Ice Storm, McCurtain
- When
- January 6, 12:00 PM CST to January 8, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- McCurtain forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 34.115, -94.771 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Ice Storm in Oklahoma, January 6 to 8, 1997
An artic cold front swept southeast from the northern Plains into the lower Mississippi Valley bringing icy temperatures across the region while an upper level low over the 4 corners area pumped moisture laden air northward from the Gulf of Mexico. The warm moisture laden air rode up over the freezing ground temperatures resulting in widespread freezing rain, sleet, and snow.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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 SHV wrote it up.
An artic cold front swept southeast from the northern Plains into the lower Mississippi Valley bringing icy temperatures across the region while an upper level low over the 4 corners area pumped moisture laden air northward from the Gulf of Mexico. The warm moisture laden air rode up over the freezing ground temperatures resulting in widespread freezing rain, sleet, and snow. Overall ice accumulations ranged from 2 to 4 inches. Several county roads were closed due to ice accumulations.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
1 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.
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
- Winter Storm in Texas, January 6 to 7, 1997
- Winter Storm in Arizona, January 6 to 7, 1997
- High Wind in California, January 6 to 7, 1997
- Heavy Snow in New York, January 6 to 8, 1997
- Heavy Snow in New York, January 6 to 7, 1997
- Ice Storm in Texas, January 6 to 8, 1997
- Ice Storm in Louisiana, January 6 to 8, 1997
- Ice Storm in Arkansas, January 6 to 8, 1997
- Winter Storm in New Mexico, January 6 to 7, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Texas, January 6 to 7, 1997
- Heavy Snow in New York, January 6 to 8, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Texas, January 6 to 9, 1997
More
Every storm in Oklahoma in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Oklahoma, January 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: 5587420.