Emergency Management News

Saturday, November 28, 2015

Update for #AltusOK on #ShopSmall Saturday

Would you LOOK at that graphic?

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That's over half the State with frozen MesoNet Wind sensors!  That's a serious case of "measles".

From the Co-ops this morning:

Ice, ice, and, unfortunately, more ice accumulated during the overnight hours. Reports from several co-ops indicate total icing amounts in some areas are now in the 0.75” to 1” range. Average is 0.5” or slightly more across a wide swath of central, southwestern, western, northwestern and northern Oklahoma. Winds have slowly but gradually decreased, from 15 – 25 mph down to the 5 – 15 mph range, which should help line crews as they work to restore power.

Here are the outage numbers for electric co-ops in Oklahoma as of 6:30 am this morning, Saturday, November 28th:

Alfalfa Electric – 1,257
Caddo Electric – 7,653
Central Rural Electric – 645
Cimarron Electric – 2,577
Cotton Electric – 225
Indian Electric – 305
Kay Electric – 20
Lake Region Electric – 1
Northeast OK Electric – 32
Northwestern Electric – 255
Oklahoma Electric – 4,044
Tri-County Electric – 1
TOTAL OUTAGES FROM CO-OPS REPORTING: 17,015

So far, no MAJOR structural damage has been reported – several co-ops have reported a few poles down and some cross arms broken, but I have received no reports of major infrastructure damage as of this time.

Good news:  The winds dying down are mentioned above and the graphic below shows for the forecast for temperatures rising above freezing.  The winds, as you can see, decrease after sunset today.

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Our friends at the Regional Operations Center wrote:

Today through Sunday Morning

• Freezing rain will continue across the western 2/3 of OK into the eastern TX Panhandle southward into west-central TX 
    • Accumulating ice on trees and power lines will lead to power outages along and west of I-35 in OK westward into the eastern TX Panhandle and west-central TX southward to near I-20
    • Significant impacts to travel from I-40 in OKC into the TX Panhandle
• Heavy rain over SE OK, much of AR, N/NE TX expected through Sunday morning with flooding possible over these areas 


Your forecast from your friends at the National Weather Service reads:

“Today  Rain or freezing rain, becoming all rain after noon. High near 34. North wind 10 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Total daytime ice accumulation of less than a 0.1 of an inch possible.

Tonight Rain likely, mainly before midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 33. North wind 7 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.” http://1.usa.gov/1lQfXbo

Altus Power and Altus Police dispatchers were working well last night.  According to EM Volunteer Ron Roman, the calls for power outages were coming to Central Dispatch and the message to the power crews went out over the radio.

One comment on Facebook praised the City Street Department.

In the mean time, please be safe.  Check on your neighbor.  Give Mr. Mowbray your full assistance.

Travel wisely as you participate in “Small Business Saturday” http://amex.co/1jpt5Cw



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