Winter storm warning in effect for all of Oklahoma until 9 p.m.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Heavy snow began moving into Oklahoma this morning after sleet and freezing rain left roads across Oklahoma slick and hazardous and shut down schools and many government offices.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said there were numerous accidents and troopers were responding only to major collisions and those with injury or death, although no fatality accidents were directly attributed to weather conditions.

The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for all of Oklahoma until 9 p.m. today and said a large area of preciptation was moving across the state.

“We're seeing quite a bit of thunder and lightning in southwest Oklahoma and that will enhance the snowfall,” said meteorologist Rick Smith with the weather service in Norman.

“There will be a pretty rapid accumulation of snow. We're looking for a fairly wide area along and south of Interstate 44 of 4 to 8 inches,” Smith said.

“In northwest, north central, the Enid, Medford, Ponca City, Perry areas are looking at 8 to 12 inches, and places within those areas could get even more than that.”

The snowfall was expected to continue into the evening, Smith said, before moving out of Oklahoma and into Missouri, Kansas and Arkansas, but temperatures were expected to remain below freezing until Saturday, Smith said.

The storm prompted officials to announce the closing of all state offices today. State Public Safety Commissioner Kevin Ward said all non-essential personnel at the state Capitol won't have to report for work.