No major problems as public uses caution
Monday was Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a day to honor the civil rights activist – and to try to stay warm.
According to the National Weather Service, the area high for the holiday around Eufaula was around 16 degrees.
At 7:51 a.m. Monday the temperature was 3 degrees, according to the temperature and clock at the Health & Wellness Center.
It was a bitter cold day that wasn’t expected to improve dramatically through Wednesday.
Snow began to fall on Mc-Intosh County around 10 a.m. Sunday.
By Monday morning the county was blanketed by a couple of inches snow, covering a sheet of ice.
Even with hazardous conditions, there have been no reports of major problems.
There have been no reports of fires or accidents.
“We’ve been lucky,” said Eufaula Fire Chief Cliff Shatswell Monday morning.
Police Chief David Bryning said Monday there wasn’t anything to report.
“People have been driving carefully. No issues, so far,” he said.
City Manager Jeb Jones said the city has about 30 tons of sand, enough to take care of major streets.
“The Oklahoma Department of Transportation takes care of the highways,” he said.
ODOT highways include SH 9 and Main Street through downtown.
There were reports of scattered water and power outages.
Side streets have been slick and aren’t expected to improve much since the area can expect continued frigid weather throughout the week.
Several closings were reported Tuesday, including Eufaula Public Schools. The school board meeting scheduled for Monday, Jan. 15, was postponed until Monday, Jan. 12.
Tuesday’s trash pickup by Sue’s Recycling was cancelled and transfer stations were closed.
Some businesses were closed. To be cautious, call before you go.
The National Weather Ser- vice said on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the wind chill was between -8 and 2 degrees.
On Tuesday, the NWS reported, the high for the day was to be around 22 degrees, with windchill between -7 and 3.
Wednesday, conditions were to improve somewhat, with a high of near 41, but with wind gusts as high as 30 mph. Wednesday night the low was expected to be 30 degrees.
Thursday’s high should be 44, and the low 18.
Don’t expect much improvement next weekend. According to the NWS the temperatures will range from a low of about 16 to a high of 38.
A Wind Chill Advisory remained in effect for all of eastern Oklahoma and northwest and west central Arkansas through midday Tuesday.
Wind chills this cold can be dangerous and lead to frostbite quickly. Limit time outdoors and dress in layers to cover exposed skin if you must be outside.
Eufaula schools were closed Tuesday.
The kick-off party for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, originally scheduled for Jan. 16, has been postponed.
With the bitter cold temperatures forecasted for this area, East Central Electric Cooperative and its power suppliers assures everyone that steps have been taken to meet the cold weather challenges.
The power supply for East Central is a diverse mix of renewables, natural gas, fuel oil, and coal. Measures have been taken to protect the reliability of the generating units from extreme temperatures and to ensure consistent delivery of fuel.
The company’s power supply is delivered through what it calls “ a highly reliable transmission system that is continuously monitored.”
Any issues affecting the delivery of power to its members are immediately addressed, said a spokesperson.. Crew personnel are prepared and standing by.
“The system that is in place to provide power to our members is prepared for this and other challenges. We cannot guarantee that outages will not happen, but we are confident that all appropriate measures are in place to minimize the potential for outages and to address and restore service to our members.
“Our crews are prepared and ready to act fast and keep you all safe,” said the spokesman.
