City of Tulsa Winter Weather, Extreme Cold Update Jan. 22

City of Tulsa Winter Weather, Extreme Cold Update Jan. 22

1/22/2026

The City of Tulsa is continuing preparations for a prolonged period of extreme cold and a winter storm expected to impact the area beginning tomorrow and continuing through the weekend.

Street crews will report to work tonight a midnight to continue pre-treatment of the roads with brine (salt/water) mixture ahead of the forecasted snowfall. As the snow falls, plowing operations will begin. Additionally, street outreach teams will be out throughout the weekend starting Friday to get Tulsa's most vulnerable population inside.

Given the current forecast, the following service impacts are in place:

• Trash & Recycling
o Friday - No changes. Trash and recycling will be collected.
o Saturday - No secondary service (twice-a-week collection) will occur.
o Monday - No service will occur, but please place your gray trash cart at the curb so collection can occur later in the week. No recycling or backyard service will be collected.
o Tuesday through Friday - Place your gray trash cart at the curb on your regular service day. If it's not collected on your service day, please leave it at the curb for collection later in the week. Please note, no recycling or backyard service will be collected.
o Saturday, Jan. 31 - Work will occur (if needed) to collect gray trash carts not previously serviced. No secondary service (twice-a-week collection) will occur.
o Monday, Feb. 2 - Normal services resume for trash and recycling. Residents with extra recyclables that do not fit in the blue recycling cart can be placed in a recyclable container (i.e. cardboard box) and set next to their recycling bin on their regular service day.

• Tulsa City Hall - Closing early at 1 p.m. on Friday.
o Development Services
 Permit Center - Closing at 1 p.m. on Friday.
• Residents can continue to conduct business online at: www.cityoftulsa.org/permitting
o Cashier Windows at City Hall - Closing at 1 p.m. on Friday.
 Utility payments can continue to be made online at: www.cityoftulsa.org/utilities
o City Clerk's Office - Closing for in-person business on Friday at 1 p.m.
 The City Clerk's Office can continue to be contacted through email at: [email protected]
o Customer Care
 311 will continue to take calls during normal business hours on Friday and Monday.
• Tulsa Municipal Court - Closing early on Friday at 1 p.m.
o There is no impact to Friday docket(s) due to the early closure.
o Tickets can still be paid online at: www.cityoftulsa.org/trafficticketpay
o Any jurors scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 29, must appear. All other jurors are excused next week.

• Tulsa Animal Services - Open Friday.
o Keep an eye on the Tulsa Animal Services Facebook page, @TulsaAnimalWelfare, for weekend updates. Animal Control Officers will respond to calls for service this weekend.
• Tulsa Parks
o Community Centers - Closed Saturday & Sunday.
o Mohawk Park & Oxley Nature Center - Closing Friday evening through Sunday.
 Special Events - Running from Yeti: Mohawk Park Event (5K, 10K, 13.1) will be rescheduled to Feb. 28.
o Woodward & Hunter Park - Closing to vehicle traffic Friday evening through Sunday.
o Tulsa Zoo - Closed Friday through Monday. Staff will be on site 24/7 to ensure animals remain safe and warm.
o Tulsa Golf - Page Belcher and Mohawk Golf Courses will close Friday afternoon through Monday.
• Tulsa Mulch Site - Closed Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.

• Household Pollutant Collection Facility - Closed on Saturday. The facility will reopen on the next normal operating day (Wednesday, Jan. 28).

• Bulky Waste Service - Friday, January 23, service is rescheduled to Friday, Jan. 30, and Monday, January 26, service is rescheduled to Saturday, Jan. 31.

Street Preparations
City of Tulsa Public Works crews are closely monitoring forecast updates and preparing for winter operations.

• Crews will continue treating roadways with brine starting at midnight tonight.
• Once the response starts, crews will be on 24-hour operations, working 12-hour shifts throughout the duration of event.
• As conditions warrant, crews will transition from pretreatment operations to plowing and continuous snow response efforts.
• If large a snowfall occurs, crews will be plowing to the center of the streets in Downtown Tulsa (versus to the curbs like in other areas of town) to allow for loading and hauling off snow from Downtown.

