Ice Storm in Oklahoma, December 20 to 21, 1997

Name: Ice Storm in Oklahoma, December 20 to 21, 1997
Start: 1997-12-20T23:00
End: 1997-12-21T21:00
Location: Oklahoma

December 20 to 21, 1997 · NWS OUN · 11 events in 11 counties and zones

Freezing rain fell across a large portion of western Oklahoma from late evening of the 20th into the evening of the 21st. Ice accumulations up 3/4 inch downed trees and power lines.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 11 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 11

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS OUN wrote it up.

Freezing rain fell across a large portion of western Oklahoma from late evening of the 20th into the evening of the 21st. Ice accumulations up 3/4 inch downed trees and power lines. Numerous large trees limbs were snapped, littering the streets of towns throughout the region. Tens of main power lines and countless secondary lines were also downed, cutting power to thousands of western Oklahomans. Canton (Blaine County) and Mooreland (Woodward County) were particularly hard-hit with power outages that lasted over 2 days in some cases.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

11 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Harper

When: December 20, 11:00 PM CST to December 21, 9:00 PM CST
Where: Harper forecast zone
Coordinates: 36.789, -99.667 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Beckham

When: December 20, 11:00 PM CST to December 21, 9:00 PM CST
Where: Beckham forecast zone
Coordinates: 35.269, -99.682 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Blaine

When: December 20, 11:00 PM CST to December 21, 9:00 PM CST
Where: Blaine forecast zone
Coordinates: 35.875, -98.433 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Custer

When: December 20, 11:00 PM CST to December 21, 9:00 PM CST
Where: Custer forecast zone
Coordinates: 35.639, -99.001 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Dewey

When: December 20, 11:00 PM CST to December 21, 9:00 PM CST
Where: Dewey forecast zone
Coordinates: 35.988, -99.008 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Ellis

When: December 20, 11:00 PM CST to December 21, 9:00 PM CST
Where: Ellis forecast zone
Coordinates: 36.218, -99.755 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Major

When: December 20, 11:00 PM CST to December 21, 9:00 PM CST
Where: Major forecast zone
Coordinates: 36.312, -98.536 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Roger Mills

When: December 20, 11:00 PM CST to December 21, 9:00 PM CST
Where: Roger Mills forecast zone
Coordinates: 35.688, -99.696 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Washita

When: December 20, 11:00 PM CST to December 21, 9:00 PM CST
Where: Washita forecast zone
Coordinates: 35.290, -98.992 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Woods

When: December 20, 11:00 PM CST to December 21, 9:00 PM CST
Where: Woods forecast zone
Coordinates: 36.767, -98.865 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Woodward

When: December 20, 11:00 PM CST to December 21, 9:00 PM CST
Where: Woodward forecast zone
Coordinates: 36.423, -99.265 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Ice Storm: Freezing rain accumulating a quarter inch or more of ice, or less where it caused significant damage.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Oklahoma in 1997 Every state in 1997 This day in weather history Warnings in Oklahoma, December 1997

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5624049, 5624050, 5624051, 5624052, 5624053, 5624054, 5624055, 5624056, 5624057, 5624058, 5624059.