Ice storm prompts emergency in Oklahoma

Story Highlights

• NEW: Oklahoma governor declares state of emergency
• Airports report dozens of flight cancellations
• Storm expected to move east during weekend
• Power supply, road travel could be affected

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(CNN) -- Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry has declared a statewide state of emergency as a brutal ice storm moves into the U.S. heartland.

"We're taking these actions so that the state will be in the best possible position to respond to the storm," Henry said in a statement issued Friday. "I would urge all Oklahomans to exercise extreme caution if they have to venture outside."

Millions of people in the Texas Panhandle, Oklahoma and eastern Missouri were being warned that conditions would deteriorate Friday afternoon and evening, and the storm could spread as far east as Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend.

"This is a one-in- maybe 15- to 25-year event," CNN severe weather expert Chad Myers said Friday of the forecast freezing rain, sleet and snow. (Watch the forces at work to create this storm )

"The big story will be how many roads are shut down, airports are shut down and how many power lines are down because of the ice this weekend," Myers added.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, up to St. Louis, Missouri, could see "devastating consequences," Myers warned Friday. "You won't be able to get in or out of St. Louis tomorrow."

In Oklahoma City, Interstate 40 will most likely shut down, he said.

Drivers already have had trouble on the roads there, with a truck slipping and flipping over, Oklahoma City TV station KWTV reported. One person was killed in that accident, it said.

The city's Will Rogers World Airport already was seeing cancellations by Friday morning. As of noon, United, Continental, Northwest, American, Southwest and British Airways had reported cancellations, according to the airport's Web site.

Tulsa International Airport also reported more than a dozen cancellations by noon.

Rain is expected to fall through cold air coming from Canada and develop into ice, Myers said.

Significant ice accumulations were expected Saturday night and Sunday across the Texas Panhandle through southern Oklahoma, according to the National Weather Service.

Parts of central Oklahoma could see ice from a quarter-inch to a half-inch thick Friday, the weather service warned, adding that bridges, overpasses and sidewalks could become especially hazardous.

Ice storm warnings already were in effect for western, central and far northeastern Oklahoma through Sunday evening. Much of the state would also fall under a winter storm watch Friday afternoon, meaning that sleet, ice and snow could affect travel. A freezing-rain advisory and a flash-flood watch were also in effect in parts of the state.

The National Weather Service strongly discouraged travel in the areas covered by ice storm warnings, noting that downed power lines and fallen tree branches could pose dangers to drivers. In the event driving is necessary, people should keep an extra flashlight, food and water in the vehicle in case of emergency, the weather service advised.

Freezing rain was also forecast for southeast Kansas into central Missouri Friday and was expected to hit Interstate 44 by late Friday afternoon, the National Weather Service said.

Ice up to three-quarters of an inch will be likely by Saturday morning, and some parts -- including the metropolitan St. Louis area -- could see ice accumulations of an inch and a half by Sunday, all of which could mean widespread power outages, the weather service said.

In the week ahead, parts of Oklahoma will have highs in the 20s and lows in the teens and possibly single digits, CNN meteorologist Sean Morris said.

In addition to the central United States, a cold snap also was predicted this weekend for California, where farmers were preparing to monitor the health of a nearly $1 billion citrus crop, The Associated Press reported. (Full story)

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