More Cold Temps Headed Our Way This Weekend
The most significant winter storm since 2021 blanketed Sulphur and the Murray County area with about eight to 10 inches of snow last week, forcing schools to close and causing havoc for drivers.
Sulphur received about 8.5 inches of snow, but higher amounts were recorded in other locations.
The storm began in the early morning hours last Thursday with light snow, but as the day wore on the snow became heavy and continued through the evening and nighttime hours. Roads quickly became slick and hazardous causing problems for many drivers trying to get to work early that morning.
At one point during the day, Interstate 35 was closed for several hours, south of Davis in the Arbuckle Mountains, as conditions worsened. In Sulphur, truckers attempting to negotiate a hill on U.S. 177 and the park entrance, became stuck, forcing a backup of vehicles through Chickasaw National Recreation Area and to the west on Broadway Ave, said Murray County Undersheriff Ben Flowers. Wrecker crews and sand trucks were dispatched to the area and were able to free up the backlog after about an hour or two.
No major accidents in the immediate Sulphur area were reported, but many vehicles became stuck in the deep snow and had to be pulled out.
Flowers said the biggest problem during the storm locally were truckers being unable to negotiate hills, causing traffic backups.
Due to road conditions, Sulphur and Davis schools were forced to close until Monday.
Local sporting events, including most of Sulphur’s games in the Charles K. Heatly tournament in Lindsay, were postponed until this week.
The storm was similar in scope, but not quite as bad as the benchmark February 16, 2021 event that produced the lowest temperature ever recorded in Sulphur, -14 degrees. Sulphur’s highest temperature in decades came just a year and one-half later when the Oklahoma Mesonet Station, just north of town, recorded a 110-degree day on July 19, 2022.
Sulphur siblings Rance, Trentlee and Rhett Gilbert sled down an incline behind the Sulphur Intermediate School during last week’s winter storm.
Snow
According to reports, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol last Thursday reported 458 non-injury collisions, 85 injury collisions, 254 motorist assists and 43 abandoned vehicles in the Troop F area.
During last week’s storm, the temperatures dipped into the teens and 20’s throughout the later part of the week, moderating somewhat on Sunday and Monday.
Another shot of Arctic air is forecast to plunge into the state over the weekend with more pipe-bursting temperatures in the offing for several days.
