ARDMORE -- While the rain was gone Thursday night and temperatures had risen in Ardmore, the winter storm is not over yet. Things are expected to get worse before they get better, especially as temperatures drop over night, into Friday. Shelby Levins Reports.

It's the wet roads, that could ice over that emergency crews and troopers with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol are most worried about.

"Really what we're trying to do is get ahead of this thing - let everyone know to stay off the roads. Conditions will continue to deteriorate. And of course bridges will ice over first,” Capt. Ronnie Hampton, OHP’s Troop F Commander, explained.

Ice was already forming on tree branches in northern Carter County by Thursday afternoon. It's fear that similar ice could coat the roadways that's forcing many school closures throughout the area.

"Our main concern was the possibility of ice in the morning when buses would be running and children trying to be at bus stops in icy conditions,” Ardmore City Schools Superintendent Dr. Ruth Ann Carr said.”

Dr. Carr, like many other area superintendents, decided to cancel school on Thursday to give parents time to prepare.

"We really wanted to give patents as much lead time as possible, so if they need to make arrangements for their children they can do that,” Dr. Carr said.

While many kids are excited about the snow day - the time off will have to be made up.

But a new law allows for more flexibility. Instead of the state requiring 180, 6-hour, school days per year, Oklahoma now mandates 1,080 hours of instruction each year.

"We'll discuss with our board rather or not they want us to be in attendance one of those snow days that's built in, or rather they want us to ahead and count the hours,” Dr. Carr said.

But right now the focus is keeping kids and parents safe in what could be dangerous weather. OHP says their best advice remains, stay off the slick roads, and stay indoors.