11.01.11 pictureTerminated Burn Ban

On November 1st, the Oklahoma Governor Burn Ban was terminated in all counties in Oklahoma. Two counties enacted county burn bans. These were Texas and Beaver Counties in the Panhandle. The Governor Burn Ban had been in effect since July 2011.

07.14.11 pictureGovernor Declares Burn Ban

On July 14, 2011 Governor Mary Fallin declared a Governor Burn Ban for counties in the Panhandle, western and central Oklahoma. All outdoor burning, combustible materials and ignition sources are banned in the designated counties. Counties included in the Governor Burn Ban are:

Alfalfa, Beaver, Beckham, Blaine, Caddo, Canadian, Carter, Cimarron, Cleveland, Coal, Comanche, Cotton, Custer, Dewey, Ellis, Garfield, Garvin, Grady, Grant, Greer, Harmon, Harper, Hughes, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnston, Kingfisher, Kiowa, Logan, Love, Major, Marshall, McClain, Murray, Oklahoma, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie, Roger Mills, Seminole, Stephens, Texas, Tillman, Washita, Woods, Woodward

If the use of fire in contracting, welding, cooking or for any other purpose results in a wildfire, the individual conducting such activity is responsible for the immediate suppression of the fire, and for damages which might occur from such fire. "Unlawful burning" is applied to both land cover and point sources, such as campfires and trash fires. 

Two basic principles apply to all situations:

1) Individuals are responsible for their actions and the results of the activities

2) Reasonable caution must be exercised with respect to the existing high fire danger and extra precautionary measures must be taken to prevent wildfires.

For more detailed information and guidelines for specific activities refer to ?Governor Burn Ban Guidelines? at http://www.forestry.ok.gov/burn-ban-information. A poster for printing and display is also available on this webpage.

04.07.11 pictureDrought Takes Center Stage


Warm and dry weather grabbed the headlines as the
record-setting extremes of February gave way to a downright dull March. Data
from the Oklahoma Mesonet ranked the month as the eighth driest and 31st
warmest March since records began in 1895. Severe weather was scarce, although
a few reports of large hail and high winds accompanied the few thunderstorms
that did occur. Elevated fire risk was common during the month, a result of the
dry and windy conditions. The Governor's office declared a state of emergency
on March 11 for all 77 Oklahoma counties with the report of 30 wildfires
burning simultaneously across the state.


Very little rain fell during the month, allowing severe
drought conditions already in place to spread and intensify. The statewide
average rainfall total was a paltry 0.7 inches, 2.41 inches below normal. It
was the driest March on record for southeastern and south central Oklahoma, and
the second driest in the southwest. The only significant rains fell in northeastern
Oklahoma where several Mesonet stations totaled more than 3 inches. Miami led
the state with 3.36 inches. The rest of Oklahoma went largely without rain,
however. Of the 120 Mesonet sites, 32 had totals of less than a tenth of an
inch. Fort Cobb went without a drop of rain for the entire month. The first
three months of the year were the fourth driest on record with a statewide
average rainfall total of 2.3 inches, more than 4 inches below normal.


The lack of rainfall also meant plenty of sunshine and warm
weather. The statewide average temperature was nearly 2 degrees above normal at
52.1 degrees. The average high temperature across the state was 64.6 degrees
and the average low was 39.8 degrees. Altus and Hollis won the prize for
highest temperature with their 95-degree readings on the 17th. The
weather still got significantly cold at times, however, evidenced by the 15
degrees recorded at Kenton on the 14th. Waurika was the warmest
location in the state with an average temperature of 57.4 degrees while Boise
City brought up the rear at 45.5 degrees. March's warmth could not overcome the
cool weather of January and February. The statewide average temperature for the
first three months of the year was 42.3 degrees, about half of a degree below
normal.
 

The outlooks for April from the National Weather Service's
Climate Prediction Center show an increased chance for above normal
temperatures in Oklahoma as well as an increased chance for below normal
precipitation in the western two-thirds of the state.


Gary McManus
Associate State Climatologist
Oklahoma Climatological Survey




04.07.11 picturePrint Table added to Drift Risk

A new "Print Table" option has been added to the Oklahoma Mesonet Drift Risk Advisor. This new option makes it easier to create paper or electronic copies of forecast tables. 


To create PDF files of the table in Windows, a PDF converter program, such as PrimoPDF or CutePDF will be needed to save a PDF file from the Print window. Apple computers include a "Save as PDF" option inside the Print window.


