20-02-2025
Bad weather prompts cancelations, postponements
Sub-freezing temperatures and forecasts for worse weather prompted cancellations and postponements throughout the Muskogee area.
Temperatures plunged into the 20s and snow began falling before noon Tuesday. The National Weather Service declared a winter weather advisory through 3 p.m. Wednesday and an extreme cold warning until noon Thursday. Temperatures are to be in the teens through Thursday, according to the AccuWeather website for Muskogee.
'Wednesday and Thursday, it will be extremely dangerous cold weather,' said Deputy Muskogee County Emergency Management Director Carrie Wages. 'You won't be able to be outside for too long out there, especially with any exposed skin. You have to make sure your face is covered, you have proper outdoor wear. We just need everybody to watch their pets, check on their neighbors, keep your water trickling. We're expecting negative-degree weather with the wind chill.'
Muskogee and Warner school districts canceled classes Tuesday. Other districts — including Fort Gibson, Okay, Hilldale, Wagoner, Checotah and Oktaha — had virtual classes Tuesday.
Warming shelters are open at the Gospel Rescue Mission on Callahan Street and Kingdom Living Church at 24th street and Broadway.
Deacon Warren Stephenson at Kingdom Living Church said the American Red Cross donated cots and blankets for the warming shelter. He said the shelter offers warm food and a clothing closet.
'This will be our third time this year,' Stephenson said. 'The Red Cross and many local organizations help us out.'
Weather prompted the Muskogee Regional Junior Livestock Show to be postponed for at least two days, spokesman Rowdy Fewel said.
'For the sake of the animals and the people involved, we just made the decision to postpone it for the next 48 hours and see what we can do after that,' Fewel said.
He said he does not know how this will affect the premium sale set for Saturday.
'This is uncharted waters,' he said. 'I do know there's been some weather delays over the years.'
Fewel said that, even with the postponement, the show will comply with a Oklahoma Youth Expo administrative rule prohibiting swine shows after March 1. The ruling was made to help prevent the spread of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus.
He said the remainder of the Muskogee show will happen within the next seven days. The show must be out of the Hatbox Event Center by Tuesday, he said.
Muskogee Emergency Management Director Tyler Evans reported at least two weather-related accidents on U.S. 69 Tuesday morning. One was a turnover south of Border Street before 7 a.m. and the other turnover occurred around 9 a.m. near the Arkansas River Bridge.
Muskogee Fire Department spokesman Scott Puckett said firefighters responded to a house fire on South Douglas Street early Tuesday morning. The fire remains under investigation, but could have been caused by a space heater, he said.
