Holiday Travel Discouraged In Parts Of Oklahoma, Texas

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Oklahoma transportation officials are discouraging travel in western and southwestern parts of the state due to a strong winter storm.

Department of Transportation spokesman David Meuser says blizzard conditions in far western and southern Oklahoma counties have reduced visibility. Highways remain slick in the western two-thirds of the state, and conditions continue to deteriorate.

Meuser says many collisions have been reported on Interstate 35 south of Oklahoma City. He says travel is discouraged on Interstate 40 west of Clinton due to low visibility. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol has closed I-40 eastbound at U.S. 81 in El Reno because of numerous accidents.

Meuser says snow is blowing in parts of the Oklahoma Panhandle, but road crews report that skies are clearing in Cimarron County in the Panhandle.

Christmas Eve winter storm travel delays hit Texas and prompted Gov. Rick Perry to activate emergency resources.

Perry on Thursday afternoon activated some military personnel and high profile vehicles, as a precaution, to assist motorists. Perry cited blizzard conditions on stretches of Highway 84.

An advisory Thursday for Houston's Hobby Airport cited weather affecting traffic bound for the Dallas area, with delays topping two hours.

Fort Worth-based American Airlines offered travelers the chance to change their weather-affected flights with no penalty. Dallas-based Southwest Airlines advised travelers to be aware of possible delays or cancellations, especially in storm-swept areas such as Minneapolis, Kansas City and Omaha, Neb.

Drivers are reminded to stay at least 200 feet behind road-clearing equipment, for both their safety and the safety of the operators. During snow and/or ice conditions, motorists are asked to:

• Be aware that conditions are continually changing; drive cautiously and for the conditions on the roadway.
• Check road conditions before getting out on the roads.
• Allow extra space between vehicles, so there is adequate distance for braking in wet and icy conditions.
• Stay at least 200 feet behind road-clearing equipment; crews need room to maneuver and can engage plowing or spreading materials without notice.
• Be aware of "black ice," which looks wet on the roadway, but is actually a thin layer of ice.
• Please be patient, plan trips ahead and allow extra time to reach destinations.