Governor Declares ' State Of Emergency'

Friday, January 12th 2007, 10:30 am

By: News On 6

Governor Brad Henry has declared a state of emergency for all 77 Oklahoma counties because of this winter storm. The storm is bringing freezing drizzle and sleet across much of the state.

The Governor's declaration provides a formal mechanism for local governments to ask for reimbursement for the cost of recovering from the storm. State officials also have activated the Oklahoma State Emergency Operations Center in Oklahoma City because of the storm.

The storm is expected to continue off and on through Sunday and weather watches are in effect until then.

Roads across northeastern Oklahoma are now coated with freezing rain and drizzle.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says motorists are being urged to remain alert to changing road conditions and slow down. Troopers say elevated surfaces, mainly overpasses and bridges, are becoming extremely hazardous. An inch to one and a-half inches of ice is expected from this storm as it moves across the state, which is to last through the weekend.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma Department of Transportation crews and city crews were in the field today, working to prevent icing on bridges and overpasses, which are typically the first portions of roadway to freeze over.

In Tulsa, 50 spreaders loaded with salt and sand are hitting the streets this afternoon.

Another big concern is that this ice storm could cause a number of power outages. PSO spokesman Stan Whiteford, â€œthe ice and stuff that was on the roads was not really on the power lines and the trees during that earlier winter storm that happened end of November, first of December, so in that regard we were lucky."

Flight delays and cancellations are now being reported at Tulsa International Airport. Airport officials expect to see more cancellations this afternoon for both incoming and departing flights.

For more information about delays or cancellations at Tulsa International Airport, click here.