Rural NE Oklahoma Still Recovering From Christmas Eve Blizzard

By Chris Wright, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- Many rural areas across Green Country are still digging out from last week's storm, while preparing to deal with this second round of storms.

Tulsa is having problems plowing many of its streets, so you can imagine the difficulties they are having in rural areas where they got even more snow.

There is plenty of snow left in Pryor.

Enough to cause drivers to lose traction and enough to put the finishing touches on a snowman.

Much like the Tulsa area, the main roads in Pryor have been plowed and are in good condition.

It's the side streets that continue to cause problems for drivers.

"It's been crazy. The roads are all nasty. You can't go nowhere. You're kind of homebound," said Karen Crowe, Pryor resident.

James Pennington, a Mayes County Resident, said, "Roads have been real slick, can't get in and out nowhere."

Mayes County says cleaning up such a large rural area has presented its challenge, because it did receive a little more snow than Tulsa, up to a foot in some areas.

Michael Dunham, Mayes County Emergency Management, said, "We're going to have some different roads compared to the city. We're going to have a little more hills and valleys. That makes it hard on the emergency responders and hard on the people living in those areas."

Emergency Management officials, who are themselves still having some issues getting around, say they've made great progress over the past few days and they hope the second round of snow doesn't derail it.

"With the snow, it's going to cover the ice and we're going to have some slick spots. If you don't have to be out in it, stay home. Get a pizza; watch a movie," Dunham said. "Just try not to be out in it because we don't want you to get hurt."

Some Pryor residents haven't received mail since Christmas Eve because carriers simply can't get to some homes.