Ice Storm and Winter Storm in Oklahoma, December 26, 2000

A major winter storm developed during the evening of the 25th across all of western, central, and southeast Oklahoma, with significant accumulations of snow and ice beginning shortly after 0000 CST on the 26th. Mainly snow fell across northwest Oklahoma with accumulations between 8 and 12 inches reported across northern Beckham, Roger Mills, and southern Ellis Counties. Snow amounts varied widely across the rest of northwest Oklahoma with 4 to 8 inches falling across portions of Dewey and Custer Counties, and only 1 to 2 inches across Woods and Alfalfa Counties, however even in areas where snow amounts were light, significant disruptions in travel and power outages were reported.A broad zone of a mixture of snow, sleet, and freezing rain fell to the east of the above mentioned area. Four to 8 inches of a snow/sleet mixture fell from near Enid and Weatherford southwestward to Elk City, while farther east, 2 to 4 inches of a snow/sleet/freezing rain mixture fell from near Ponca City and Oklahoma City, southwestward to near Lawton and Altus. The worst ice storm in decades affected much of south central and southeast Oklahoma with a mixture of freezing rain and sleet accumulating to a depth of 1 to 2 inches. Where the precipitation fell as mainly freezing rain, ice accumulations were about 1 inch. Damage to property was extensive with the greatest damage observed in a narrow corridor from Walters and Randlett in Cotton County northeastward through Duncan, Ringling, Waurika, Pauls Valley, Sulphur, Ardmore, Marietta, Ada, Centrahoma, Wewoka, and Holdenville. Thousands of homes and vehicles were damaged by falling trees and ice, while thousands of additional trees and utility poles were damaged or destroyed. Tens of thousands of residents were left without electricity for nearly a week, while thousands of residents were without water or phone service for several days. Statewide, near 170,000 residents were without electricity on the 26th and 27th.Six indirect fatalities are believed to be associated with the winter storm. On the 25th, 2 passengers were killed on Interstate 35, west of Stillwater in Payne County, when their vehicle crossed the median and struck another vehicle head-on. Another accident on the 25th resulted in 1 fatality when a vehicle on Interstate 35 near Purcell in McClain County, crossed the median and struck another vehicle head-on. Two women died on the 26th after falling on the ice, one near Ponca City in Kay County, and the other in Oklahoma City in Oklahoma County. The last known fatality occurred on the 27th when a man working for a utility company was electrocuted while attempting to restore electrical power in Hughes County.