Snow, sleet & freezing rain: What you need to know for the morning commute

Your News On 6 weather experts are monitoring the latest data to keep you safe and informed.

📍 Wednesday Morning Commute (4 AM - 9 AM)

1. 🚗 Hazardous roads likely, especially north of Tulsa.
2. 🌨️ Sleet & snow accumulation:
3. ❄️ North of Tulsa: 1-3 inches of snow, ice potential.
4. ❄️ Bartlesville & Southeast Kansas: 2-4 inches of snow.
5. 🌧️ South of Tulsa: Mostly rain with some sleet.
6. ⚡ Thundersleet possible – lightning and loud sleet bursts could occur.
7. 💨 Strong north winds will increase wind chills in the teens by late morning.

📍 Wednesday Afternoon & Evening

1. 🌬️ Bitter wind chills: 10-15°F by evening.
2. ❄️ Lingering snow showers in northern Oklahoma.
3. 🌡️ Highs only in the upper 20s - low 30s.

📍 Thursday Morning

1. 🥶 Brutal wind chills: Single digits possible.
2. 🌡️ Cold but dry: Highs in the 30s.

What can we expect in terms of wintry weather impacts on Wednesday?

Some wintry weather impacts are mostly along and northwest of the I-44 corridor, from early Wednesday morning through midday. Some travel issues are possible.

Locations to the south, especially along both sides and south of the I-40 corridor, should be warm enough to keep precipitation liquid throughout the entire event.

There may be a few sleet pellets mixed across East Central Oklahoma but with no impact.

Where are the winter weather advisories and warnings?

Winter weather advisories will be posted for parts of northcentral Oklahoma into far northeastern Oklahoma and into southern Kansas. Locations north, across most of central and northern Kansas, will be included in a winter storm warning.

The current configuration of advisories does not include Tulsa County. Tulsa may be added to the advisories later if surface temperatures are slightly cooler than forecast for early Wednesday morning.

Winter weather or travel advisories are currently posted for North Central Oklahoma. The advisory extends from Elk City to Clinton to Watonga to Stillwater, northward to Ponca City.

This advisory starts at 6 p.m. and continues until noon Wednesday. Additional winter weather advisories start at midnight and end Wednesday afternoon for Pawnee, Osage, Washington, Nowata, and Craig Counties. 

When Do We Drop Below Freezing?

Temps stay above freezing today and will drop below freezing by tomorrow afternoon. We’ll move into the mid-30s today and stay in the mid to upper 30s in northern Oklahoma and the lower 40s across the southern sections of the state this afternoon.

However, later tonight into early tomorrow morning, another surge of colder weather will slowly arrive. The exact location of temperatures near or below freezing at the surface, combined with the thermal profile slightly above the surface, will determine the zones of mixed precipitation possibilities.

Most guidance for early tomorrow morning suggests that locations near or northwest of I-44 will start with morning lows near freezing.

What are the specific impacts?

The temp profile northwest of the Tulsa metro, mostly across North Central Oklahoma into South Central Kansas, is expected to be near or slightly below freezing early Wednesday morning.

This location supports the possibility of some wintry mix that could begin with light freezing rain, changing to sleet, and then ending with light snow. This area includes locations from Stillwater to Pawhuska to Pawnee to Bartlesville to Coffeyville and Independence, KS.

These areas could experience anywhere from a glaze on the lower end to nearly .20 of some ice at the higher end. 

Additionally, as colder air arrives by midday Wednesday, some precipitation may change to light snow by Wednesday late morning to midday. Total accumulations of one inch will be possible in the advisory locations of Oklahoma, with 2 to 3 inches across southern Kansas. 

Could Anything Change with this system?

Yes. Some changes are still possible. The main uncertainty with the forecast remains the exact transition zones between rain, freezing rain, sleet, and snow.

Very small temperature differences over small locations can result in precipitation-type changes.

While most guidance keeps most wintry precipitation northwest of the Tulsa Metro, it is possible that slight variations in temperature could bring some wintry impacts into the Tulsa Metro for the Wednesday morning commute. The Tulsa metro could see a dusting to nearly 1 inch if temperatures are slightly lower than anticipated.

What’s the outlook for the weekend?

