Tulsa Winter Weather Update Feb. 2 - 3:45 p.m.

2/2/2022

The City of Tulsa is responding to a winter weather event with snow being the main expected impact this evening through tomorrow.

City of Tulsa street crews started 24-hour response at 2 a.m. Wednesday, applying roughly 500 tons of salt to elevated surfaces, hills and slick areas. As the snow moves in this afternoon and tonight, City crews will use plows to clear the roadways. It’s asked drivers give plenty of room between their vehicles and snow-plowing operations.  

For detailed information on the City’s snow and ice response, personnel and equipment numbers, and route information, visit www.cityoftulsa.org/winterpreparedness.  

Operational Updates and Closures  

• Tulsa City Hall will remain open for most in-person business Thurs., Feb. 3, except for the Permit Center, which will be closed for in-person business on Thursday, with staff continuing to take calls during business hours. Inspections will not occur Thursday and will resume when weather conditions improve. To reach the Permit Center, call (918) 596-9456 or visit them online at www.cityoftulsa.org/Permitting.  
• The City of Tulsa is encouraging everyone to do business online whenever possible. This includes making utility payments, paying municipal tickets, conducting business with development services, applying for a job, and more. For more information about doing business with the City online, visit www.cityoftulsa.org/eservices.  
• Tulsa Municipal Courts will remain open to the public on Thurs., Feb. 3. Attendance by defendants scheduled to appear on Thursday, Feb. 3, will be deemed voluntary due to inclement weather. If defendants choose to stay home, their case(s) will automatically be passed to Thurs., Feb. 17, 2022.  For questions, call (918) 596-1625 or email [email protected]. 
• Tulsa Animal Welfare (TAW) will be closed to the public on Thursday, Feb. 3, and Friday, Feb. 4. Both intake and adoption appointments will be rescheduled. TAW advises Tulsa residents to bring pets inside and out of the cold. If coming inside is not an option, ensure your pet has access to shelter that is out of the elements with straw or other warm bedding. Check on your pets frequently and ensure they have access to clean, non-frozen water at all times.
• Tulsa Parks community centers will close early today, with most closing on or before 5 p.m. All community centers, with the addition of Oxley Nature Center, will be closed Thursday, Feb. 3. Tulsa Parks golf courses will be closed through Monday.
• The City of Tulsa Mulch Site at 2100 N. 145th E. Ave. will remain closed until employees get released from snow and ice duty.
• Bulky waste will not be collected until employees are released from snow and ice duty.
• Refuse and recycling collections may be impacted due to the weather. It’s asked Tulsa customers be patient and crews will run their routes when it is safe to do so.
• The City’s Household Pollutant Collection Facility (HPCF) at 4502 S. Galveston Ave. is closed today due to winter weather.  

Warming Stations and Safe Housing
Four warming stations are open in Tulsa for individuals and families seeking shelter from the cold. 

• John 3:16 Mission | 506 N. Cheyenne | Open 24/7 
• The Salvation Army Center of Hope | 102 N. Denver Ave. | Open 24/7  
• Tulsa County Emergency Shelter | 2401 Charles Page Blvd. | Open 24/7 – Operational, but has reached capacity  
• The Merchant Tulsa | 605 S. Peoria Ave. | Open 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. thru Saturday 

Housing Solutions and area partner agencies have outreach teams continuing to move those experiencing homelessness into shelters while weather and road conditions permit. For those choosing to stay unsheltered, outreach teams continue to ask them to go inside and are conducting welfare checks as much as possible. Local shelters will offer shelter-in-place services, meaning those who visit their shelter will be able to stay there throughout the duration of this winter weather event.  

If you see someone in need of safe and warm housing, you can fill out a Housing Solutions Homeless Street Outreach Request online at https://www.housingsolutionstulsa.org/assistance-request/.            

Tulsa County Updates
All Tulsa County facilities, including HQ and the Courthouse, will be closed tomorrow, Feb. 3. Court Services will continue to operate the 24/7 bond docket. Additionally, all Tulsa County Parks community centers will be closed, including golf courses, pro shops and the tennis center. 

Tulsa County highway crews continue to work 12-hr shifts to keep bridges, overpasses and other major roadways as clear and safe as possible. For real-time updates on the roads in your area, or to report an areas of concern, call the district barns at: 

• District 1: (918) 591-6029 
• District 2: (918) 591-6066 
• District 3: (918) 282-2511 

Tulsa Transit Updates
Due to windchill and conditions, Tulsa Transit will offer free fare on Thursday. 

To find the list of Inclement weather routes, visit http://tulsatransit.org/inclement-weather-routing/.Tulsa Transit encourages people to only get out if necessary and asks for patience and understanding if delays occur due to road conditions. To track bus locations, visit, http://tulsapublic.etaspot.net/. 

Oklahoma Natural Gas (ONG) Updates
ONG systems are currently performing well and are expected to remain functional and reliable throughout this event. ONG employees are working around the clock, being positioned at critical locations in preparation for any service outages ONG’s modeling may indicate. 

In addition, ONG has taken proactive steps to prepare for the winter season, such as:  

• Increasing gas storage capacity to provide a more reliable and stable price of gas  
• Upgrading pipeline infrastructure in areas that experienced low pressures during February 2021 Winter Storm  
• Utilizing a mobile compressed natural gas (CNG) strategy, which provides mobile CNG trailers to dispatch to areas with lower system pressures 

For questions outside of operational preparedness, contact ONG corporate communications at [email protected]. As a reminder to ONG customers, customer service representatives are available Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. CT at (800) 664-5463. 

Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) Updates
PSO has multiple resources in the area to respond. Though widespread power outages are not expected, if one does occur, do not approach crews and utility vehicles you see in your neighborhood to ask when power will be restored. Doing so could jeopardize your safety and the safety of the crews.  

For information on power outages, visit www.psoklahoma.com/outages/report/.  

EMSA Update
EMSA advises those involved in a motor vehicle accident on icy/snowy roads to make every attempt to move their vehicle to the road’s shoulder so emergency vehicles aren’t impeded by abandoned vehicles on local roadways. For those who will be outside, its asked they make sure to wear shoes with grip and traction if walking outdoors, as icy surfaces could be covered by snow causing slips and falls.