Ice Storm in Oklahoma, January 30 to 31, 2002

Freezing rain began across the northwest third of the state during the evening of the 29th with significant accumulations of ice developing shortly after midnight on the 30th. Freezing rain shifted southward during the early morning of the 30th with moderate to occasionally heavy freezing rain occurring in a 50 to 60 mile wide band, extending from north central Oklahoma, near Ponca City and Perry, southwestward toward Enid, Kingfisher, Oklahoma City, Weatherford, Anadarko, and Hobart. In many areas, the freezing rain continued for 12 to 24 hours, with ice accumulations of 1 to 2 inches commonly observed. As the end of the storm neared, freezing rain transitioned to sleet and snow across Harper, Ellis, Woods, and Woodward Counties, with only a brief transition to sleet across central Oklahoma, including areas along and near Interstate 35. The worst damage resulting from ice accumulations occurred from near Ponca City, Blackwell, Red Rock, Perry, and Stillwater, southwestward through Enid, Canton, Watonga, Hennessey, Kingfisher, and Guthrie, to near Clinton, Weatherford, El Reno, northwest side of Oklahoma City, Edmond, Cordell, Binger, and Minco. The damage was catastrophic in places, with thousands of utility poles brought down by the weight of the ice, along with thousands of trees. Dozens of towns were left completely without power for days, with some residents expected to be without power for weeks. At one point, nearly 250,000 residents were left without power. In addition to several traffic-related fatalities during the storm, partially due to wet roads, an elderly woman died from hypothermia in her home in Hennessey in Kingfisher County, when electricity to her house was knocked out. Total damage across the state is expected be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.