How to prepare for deadly cold, snow in OKC Tuesday, Feb. 18

OKLAHOMA CITY — Just after midnight on Tuesday morning, temperatures are forecast to be the highest of the entire day creating a dangerous situation for anyone who is outside.

The National Weather Service (NWS) is forecasting that Oklahoma City temperatures will continue to slide downward as the 24 hours of Tuesday develop:

12 AM: 34 degrees
7 AM: 23 degrees
Noon: 16 degrees
5 PM: 12 degrees
9 PM: 9 degrees

The NWS anticipates precipitation to complicate Tuesday’s conditions creating “snow showers and freezing rain, possibly mixed with sleet, becoming all snow after 3pm. Wind chill values as low as zero. North wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.”

City services changed for Tuesday

The City of OKlahoma City has announced several changes to its services:

Trash, recycling, and bulky waste collections for OKC Utilities customers normally scheduled for Tuesday will be postponed until Saturday, Feb. 22. Thursday and Friday collections are expected to run as scheduled.

OKC Parks and recreation centers, community centers, performing arts centers, senior centers and gyms will all be closed Tuesday and Wednesday. The Pete White Center will not be providing meal services. Outdoor parks will continue their normal hours.

The Oklahoma City Municipal Courts sessions are cancelled for Tuesday, Feb. 18. All cases will be continued without assessing a continuance fee. Defendants/attorneys will be notified of the new court date.

EMBARK transit system will move its service to Level 2 Winter Weather Detours. Here is helpful information from EMBARK:

1. 🚍 View the full list of Winter Weather Detours: https://www.embarkok.com/bus/winter-weather-detours
2. ⚠️ Check active detours and service alerts: https://go.embarkok.com/alerts
3. ❄️ Review inclement weather riding tips: https://www.embarkok.com/bus/inclement-weather-riding-tips
4. 🆘 Visit the help center: https://www.embarkok.com/help-center or call 405-235-RIDE

Homeless persons in danger

Key to Home Partnership’s outreach teams will be out warning persons living outdoors about the dangerous cold arriving overnight.

“We are doing our best to encourage people to seek shelter during this cold snap,” Key to Home Partnership Implementation Manager Jamie Caves said. “Nobody will be turned away from shelter.”

EMBARK buses will transport people experiencing homelessness to a shelter free of charge.

People who are homeless with pets are welcome to stay at the Homeless Alliance or City Care.

How to support local shelters

Overnight shelters need financial contributions and donations of hand warmers and shelf stable food.

People can drop items off at one of the shelters listed below.

Cash contributions, which can be made on each nonprofit’s website, help pay for things like blankets, food and staffing.

Overnight shelters:

• Homeless Alliance, 501 N Indiana Ave.
• City Care, 532 N Villa Ave.
• City Rescue Mission, 800 W California Ave.
• Salvation Army, 1001 N Penn Ave. 

Overnight Youth Shelters

• Sisu Youth, 2129 NW 30^th St.
• Pivot, 201 NE 50^th St. 

If you see someone experiencing homelessness

To connect people to services, call 211.

To contact an outreach team, call the Action Center, (405) 297-2535.

If there is an emergency, call 911.

Tips to prepare your pipes for freezing weather

Temperatures are expected to drop well below freezing for several consecutive days this week. According to the City of Oklahoma City Utilities Department, here are ways to prepare so that pipes do not burst and cause extensive damage to your residence.

Indoors:

• The only faucets that should be dripping are those along exterior-facing walls.
• It does not take a heavy flow of water to effectively prevent pipes from freezing. Only a small, steady drip or stream no wider than a pencil lead is needed. (Check out our how-to video.)
• If your faucet has a hot and cold handle, open both to mid-flow, then simultaneously reduce both to a small flow until you reach a “pencil lead” stream. If your faucet has a single handle, position the handle in the middle to allow both hot and cold water to drip.
• Open cabinet doors in the kitchen and bathrooms to allow warm air to circulate underneath and keep pipes warmer.
• If you have a basement or crawl space, wrap exposed water pipes to insulate them against freezing. This can also help prevent water waste by keeping water in the pipes warmer.

If you notice your pipes are frozen, use your home’s shut-off valve to shut off water to your home and allow the pipes to thaw.

If you experience a water line break, shut your water off to limit the amount of excess water flow, and call Utilities Customer Service at (405) 297-2833 for assistance.

Outdoors:

• Disconnect garden hoses and cover outdoor water spigots with a foam insulator or other cover.
• Wrap and cover sprinkler backflow devices.
• Turn off your sprinkler system or set it to manual and make sure it is not scheduled to run while temperatures are below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Do not let sprinkler systems run during freezing temperatures. As a reminder, Oklahoma City Municipal Code prohibits the release or discharge of water onto streets and sidewalks. Water sprayed or drifting onto streets and sidewalks during freezing temperatures causes hazardous conditions for pedestrians and drivers. Accidents and injuries caused by ice may result in liability to the customer or property owner.

Free Press will continue to follow conditions over the next several days. Check back regularly for new updates.

---