For those who use the Drift Risk Advisor to monitor multiple Mesonet site locations, a Mesonet site name has been included in the table header.

02.11.11 pictureNew Record Cold

From Gary McManus, Oklahoma State Associate Climatologist:

Oklahoma Mesonet personnel have now verified that the Mesonet site at Nowata reached a low temperature of -31 degrees at 7:40 a.m, Thursday, Feb. 10, 2011. That mark eclipses the previous all-time record low state temperature of -27 degrees, set at Vinita (2/13/1905) and Watts (1/18/1930). 

The lowest temperatures for the morning of Feb. 10 from the Oklahoma Mesonet:

Nowata                  -31 degrees
Pryor                     -28 degrees
Blackwell                -27 degrees
Medford                  -26 degrees
Marshall                  -25 degrees
Vinita                     -24 degrees
Cherokee                 -24 degrees
Lake Carl Blackwell    -23 degrees
Inola                       -23 degrees
Breckinridge              -23 degrees
Red Rock                  -23 degrees

At 7:45 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 10, the Oklahoma Mesonet site at Medford recorded a wind chill temperature of -47 degrees, which topped the previous Mesonet record of -36 degrees from Boise City set the previous week. 
 

01.25.11 pictureDrought Gets Worse in Oklahoma


Despite moisture from recent wintry weather, drought conditions continue to persist and intensify across Oklahoma. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor report released on January 20 indicates severe drought is now present in central Oklahoma, centered on Oklahoma City and surrounding areas. Moderate drought extends through much of the central one-third of the state through the southwest, with other moderate drought areas in the Panhandle and far southeastern Oklahoma.

Data from the Oklahoma Mesonet, Oklahoma's weather network, paint a bleak picture of the state's drought situation. The average statewide precipitation total for the last 60 days is a meager 1.49 inches, more than 2 inches below normal and the 9th driest such period since 1921. Central Oklahoma's statistics are even more telling with an average total of 0.55 inches, more than 3 inches below normal. That deficit ranks the last 60 days in central Oklahoma as the third driest. Extended out to 90 days, central Oklahoma's deficit rises to nearly 5 inches and ranks that period as the fourth driest since 1921. 

While some relief has occurred in southeastern and northern areas in January, the entire state remains exceedingly dry. The southeastern two-thirds of the state have a deficit of 4-to-10 inches since late September. The Mesonet station in Norman has recorded 2.5 inches of rain during that period with only 2.2 inches recorded at Shawnee. It has now been between 70-90 days since southwestern and central Oklahoma has seen a day with more than a quarter-inch of rainfall. That number expands to 120 days in the far western Panhandle. Shrinking stock ponds and reservoirs are the most visible impacts seen above ground, but the soil is also beginning to reflect the drought. The Mesonet's soil moisture sensors in central Oklahoma show bone-dry conditions down to a depth of at least 2 feet.

The prospects for relief over much of the state are not great according to scientists at the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center, thanks in large part to the continuing moderate-to-strong La Nina occurring in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. Their latest drought outlook has the drought persisting, with possible further development, through April in the northwestern two-thirds of the state. Some improvement is possible in the southeast, however.  In addition, they expect an increased chance of above normal temperatures through the entire state during that period as well, especially in western Oklahoma.

This La Nina event is expected to last through spring, but scientists are seeing some indications it might begin to wane over the next several months. Drought extending into the spring months would have significant impacts on Oklahoma's agricultural producers, especially the Oklahoma wheat crop. Wildfire conditions could also be amplified by continued dryness.

For more information on Oklahoma's current drought situation, please visit the Oklahoma Climatological Survey's drought monitoring website (http://climate.mesonet.org/rainfall_update.html) and the Oklahoma Mesonet (http://www.mesonet.org).

By Gary McManus, Associate State Climatologist, Oklahoma Climatological Survey

 


10.11.10 pictureLa Nina Could Affect Winter

La Nina Could Bring Mild, Dry Winter to Oklahoma

October has gotten off to a cool start in Oklahoma, including a few low temperatures that fell below freezing the last several days. Despite the cool beginning, however, the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center (CPC) sees an increased chance for warmer- and drier-than-normal weather in Oklahoma during October. Looking farther out, the CPC indicates similar conditions could persist through the winter months, meaning a milder but possibly drier winter for Oklahoma. The culprit behind this possible disruption of Oklahoma's weather is none other than El Nino's counterpart, La Nina.

