Winter Weather Timeline: Snow, ice, and Arctic cold—what to expect and when

A powerful winter storm will bring heavy snow, ice, and dangerously cold temperatures to Oklahoma and surrounding areas, with impacts beginning late Monday night and lasting through the week. Meteorologist Alan Crone breaks down the latest timeline.

Monday, February 17th 2025, 6:51 am

By: News On 6


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Your News On 6 weather experts are monitoring the latest data to keep you safe and informed.

The light snowfall over the weekend was just the beginning. A powerful winter storm is set to arrive Tuesday, bringing heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain that could cause treacherous travel, school closures, and even power outages.

What to Expect:

📅 Monday: The Warm Before the Storm

  1. 🌡️ Highs in the lower to mid-40s, the warmest of the week.
  2. 💨 A strong arctic front moves in during the evening, dropping temps into the 30s by early evening.
  3. 🌨️ A wintry mix may develop between 2 AM and 4 AM in northern Oklahoma.

📅 Tuesday: Heavy Snow & Bitter Cold

  1. ❄️ Snow develops early in the morning, heaviest north of Highway 412.
  2. 🌡️ Morning lows in the upper 20s, falling to the teens by afternoon.
  3. ⚠️ Freezing rain or sleet possible south of I-40 early Tuesday before transitioning to snow.
  4. 💨 Strong north winds (15-35 mph) may create near-blizzard-like conditions in northeastern OK and southern KS.

📅 Wednesday: Deep Freeze Intensifies

  1. 🌡️ Single-digit morning temps in Tulsa, with wind chills between -10° and -25°.
  2. ❄️ Light snow may linger early but clears by late morning.
  3. 🌡️ Highs struggle to reach 14°.

📅 Thursday: Brutal Cold Lingers

  1. 🌡️ Morning lows near -2° in Tulsa, wind chills from -10° to -15°.
  2. ❄️ Sub-freezing conditions persist all day.

📅 Friday: Gradual Warming, Still Cold

  1. 🌡️ Morning temps near 8°, highs in the upper 20s.
  2. 💨 Wind chills remain near or below zero in the morning.

📅 Saturday: Slow Recovery Begins

  1. 🌡️ Morning lows near 15°, highs climb into the upper 30s to lower 40s.
  2. ☀️ Warmer but still chilly—sub-freezing temps remain in the morning.

Tracking A Major Winter Storm

A powerful cold front arrives later tonight and will usher in the coldest weather so far this season and possibly in the last several years.

Additionally, significant wintry weather impacts are likely, with heavy snowfall across extreme northeastern Oklahoma into southern Kansas and surrounding areas.

Tuesday snowfall totals

There will be a tight gradient between heavy snowfall and lower snowfall totals. In general, higher totals will be located north of Highway 412, and lower totals south of these areas.

Today will be the warmest day of the week before the cold weather arrives later tonight.

What’s the Latest on the System?

A strong arctic front will roll across northern Oklahoma later this evening, bringing exceptionally cold weather from Tuesday through the end of the week.

In addition, a strong upper-level storm system will quickly approach and spread impactful wintry weather across southern Kansas and part of northern Oklahoma, beginning tomorrow morning and ending late Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning.

A winter storm warning is currently in effect along and north of Highway 412 into southern Kansas beginning at 6 a.m. Tuesday and ending at 6 a.m. Wednesday for the northeastern OK counties.

Winter storm warnings/watches

Locations south of the current winter storm watch will more than likely be included in travel advisories for the event. As of this morning, these counties are not included in any watches or advisories.

How Much Wintry Precip could we see?

Higher amounts of snow will be likely across far northern Oklahoma into southern Kansas, where some locations will experience between six to 10 inches of snow.

The Tulsa metro area can expect to experience between two to four inches of snow, with higher amounts in the northern part of the country compared to the southern sections.

Locations along and south of the I-40 corridor will see nearly one inch of snow but may also have a mix of freezing rain and sleet.

Some light freezing rain is likely during the early portion of the event before deeper and colder air surges southward. This means there will be a chance of some wintry mix, including sleet or freezing rain, resulting in some ice.

Tuesday ice forecast

The longer any freezing rain or sleet occurs, the lower the snowfall totals. A faster transition to all snow, expected across far northern OK, will result in higher snowfall totals.

Locations across far northeastern OK, southeastern Kansas, and southwestern Missouri are expected to receive near or over 10 inches of snow. 

When will the wintry precip arrive?

A few areas of wintry mix may develop between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. across northern OK with a chance for some snow across southeastern Kansas.

There is a high probability for precipitation around 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. across northern Oklahoma, continuing through the day, and ending late Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning.

Strong north winds at 15 to 35 mph may create near-blizzard-like conditions along and north of Highway 412, especially in southern Kansas, northwestern Arkansas, and southwestern Missouri by midday tomorrow.

How Long do We stay in the deep freeze?

Once we go below freezing later tonight and early Tuesday, we’ll stay below freezing until midday Saturday as extremely cold air is likely to arrive with this front.

  1. Today will be the warmest day, with afternoon highs in the lower or mid-40s. But as the cold front plows through the area tonight, temperatures will drop into the 30s by early evening with strong north winds.
  2. We'll start in the mid-to-upper 20s early Tuesday, with falling temperatures into the lower 20s by midday into the upper teens by afternoon.
  3. By early Wednesday morning, the Tulsa metro will be dropping into single digits, with wind chill values nearing -10° to -25° across northeastern Oklahoma.

