Tulsa road conditions: Police urge caution as winter weather, cold temps continue

A significant winter storm has enveloped Tulsa, bringing heavy snow, sleet, and freezing drizzle, leading to treacherous road conditions across the city.

City crews are actively deploying salt and plowing major thoroughfares; however, the rapid accumulation of snow is outpacing their efforts. Motorists are advised to exercise extreme caution, as numerous accidents have been reported. Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) has responded to 30 weather-related incidents this afternoon.

Despite initial forecasts predicting earlier snowfall, Tulsa experienced substantial sleet and freezing drizzle before the heavy snow began. The combination of ice and fresh snow has created slick spots on many roads, making travel hazardous.

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) is monitoring the situation and working to treat roadways.

Tulsa Police Chief Dennis Larson said the city's response has gone better than expected, with fewer calls for service than on a typical snow day.

"Everybody's really hunkered down. We really appreciate people heeding the warnings," Larson said. "Our areas of concern are still there, but we've been able to keep up with calls all day. The last time I checked, we only had a couple of calls holding, and for us to be at five o’clock in the afternoon with this type of weather, that is fantastic."

Road Conditions & Travel Advisory

Larson warned that road crews are still working to clear major streets, but they will need all night to catch up due to the heavy snowfall. He advised people planning to go to work Wednesday morning to delay their start time to give plows time to clear the roads.

"The street department has worked their tails off, but we knew we'd be overwhelmed when the snow hit," Larson said. "If you have to go to work tomorrow, make it a late start and stick to major arterials like Memorial, Yale, and Harvard. Avoid highways like I-44, U.S. 75, and the Broken Arrow Expressway unless absolutely necessary."

LIVE UPDATES: Winter Storm Targets Tulsa, Creating Slick Roads, Freezing Temps

Problem Areas Across the State

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."

While southern Oklahoma is seeing more severe conditions, northern parts of the state are facing fewer issues for now.

"More northerly right now, we're just looking at bridges and overpasses being slick at the moment, so okay up north so far," Gerlach added.

LATEST FORECAST: Major winter storm to bring heavy snow, ice, and dangerous cold to northeastern Oklahoma

Decision-Making Process for Road Closures

As the storm continues, ODOT and local officials are keeping a close eye on possible road closures. Gerlach explained the process for shutting down highways or interstates during severe weather.

"A lot of times that happens first with law enforcement. So they'll go out there and see the conditions or they're responding to the crash and they'll make the determination," he said. "But we'll obviously assist them where we need to. It's very rare for ODOT to make the decision to shut down a highway. But we would do work with our local and state partners to make those determinations."

Challenges of Freezing Drizzle

Crews have been out early this morning, working to treat roads in preparation for the weather. 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."

ODOT Crews Continue Efforts

ODOT crews will continue working throughout the day to address hazardous road conditions. Drivers are urged to use caution as freezing drizzle continues to affect roadways.

School closings: Oklahoma schools close, move to virtual learning ahead of winter weather