoming slick and hazardous throughout the entire county this morning. Jeff Moore joined News On 6 on Tuesday to talk about the issues they are seeing. They are advising motorists to avoid certain areas due to hazardous road conditions and overturned vehicles.

8:40 am: TJ Gerlach with ODOT spoke about the ongoing challenges and the agency's response to the icy weather.

"We're definitely getting some of that freezing drizzle down south," Gerlach said. "It's coming down and freezing on contact, so it's making things really slippery in that area."

When asked if freezing drizzle is harder to treat than snow, Gerlach noted the difficulties of dealing with rapidly changing conditions.

"A lot of it is freezing on contact," Gerlach said. "And, you know, when we have these flash freezes, hitting a wide area at one time, it does make us tend to play a little bit of catch-up. But fortunately, we had some material residual on the ground from the storm over the weekend. So that's helped us, you know, getting a little bit of a head start. And we're just out there treating conditions as we can."

8:30 a.m. Bands of snow are starting to move into the north of Oklahoma. Bixby police report that they have already responded to several accidents caused by slick road conditions.

8:15 am: The City of Tulsa says that while crews have been treating roads since 4 a.m. conditions can still be deceptive.

7:30 am: Conditions can be a little misleading, while precipitation is light, temperatures are in the teens and lower twenties. If you see an area of the road that looks wet, it's best to assume that it is slick. Ice will continue to accumulate as the morning goes on.

7:15 am: A Semi rolled and crashed on New Sapulpa Rd near the Turner Turnpike/Creek Turnpike interchange.

7:00 am: Freezing drizzle has started to fall in some parts of eastern Oklahoma creating icy roads. More reports of slick spots and accidents are coming in. While precipitation is light, it is freezing on contact in many places as temps are below freezing for most of the state.

6:30 am: Crews are working in Tulsa and other cities to treat roadways as precipitation begins to fall.

What to Expect: Find School Closings Here

📅 Tuesday: Major Winter Storm & Arctic Blast

1. ❄️ Heavy snow develops early, most intense north of Highway 412.
2. ⚠️ Freezing rain/sleet is possible south of I-40 before turning to snow.
3. 💨 Strong north winds (15-30 mph) may create blowing snow & low visibility.
4. 🌡️ Temps fall from the upper 20s to teens, and wind chills near zero.

RELATED

1. Extreme cold and snow preparations are happening in Tulsa ahead of the winter storm
2. Winter weather causes flight delays, and cancellations at Tulsa Airport
3. Snowstorm preparations are underway in Bartlesville on Tuesday morning
4. Winter storm preparation: Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols signs emergency declaration