Precipitation will exit our immediate area from west to east by midday to early afternoon Wednesday. As the waves exit the area, much colder weather will arrive with strong north winds at 15 to 25 mph. This will create falling temperatures and very low wind chill values.

Thursday morning lows will start in the middle teens, with daytime highs in the upper 20s near 30.

A weak upper-level wave moving from west to east will produce some snow flurries Thursday morning through midday with no impact. We should have a sun-cloud mix.

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Winter Weather Preparation:

Where are the warming shelters available in Tulsa this year?

The city of Tulsa, local shelters, warming stations, and outreach teams are working to ensure access to safe, warm spaces during the cold temperatures.

>>> City of Tulsa prepares for extreme cold temperatures

>>> Warming Shelters Open Across Tulsa Amid Freezing Temperatures

Tulsa shelters and temporary warming locations are open to provide refuge. Major locations include:

1. John 3:16 Mission, 506 N. Cheyenne — Open 24/7
2. The Salvation Army Center of Hope, 102 N. Denver Ave. — Open 24/7
3. Tulsa Day Center, 415 W. Archer St. — Open 24/7 (Pets allowed, limited capacity)

>>> Center Of Hope Expands Services During Freezing Temperatures

Temporary overflow shelters will also be open for the cold weather:

1. The Merchant: 605 S. Peoria Ave., open Monday, Jan. 20, 9 a.m.–Noon; Tuesday-Friday, 9–11 a.m.
2. Denver Avenue Station: 319 S. Denver Ave., open Sunday, 8:30 a.m.–8:30 p.m.; Monday-Saturday, 5:30 a.m.–11:30 p.m.
3. The Station at Youth Services: 311 S. Madison Ave., open Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
4. Iron Gate: 501 W. Archer St., open daily, 8:30–10:30 a.m.
5. The Ministry Center: 312 S. 33rd W. Ave., open Tuesday-Thursday, 9:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

For a full list of warming station locations and hours, visit Housing Solutions’ Winter Weather Information Page.

>>> Warming Shelters, Safety Tips For Cold Temperatures This Winter In Oklahoma

>>> Tulsa Clinic Offers Health Care Services At Warming Shelters

Bring Pets Inside!

Winter temperatures can pose additional challenges for pets, particularly older animals or those with health conditions. Hartfield recommends:

1. Wellness Checks: Ensure pets are up to date on vaccines and discuss arthritis or other cold-weather health concerns with a veterinarian.
2. Outdoor Time: Monitor the duration of outdoor activities, especially for short-haired breeds or pets with conditions like diabetes or heart disease.
3. Paw Care: After walks, inspect and clean paws to remove ice or de-icing chemicals that could harm your pet.

>>> Cold Weather Pet Tips: How To Keep Animals Safe During Winter Months

How Can I Protect Myself From Sickness Or The Flu This Winter?

The Tulsa Health Department is urging residents to receive flu and COVID-19 vaccinations to prevent respiratory illnesses as Oklahoma enters the coldest months of the year.

>>> What You Can Do For Your Kids To Prevent The Flu Amid Rise In Cases

1. Health experts say the risk of respiratory illnesses is higher during the winter, as colder weather often leads to more indoor gatherings, increasing the likelihood of viruses spreading. 
2. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says Oklahoma is one of 11 states with very high respiratory virus activity, and with flu vaccination rates lower than this time in 2024, more people have reported getting sick.

>>> How to Protect Yourself From Respiratory Illness This Winter

>>> Districts Are Cautiously Optimistic As Attendance Rate Begin To Rise

>>> 3 Things Doctors Want You To Know About The Flu In Oklahoma

Emergency Info: Outages Across Oklahoma:

Northeast Oklahoma has various power companies and electric cooperatives, many of which have overlapping areas of coverage. Below is a link to various outage maps.

>>> Tulsa HVAC, Plumbing Companies Flooded With Calls During Cold Weather

1. PSO Outage Map
2. OG&E Outage Map
3. VVEC Outage Map
4. Indian Electric Cooperative (IEC) Outage Map
5. Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives Outage Map — (Note Several Smaller Co-ops Included)

The Alan Crone morning weather podcast link from Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/0dCHRWMFjs4fEPKLqTLjvy

The Alan Crone morning weather podcast link from Apple:

https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/oklahoma-news-from-kotv-news-on-6-in-tulsa-oklahoma/id1499556141

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