La Nina occurs when sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific become cooler than normal. Much like El Nino, this cooling of sea surface temperatures can influence weather around the globe, including that of the United States. Impacts from La Nina include the tendency for a warmer and drier cool season in the southern United States, along with cooler and wetter conditions in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest. The current La Nina is expected to continue strengthening and remain in place throughout the 2010-11 winter season.

La Nina's impacts on Oklahoma's economy can be significant. A warmer and drier cool season can have adverse effects on Oklahoma's agricultural industry. With the planting of next year's wheat crop underway, moisture becomes a key ingredient for establishing that crop and developing it through to maturity. That wheat can also be used to provide forage during the winter months for cattle producers. Unfortunately, Oklahoma's key wheat-producing areas are beginning to see dry conditions spread due to below normal rainfall over the last couple of months. Rainfall deficits due to La Nina's influence would come at an inopportune time. Another negative impact of warmer and drier conditions is a possible increase in wildfires, which the state saw during the dry winter of 2005-06.

Not all La Nina impacts are necessarily negative. Cooler weather in the northern parts of the country can boost Oklahoma's natural gas industry, and therefore its economy, by increasing demand and keeping prices higher. The state reaped that benefit last winter during a particularly cold and stormy winter in the eastern half of the country. Oklahoma residents, on the other hand, could see cheaper heating bills.

A warmer and drier winter does not necessarily translate into a season free of ice and snow. Significant individual ice and snow events can still occur within longer dry periods. For example, severe ice storms struck Oklahoma during the La Nina winters of December 2000 and 2007.

It is important to remember that each La Nina episode can develop differently and be influenced by other climate factors. However, increased confidence is present in long-range outlooks when La Nina or El Nino conditions are present, especially during the winter months.

Gary McManus
Associate State Climatologist
Oklahoma Climatological Survey 


09.10.10 pictureNew and Improved Rainfall Maps


Agweather now features Mesonet's updated and improved rainfall maps.
 

The new maps display Mesonet rain gauge data and radar-estimated rainfall. Observed rainfall data is plotted at each of Mesonet's 120 weather stations and the radar underlay (in color) displays estimates from the National Weather Service River Forecast Center.
 

This new feature better depicts rainfall that occurs between our weather stations. Rainfall accumulation maps are available for one hour through 30 days and maps are updated every 5 minutes.
 

 To view these maps:

- Start at http://agweather.mesonet.org

            - Select WEATHER on the top menu

                        - Choose RAINFALL on the left menu


07.19.10 pictureNEW Learn More

The Learn More section of the Agweather website has been updated. In this section you will find 
Mesonet information, a weather glossary, printable information sheets related to weather and 
agricultural products, scientific product descriptions, helpful links and Agweather contributors 
information.

To find the Learn More section, start at the Agweather main page (http://agweather.mesonet.org).
The Learn More section is located below the "Current Weather At:" section.

 
 If you have any questions about our products or need additional information, let us know at 405-325-3126 or Agweather@mesonet.org


06.23.10 pictureSummer heat is here


Summer is officially here, as of June 21. But we've been experiencing summer
heat for most of June. For the period of June 1- June 20, the statewide average
temperature was 4.6 degrees above normal at 75.5 degrees.

The average maximum temperature across the state was 90.6 degrees, 3.7 degrees
above normal. The average minimum was 5.7 degrees above normal at 69.7 degrees.


The moisture in the air has made this month feel more like the
heat experienced in July and August in Oklahoma. The moisture in the air adds
to the heat stress on people, animals and power supply of Oklahoma. 


The heat index has been in the danger zone this month. Here
are the top 10 Mesonet heat indices for June so far:
Clayton              6/6/2010            107.6
Claremore           6/19/2010          107.5
Wilburton            6/6/2010            107.5
Blackwell            6/19/2010           107.5
Marshall              6/19/2010           107.3
Bixby                 6/19/2010           107.1
Chickasha            6/19/2010           107.1
Burbank              6/19/2010            107.1
Vinita                 6/19/2010            107.1
Altus                  6/10/2010            107.1
To keep an eye on current heat indices, start at the Agweather main page.
Select Weather from the top menu, then Air temperature and Heat Index from the left hand menu. 


Keep hydrated and protect yourself during this heat, it doesn't look to be going anywhere anytime soon.