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.







06.10.10 pictureWheat Harvest in Oklahoma

Wheat harvest is in full swing in Oklahoma. Some parts of the state are
virtually done with harvest, while others are just getting started.
 

Agweather can help you monitor current weather conditions,as well as
local forecasts.
 

As a general guideline, relative humidity below 50 percent allows
for drying of wheat for harvest. The wheat drying process speeds up when
relative humidity is below 40 percent and winds pick up to 10 miles per hour or
more. Farmers are well aware these conditions typically occur on sunny, clear
days with higher air temperatures.


To access relative humidty maps:

- From the main Agweather page, click Weather
- Choose Humidity in the left hand menu
- Select Current Humidity


To access hour-by-hour forecast information:

- From the main Agweather page, click Forecast
- Choose Nat. Weather Service in the left hand menu
- Select Hour-by-Hour Forecast
- Scroll down to box with Relative Humidity, Precipitation Potential and Sky Cover
(Relative humidity is shown in green) 






05.19.10 pictureHail Hits Oklahoma

Last week proved to be a crazy weather week in Oklahoma. The week
started Monday with a tornado outbreak across Oklahoma, and ended
Sunday with a hail storm affecting Central Oklahoma.


Hail up to the size of softballs was reported in Blaine and Oklahoma
Counties. Damage from the storm was widespread and costly. Its
been reported at least 45,000 acres across central and western
Oklahoma were completely destroyed.


Parts of Oklahoma have the highest frequency of large hail events
in the United States. In recent years, the annual loss from hail in
this country has been nearly $2 billion dollars. Oklahoma crop losses
due to hail damage average approximately $2.5 million per year alone,
not including property and casualty claims.


Prior to the Sunday storm, the wheat crop has been decent for Oklahoma
this spring. As of Sunday, the National Agricultural Statistics Service reported
54 percent of winter wheat crop in the state was in good condition,
13 percent was in excellent condition and only 7 percent was either in
poor or very poor condition.


To learn more about this hail event, as well as past hail events, check
out the Mesonet Ticker at ticker.mesonet.org

May 16th Hailstorm Track


05.13.10 pictureMay 10, 2010 Tornado Outbreak

The National Weather Service is working to compile information and survey damage
on the tornado outbreak that occurred across Oklahoma on May 10th. Although they
do not have an exact total of tornadoes at this point, they do know that tornado damage
paths are spread over 200 miles from near the Kansas-Oklahoma border to near the Red River.


Prior to Monday's storms, Oklahoma had a slow start to the 2010 tornado season with
only three reported tornadoes. Forecasters began to mention the possibility of a significant
severe weather event nearly a week before the storms hit, when they noticed many factors
would come together to create a potentially dangerous weather situation across Oklahoma.
As storm season in Oklahoma continues, remember to check forecasts regularly.


Agweather includes forecast products from the National Weather Service in the "Forecast"
section. If severe weather is forecasted, a red "Hazardous Weather Outlook" link will
display in the "Detailed 7-day Forecast" section. These outlooks provide more information
on severity of storms expected, timing and probability of storms occurring. If you have any
questions about any forecast products, please let us know at 405-325-3126 or agweather@mesonet.org

Below are the preliminary tornado tracks for May 10th.


Norman Forecast Office

 

Tulsa Forecast Office

Check with the National Weather Service for updates on the May 10 tornado outbreak as they
pinpoint the exact number of tornadoes.

Norman Forecast Office

Tulsa Forecast Office







04.13.10 pictureEl Nino continues to weaken

The current El Nino episode, which reached "strong" status this winter, has begun to weaken. If it continues to weaken as expected, its effects on our weather will continue to diminish.

Oklahoma is typically not significantly affected by El Nino, but the current El Nino was strong enough to increase rainfall in the southern half of the state and contribute to lower temperatures (especially maximum temperatures). Because these events tend to have some momentum with them, the effects can linger even as the event dwindles.

El Nino events generally won't affect our temperatures much in April-May-June. Several models are forecasting a transition through summer and fall from neutral conditions into a La Nina event. A La Nina event can mean drier and warmer cold-season weather for us in Oklahoma, only time will tell its impacts.


02.23.10 pictureMonthly Weather Summaries


As we wrap up February and move into March, don't forget to view and save
the Oklahoma Mesonet monthly weather summary for your area.
 

Monthly weather summaries include daily temperatures, rainfall amounts,
soil temperatures, wind speed and wind direction. It also includes a monthly
average for those weather variables.


To view your monthly weather summary

- Start at the Agweather main page, http://agweather.mesonet.org
            -Click on the Climate tab
                        -Select Past Weather Data
                                    -Select Monthly Weather Summary from the drop down menu                                               - Choose the Year, Month, Format and Site locations                                                  - Click Get Summary


If you want to print the summary, we recommend choosing PDF
as your format. If you have any questions, let us know at 405-325-3126.


Below is a Monthly Weather Summary for Norman, Okla.
 



01.25.10 pictureNEW Drift Risk Advisor

Although temperatures outside are chilly, it will soon be spraying season again.
Agweather has a new planning tool, the "Drift Risk Advisor," to help you in the
spraying months ahead.

The "Drift Risk Advisor" is designed to aid applicators in identifying times of
lower drift risk due to weather variables. This tool compares weather variable
parameters with an 84-hour forecast matched to each Mesonet site.

Users can enter limits for one or more weather variables, including air
temperature, relative humidity, average wind speed, rainfall, dispersion
conditions and wind direction.

The Drift Risk Advisor can be found on the Agweather Web site.
-From the main Agweather page, select "Forecast"
            -Choose "Drift Risk Advisor"

or
-From the main Agweather page, select "Crop"
-Choose any crop 
- Under Pest Control, select "Drift Risk Advisor"

or
-From the main Agweather page, select "Horticulture"
- Choose any horticulture crop
         - Under Pest Control, select "Drift Risk Advisor"

Once on the advisor page, explore the Learn More section for information
on how to use the Drift Risk Advisor. If you have questions, let us know
at 405-325-3126 or maggie.hoey@okstate.edu.



 







12.22.09 pictureHappy Holidays!



Don't forget to keep an eye on the forecast as winter weather threatens
to enter the area this week. For the latest forecast graphics and information
from the National Weather Service, use the "Forecast" section on the Agweather
Web site. In this section, you can find detailed forecast information and
regional outlooks for your area.
 

Another product that can be used to monitor freezing conditions and precipitation
is the "Radar, Air Temp and Wind" map. This map can be found in the "Radar/Satellite" 
section of the Agweather Web site. Select "Regional/National Radar" and choose
"Radar, Air Temp and Wind." This map combines the four radars in Oklahoma overlaid
with air temperature and wind direction. When a winter weather storm occurs you can
monitor the freeze line, and determine areas where rain is likely to have changed over
to frozen precipitation.
 
 


From everyone at the Oklahoma Mesonet we wish you and your family a happy and safe holiday.







12.04.09 pictureOctober and November Rainfall

October was a cold and rainy month for Oklahoma. Most areas
of the state received above normal rainfall, as shown on the map below. A
majority of the state received 180 percent of the normal rainfall for October,
making this the fifth wettest October on record for Oklahoma.


November certainly didn't follow October's wet trend. The statewide
average rainfall for November was 0.63 inches, 2.19 inches below normal. Much
of the state received only 10 to 20 percent of November's normal rainfall, as
shown on the map below. November ended as 22nd driest November on
record for Oklahoma.