Wednesday morning lows

Wednesday morning wind chills

  1. Afternoon highs on Wednesday are expected to be near 14°.

Wednesday highs

  1. Thursday morning will start near -2° in the metro with wind chills from -10° to -15°.  
  2. Friday morning will start at , with the afternoon high reaching the upper 20s. Wind chills will still be sub-zero.
  3. Saturday morning will start at 15°, with daytime highs reaching the upper 30s and lower 40s.

7-day temperature timeline

Safety Precautions

Dangerously cold temps are expected from Tuesday night through the end of the week.

  1. If you go outside, be sure to bundle up to avoid frostbite or hypothermia.
  2. Unprotected pipes could burst in these conditions. 
  3. Check-in on the elderly and anyone at risk to make sure they have proper shelter and heating.
  4. Keep your pets warm, dry, and indoors, and make sure their food and water don’t freeze.

Extreme cold alerts

———

Winter Weather Preparation:

Where are the warming shelters available in Tulsa this year?

The city of Tulsa, local shelters, warming stations, and outreach teams are working to ensure access to safe, warm spaces during the cold temperatures.

>>> City of Tulsa prepares for extreme cold temperatures

>>> Warming Shelters Open Across Tulsa Amid Freezing Temperatures

Tulsa shelters and temporary warming locations are open to provide refuge. Major locations include:

  1. John 3:16 Mission, 506 N. Cheyenne — Open 24/7
  2. The Salvation Army Center of Hope, 102 N. Denver Ave. — Open 24/7
  3. Tulsa Day Center, 415 W. Archer St. — Open 24/7 (Pets allowed, limited capacity)

>>> Center Of Hope Expands Services During Freezing Temperatures

Temporary overflow shelters will also be open for the cold weather:

  1. The Merchant: 605 S. Peoria Ave., open Monday, Jan. 20, 9 a.m.–Noon; Tuesday-Friday, 9–11 a.m.
  2. Denver Avenue Station: 319 S. Denver Ave., open Sunday, 8:30 a.m.–8:30 p.m.; Monday-Saturday, 5:30 a.m.–11:30 p.m.
  3. The Station at Youth Services: 311 S. Madison Ave., open Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
  4. Iron Gate: 501 W. Archer St., open daily, 8:30–10:30 a.m.
  5. The Ministry Center: 312 S. 33rd W. Ave., open Tuesday-Thursday, 9:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

For a full list of warming station locations and hours, visit Housing Solutions’ Winter Weather Information Page.

>>> Warming Shelters, Safety Tips For Cold Temperatures This Winter In Oklahoma

>>> Tulsa Clinic Offers Health Care Services At Warming Shelters

Bring Pets Inside!

Winter temperatures can pose additional challenges for pets, particularly older animals or those with health conditions. Hartfield recommends:

  1. Wellness Checks: Ensure pets are up to date on vaccines and discuss arthritis or other cold-weather health concerns with a veterinarian.
  2. Outdoor Time: Monitor the duration of outdoor activities, especially for short-haired breeds or pets with conditions like diabetes or heart disease.
  3. Paw Care: After walks, inspect and clean paws to remove ice or de-icing chemicals that could harm your pet.

>>> Cold Weather Pet Tips: How To Keep Animals Safe During Winter Months

How Can I Protect Myself From Sickness Or The Flu This Winter?

The Tulsa Health Department is urging residents to receive flu and COVID-19 vaccinations to prevent respiratory illnesses as Oklahoma enters the coldest months of the year.

>>> What You Can Do For Your Kids To Prevent The Flu Amid Rise In Cases

  1. Health experts say the risk of respiratory illnesses is higher during the winter, as colder weather often leads to more indoor gatherings, increasing the likelihood of viruses spreading. 
  2. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says Oklahoma is one of 11 states with very high respiratory virus activity, and with flu vaccination rates lower than this time in 2024, more people have reported getting sick.

>>> How to Protect Yourself From Respiratory Illness This Winter

>>> Districts Are Cautiously Optimistic As Attendance Rate Begin To Rise

>>> 3 Things Doctors Want You To Know About The Flu In Oklahoma

Emergency Info: Outages Across Oklahoma:

Northeast Oklahoma has various power companies and electric cooperatives, many of which have overlapping areas of coverage. Below is a link to various outage maps.

>>> Tulsa HVAC, Plumbing Companies Flooded With Calls During Cold Weather

  1. PSO Outage Map
  2. OG&E Outage Map
  3. VVEC Outage Map
  4. Indian Electric Cooperative (IEC) Outage Map
  5. Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives Outage Map — (Note Several Smaller Co-ops Included)

The Alan Crone morning weather podcast link from Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/0dCHRWMFjs4fEPKLqTLjvy

The Alan Crone morning weather podcast link from Apple:

https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/oklahoma-news-from-kotv-news-on-6-in-tulsa-oklahoma/id1499556141

Follow the News On 6 Meteorologists on Facebook!

  1. Meteorologist Travis Meyer
  2. Meteorologist Stacia Knight
  3. Meteorologist Alan Crone
  4. Meteorologist Stephen Nehrenz
  5. Meteorologist Aaron Reeves
  6. Meteorologist Megan Gold

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