Residents should remember that during winter storms, road conditions can remain hazardous regardless of treatment efforts. If you see City plows or treatment vehicles, keep your distance and never attempt to pass them while they are working.

The City of Tulsa is responsible for all clearing snow and ice from:

• All arterial (main) streets, including bridges, hills and overpasses
• Gilcrease Expressway (excluding the Turnpike section)
• L.L. Tisdale Expressway

Other highways (i.e. 169, BA Expwy, I-244, Creek Turnpike) are maintained by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. Additionally, Tulsa's neighborhood streets are generally left untreated (excluding hospital access streets) due to the focus on main roads and emergency routes.

For a complete list of the City's assets to combat winter precipitation, in addition to a map of the City's snow and ice routes, visit: www.cityoftulsa.org/winterpreparedness

Street Closures

• S. Elwood Ave. by Turkey Mountain - Starting Friday afternoon

Homeless Outreach & Shelter Operations
The City of Tulsa, in coordination with the A Way Home for Tulsa Continuum of Care (AWH4T), Housing Solutions, and local shelter partners, is ramping up efforts to protect vulnerable residents during this dangerous cold period.

Outreach teams will deploy starting Friday throughout the city to move individuals experiencing homelessness into shelters and out of life-threatening conditions. Metro Link Tulsa is partnering with Housing Solutions Tulsa to offer shuttle service to emergency shelter locations.

Winter Weather Shelters (Open 24/7)
The following shelters will be open 24/7 during this weather event. Pets are accepted where noted.

1. John 3:16 Mission, 506 N. Cheyenne Ave.
2. 2. Salvation Army Center of Hope, 102 N. Denver Ave.
3. Tulsa Day Center, 415 W. Archer St.
   a. Pets accepted (limited capacity)
4. CREOKS Winter Shelter, (new winter weather shelter) 7216 E. Admiral Blvd.
   a. Pets accepted
   b. Capacity 250 (from Friday - Sunday night)
5. Tulsa Dream Center West (emergency shelter), 4122 W. 55th Pl.
   a. Pets accepted
   b. Capacity 150 (from 2 p.m. Friday - Sunday night)

AWH4T and Housing Solutions will work with each shelter to assess needs and capacity. City/County emergency management operations will work in close coordination with shelter providers and partners throughout the duration of the event.

Metro Link Tulsa will offer free fare service on Saturday and Sunday pending ability to operate service.

Cold Weather Safety Reminders

Residents are encouraged to:

• Limit time outdoors and dress in layers when exposure is unavoidable
• Use space heaters safely and never leave them unattended
• Operate generators outdoors only
• Never use ovens or grills as heating sources
• Check on neighbors, especially older adults and those with limited mobility
• Protect Your Pipes & Property
• Extended cold weather can lead to waterline breaks and frozen lines.

Residents can:

• Check the City's Waterline Break Board at www.cityoftulsa.org/breakboard
• Report unlisted breaks by calling (918) 596-9488

Tips to stay protected include:

• Open cabinets under sinks
• Unhook water hoses and cover all outdoor water faucets
• Allow water to flow through the house by opening water faucets for a slow and continuous stream
• Pre-locate your City water meter can in case of frozen or busted pipes, as the snow can make meter cans hard to find
• Pre-locate your personal water shutoff (oftentimes in a closet or in your garden bed) in the event you have a break
• Turn off all water sprinkler systems

Animal Safety
City ordinances require that when temperatures fall below 25 degrees, animals must be provided with shelter capable of maintaining a minimum temperature of 40 degrees. Tulsa Animal Services strongly recommends bringing pets indoors during periods of extreme cold.

If indoor space is limited, animals may be sheltered in areas such as bathrooms, laundry rooms, or garages to protect them from exposure.

Stay Informed
Residents are encouraged to monitor the City of Tulsa website, www.cityoftulsa.org, and official City social media channels for:

• Weather and travel updates
• Service impacts (i.e. trash/recycling, closings)
• Shelter and warming stations information
• Situational updates