'Arctic blast' to affect area this week
Dec. 20—A "severe arctic blast" is forecast to begin Thursday and last through the weekend for McAlester and Pittsburg County.
"A brief but severe arctic blast will bring a multitude of hazards to the area Thursday and Friday, including dangerously low wind chills, very low temperatures, strong winds, and snow," the National Weather Service in Tulsa said in its forecast for this week. "The cold weather will extend into the upcoming holiday weekend as temperatures fail to warm above freezing until Christmas Day."
NWS issued a wind chill watch for Pittsburg County for Thursday Night through Friday morning. Wind chill watches are issued when dangerously cold wind chill values are possible.
McAlester and surrounding areas could see wind chills as low as negative-19 degrees overnight Thursday into early Friday morning, according to NWS.
Temperatures will dip as low as 3 degrees Thursday night with a high of only 15 degrees on Friday with 20-25 mph winds and gusts up to 40 mph possible, according to the NWS.
With the forecasted freezing temperatures, a chance of precipitation is also possible on Thursday.
The NWS has a 50% chance of precipitation for the McAlester area with minor accumulations possible.
If accumulating snowfall occurs on city streets, city employees will first clear the "priority 1" roads such as Strong Boulevard, Wyandotte/Wade Watts Avenue, Electric Avenue, A Street, V. Hulbert Smith, and South Street.
"Priority 2" roads include Washington Avenue, D Street, West Street, Monroe Avenue, and other major streets.
The city of McAlester will focus on clearing priority streets before moving onto secondary and neighborhood streets.
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation oversees the clearing and treatment of U.S. Highway 270/Carl Albert Parkway, U.S. Highway 69, Business 69/Main Street, and State Highway 31.
Pittsburg County Commissioners and their road crews are responsible for clearing rural roads throughout the county.
The Southwest Power Pool issued a weather advisory Monday for its 17-state area. According to the SPP, the advisory only raises awareness and do not require action to be taken by customers.
"This Weather advisory is being declared due to cold temperatures," the SPP said in a press release announcing the advisory. "SPP issues Weather advisories when extreme weather is expected in SPP's reliability coordination service territory. Generation and transmission operators have been provided instructions on applicable procedures, including to report any limitations, fuel shortages or concerns. Weather advisories do not require the public across our 15-state regional transmission organization region to conserve energy."
The SPP's advisory will become effective Wednesday evening and will last through Monday morning.
Contact Derrick James at djames@mcalesternews.com
