Excerpts from the December 2000
Storm Data Publication for
Oklahoma and Western North Texas

Oklahoma

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.

Falling trees and ice damaged thousands of homes and vehicles. Thousands of additional trees and utility poles were also 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.

Damages incurred from the storm in western, central and southeastern Oklahoma totaled $76.4 million.

Western North Texas

The major winter storm also moved across western north Texas during the evening of the 25th, with significant accumulations of ice and snow beginning around 0300 CST on the 26th, and lasting through most of the day. Across Hardeman and northern Foard Counties, a mixture of sleet and freezing rain fell overnight on the 26th before changing to all snow during the day, with total ice and snow accumulations between 2 and 4 inches observed.

Across the remainder of western north Texas, a mixture of sleet and freezing rain accumulated to a depth of 1 to 2 inches. Although damage to personal and public property and infrastructure was greater across portions of south central and southeast Oklahoma, approximately 25,000 residents lost power and schools were closed for 1 to 2 days. Local insurance companies for damage to property also received hundreds of insurance claims. Damages totaled $200,000 in western north Texas.

Links to maps and text products related to the December 25-27, 2000 Winter Storm for Oklahoma and North Texas.

NWS Norman, Oklahoma
Public Information Statement
Issued 612 pm CST, 12/27/2000

NWS Amarillo, Texas
Public Information Statement
Issued 630 am CST, 12/27/2000

Preliminary Map of
Snow and Ice Accumulations from
800 am CST, December 25 through
800 am CST, December 27, 2000
in Oklahoma and western North Texas
Click on image for full-size version!

Preliminary Map of
Snow Depth as of
800 am CST, December 27, 2000
in Oklahoma and Texas
by the Climate Prediction Center
Click on image for full-size version!

Preliminary Map of
Precipitation Amounts as of
600 am CST, December 28, 2000
in Oklahoma and Texas
by the Arkansas-Red Basin
River Forecast Center (ABRFC)
Click on image for full-size version!

Here are some digital camera shots of the ice coverage near the NWS Norman forecast office. Click on the images for full-size versions.