By Robert Barron, Staff Writer
Enid News and Eagle
ENID — Enid received 10 inches of snow in the worst snowfall in several years, according to Emergency Management Director Mike Honigsberg.
“There were some isolated areas where I heard there were 10 inches, but I didn’t verify it,” Honigsberg said.
Amber Fitzgerald, spokeswoman for Enid Public Schools, said classes will be held as usual today.
The snow started late Thursday and continued through Friday, clearing Saturday. Honigsberg said there is a 20 percent chance for freezing rain today, then temperatures will go above freezing and rain will continue. Tuesday is expected to be warmer, then Wednesday and Thursday is a chance for more rain, he said.
In spite of the snowy and slick weather, local hospitals received few patients with weather-related injuries. Cyndy Shepherd at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center said they received only one person who was the victim of a fall and one person who was treated and released resulting from a car wreck.
Anita Andrew, of Integris Bass Baptist Regional Health Center, said only a few people came in for minor injuries, including one from an inside fall, resulting from melting snow on the floor.
Both Shepherd and Andrew said they have seen no serious injuries.
Enid Public Works Director Jim McClain said the weather event has cost the city of Enid about $80,000. Crews were out during the entire weekend putting sand and salt on the streets and plowing some of the snow. McClain said crews will be busy, starting today, removing the remaining snow from streets.
The snow operation required an estimated 300 tons of salt and 500 tons of sand and took about 1,300 man-hours. McClain said Sunday city crews used about 2,400 gallons of diesel fuel, plus wear and tear on equipment. He estimated the 22 city workers put in about 300 hours of overtime or just under 14 hours each.
Enid Police Sgt. Eric Bergdahl said accidents did not increase significantly, and there were no serious injuries during the inclement weather since Enid drivers seemed to be cautious and careful.
Enid may be in for more bad weather before the winter is over, Honigsberg said. He predicted the winter will be colder than normal with occasional warming. He said he was surprised at the amount of snow the city received.
“I would not have bet on that much snow,” he said. “The last time our winter weather was like this, we had a pretty active spring time.”
Based on the last few storms in the spring he said he is cautious about spring this year. Oklahoma is in an El Niño pattern, which is normally dry, but this year is wet.
“It makes you wonder what is going to happen this year. We go without tornadoes in the county for several years then have 14 in the last two years,” he said.
Two years ago, Garfield County had 10 tornadoes and last year there were four. He said these type of cycles occur about every 10 years.
