Why an ice storm caused longer-lasting power outages than a Category 2 hurricane
By
Mark Puleo, AccuWeather staff writer
Updated Nov 5, 2020 3:00 PM EST
Utility officials in Oklahoma said the damage from an early-season ice storm is the biggest challenge they have ever faced; 422,000 customers lost power.
Could an ice storm be more impactful than a record-setting hurricane? In terms of long-lasting power outages, Oklahomans would have to say yes.
More than a week after an abnormally early mix of freezing rain and ice blanketed the state last Monday through Wednesday, many thousands of residents are still without power. And according to state officials, those homes may still be in the dark for weeks to come.
After more than 300,000 customers had power knocked out in the immediate aftermath of the ice storm, which struck at just about the same time that Hurricane Zeta barreled into the Louisiana coast, at least 80,000 still were without electricity as of Thursday morning.
Comparatively, 16,000 residents in Louisiana were still without power after Hurricane Zeta made landfall in the state in the same week as the ice storm.
Tree removal companies are booked for weeks, working everyday to remove fallen debris after last week's ice storm. (AccuWeather/Bill Wadell)
In a statement right after the storm, the Public Service Company of Oklahoma said the timing of the ice storm, not the severity, may be most to blame for the extensive outages.
“Additional weight on tree limbs caused by ice accumulating on leaves has resulted in severe tree damage and limbs coming into contact with energized lines,” the company said last Tuesday.
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AccuWeather National Reporter Bill Wadell spoke with Dallas Rowley, an incident commander with Oklahoma Gas and Electric, about what’s taking crews so long to get the lights back on.
“All the leaves still being on the trees created a lot more surface area for ice buildup, which created much more weight,” Rowley said.
The nature and timing of the ice storm has complicated restoration efforts in far more extensive ways than a hurricane like Zeta would. (AccuWeather/Bill Wadell)
Had the storm arrived a few weeks later, more leaves would have fallen from the trees and less ice would have been able to stick to trees.
“The trees are not yet dormant, so they have much more water and sap in them which just adds to the weight,” Rowley added. “Mix that with wind and you get a pretty bad situation.”
The utility company told Wadell that more than 1,100 poles and 200 transformers were damaged and the weather conditions, along with type of impact, have made restoration efforts much different than those with a hurricane.
Slick conditions gripped the state for much of last week following the storm, making the routes to damaged pieces of equipment tricky to navigate. On top of that, many of the damaged poles and wires are connected to houses individually, rather than a whole batch of homes on a street. That means that repair work needs to be done one home at a time, in some cases.
Tree removal companies like 3 Crosses Tree Service say they are handling debris amounts that have never been seen before. (AccuWeather/Bill Wadell)
“Ice storms are the hardest types of storms to perform and start restoration because they take so long to develop," Rowley said.
James Basinger of 3 Crosses Tree Service told Wadell that in his 56 years, he had never seen the amount of damage that this recent storm caused.
Basinger, who has been using wood chippers and U-Haul trucks to haul away all the debris, said the calls for assistance haven't stopped.
“I happen to have two acres where I live, I’ve got about 60 to 80 limbs down, some in the tops of the trees," he told Wadell. "Mine will have to wait."
Fallen power lines at individual residences have made power restoration efforts far more extensive. (AccuWeather/Bill Wadell)
Thankfully for residents and crews, weather conditions should be much more helpful this week for those recovery efforts. According to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Paul Walker, sunny and pleasant conditions are expected throughout much of Oklahoma going forward.
"Thursday through Sunday will be partly to mostly sunny, breezy and warmer than normal across the state," he said. "Daytime temperatures will be 5 to 10 degrees above normal."
After the weekend, Walker added that a cold front will approach the area on Monday and some stormy conditions may be possible through the start of next week, although residents will gladly take those storm conditions over another round of ice.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
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News / Severe Weather
Why an ice storm caused longer-lasting power outages than a Category 2 hurricane
By Mark Puleo, AccuWeather staff writer
Updated Nov 5, 2020 3:00 PM EST
Utility officials in Oklahoma said the damage from an early-season ice storm is the biggest challenge they have ever faced; 422,000 customers lost power.
Could an ice storm be more impactful than a record-setting hurricane? In terms of long-lasting power outages, Oklahomans would have to say yes.
More than a week after an abnormally early mix of freezing rain and ice blanketed the state last Monday through Wednesday, many thousands of residents are still without power. And according to state officials, those homes may still be in the dark for weeks to come.
After more than 300,000 customers had power knocked out in the immediate aftermath of the ice storm, which struck at just about the same time that Hurricane Zeta barreled into the Louisiana coast, at least 80,000 still were without electricity as of Thursday morning.
Comparatively, 16,000 residents in Louisiana were still without power after Hurricane Zeta made landfall in the state in the same week as the ice storm.
Tree removal companies are booked for weeks, working everyday to remove fallen debris after last week's ice storm. (AccuWeather/Bill Wadell)
In a statement right after the storm, the Public Service Company of Oklahoma said the timing of the ice storm, not the severity, may be most to blame for the extensive outages.
“Additional weight on tree limbs caused by ice accumulating on leaves has resulted in severe tree damage and limbs coming into contact with energized lines,” the company said last Tuesday.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
AccuWeather National Reporter Bill Wadell spoke with Dallas Rowley, an incident commander with Oklahoma Gas and Electric, about what’s taking crews so long to get the lights back on.
“All the leaves still being on the trees created a lot more surface area for ice buildup, which created much more weight,” Rowley said.
The nature and timing of the ice storm has complicated restoration efforts in far more extensive ways than a hurricane like Zeta would. (AccuWeather/Bill Wadell)
Had the storm arrived a few weeks later, more leaves would have fallen from the trees and less ice would have been able to stick to trees.
“The trees are not yet dormant, so they have much more water and sap in them which just adds to the weight,” Rowley added. “Mix that with wind and you get a pretty bad situation.”
The utility company told Wadell that more than 1,100 poles and 200 transformers were damaged and the weather conditions, along with type of impact, have made restoration efforts much different than those with a hurricane.
Slick conditions gripped the state for much of last week following the storm, making the routes to damaged pieces of equipment tricky to navigate. On top of that, many of the damaged poles and wires are connected to houses individually, rather than a whole batch of homes on a street. That means that repair work needs to be done one home at a time, in some cases.
Tree removal companies like 3 Crosses Tree Service say they are handling debris amounts that have never been seen before. (AccuWeather/Bill Wadell)
“Ice storms are the hardest types of storms to perform and start restoration because they take so long to develop," Rowley said.
James Basinger of 3 Crosses Tree Service told Wadell that in his 56 years, he had never seen the amount of damage that this recent storm caused.
Basinger, who has been using wood chippers and U-Haul trucks to haul away all the debris, said the calls for assistance haven't stopped.
“I happen to have two acres where I live, I’ve got about 60 to 80 limbs down, some in the tops of the trees," he told Wadell. "Mine will have to wait."
Fallen power lines at individual residences have made power restoration efforts far more extensive. (AccuWeather/Bill Wadell)
Thankfully for residents and crews, weather conditions should be much more helpful this week for those recovery efforts. According to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Paul Walker, sunny and pleasant conditions are expected throughout much of Oklahoma going forward.
"Thursday through Sunday will be partly to mostly sunny, breezy and warmer than normal across the state," he said. "Daytime temperatures will be 5 to 10 degrees above normal."
After the weekend, Walker added that a cold front will approach the area on Monday and some stormy conditions may be possible through the start of next week, although residents will gladly take those storm conditions over another round of ice.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
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