As of 4:50 p.m., seven Oklahoma Mesonet Stations in northwestern, western and southwestern areas of the state post highs today of 95 degrees or higher
Butler and Seiling, in western Oklahoma, reached 97 degrees today, according to the Oklahoma Mesonet.
Many stations reached 90 degrees including one in western Oklahoma County.
March in Oklahoma, statistics according to Gary McManus, Oklahoma Climatological Survey
Today, at 3:25 p.m, the Oklahoma Mesonet stations at Butler and Hollis were showing 96 degrees.
Just 10 days ago, the temperature dipped to 15 degrees at Boise City.
Also, the last time, Oklahoma had temperatures of 95 degrees or more was September 30 when the Mesonet station at Beaver was 100 degrees, Hollis reached 98 degrees and Goodwell was 96 degrees.
Last day of March, the Oklahoma Mesonet Station at Butler showed 96 degrees at 3:20 p.m.
95 degrees at Hollis (southwest Oklahoma) and Butler (western Oklahoma) at 3:15 p.m.
Oklahoma fire information, from Mark Goeller, assistant director of Forestry Services
This information was provided by Mark Goeller, Asst. Director of Forestry Services:
ODAFF fire fighters battled 23 separate fires in the eastern protection area yesterday and last night. Due to the duration of the fire activity in the Protection Area, many firefighters are off this morning due to Work-Rest Guidelines. Units from the SE Area are being deployed to the NE Area to provide adequate suppression resources throughout the next two days.
Numerous large fires occurred yesterday across Oklahoma. One request for assistance on a series of eight arson fires was received from Beggs Fire Department yesterday. The request was unable to be filled due to the level of activity in the NE and EC Areas.
Statewide Discussion: Fire Danger today will range from high to extreme in all but far SE Oklahoma today. Very poor humidity recovery in fine fuels occurred overnight. Wildfires will be possible early today in cured, fine fuels. Relative Humidity values will be in the teens to low twenty percent range, winds gusting to above 30 mph, and very warm temperatures will combine to allow fires to start easily and spread rapidly.
Competition for firefighting resources will again be high today. Extreme caution should be exercised by firefighting personnel when engaging in fire suppression activities.
A Red Flag Warning has been issued for Wednesday from Noon to 9:00 p.m. for the following counties: Alfalfa, Beaver, Beckham, Blaine, Caddo, Canadian, Cimarron, Comanche, Cotton, Custer, Dewey, Ellis, Greer, Harmon, Harper, Jackson, Kingfisher, Kiowa, Major, Roger Mills, Texas, Tillman, Washita, Woods, and Woodward.
Very High to Extreme Fire Danger can be expected as a result of extremely low relative humidity values in the single digits to low teens, south winds in the 15-25 mph range with higher gusts and temperatures in the 80-90 degree range. Any fire that starts today in this area will be resistant to control. Firefighting personnel in and near the Warned Area need to be prepared for extreme fire behavior today.
Moist Gulf air is expected to return to much of eastern Oklahoma late today and tonight which will help lessen fire danger and aid in control efforts on any on-going fire.
Special note to the public: Controlled burning today is not advised. Outdoor burning will be difficult or impossible to control under the forecast fire weather conditions. Be extremely careful with anything that could start a wildfire.
Hazardous weather outlook, National Weather Service, Norman
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK COVERS NORTHERN…WESTERN…
CENTRAL…AND SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA…AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS.
.DAY ONE… THROUGH TONIGHT…
THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK…
THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED.
DISCUSSION…
DESPITE VERY WARM CONDITIONS AND CONTINUING SOUTH WINDS… THE
ATMOSPHERE WILL REMAIN TOO DRY TO SUPPORT THUNDERSTORMS.
PROBABILITY TABLE…
VALID THROUGH 700 AM CDT THURSDAY APR 1.
PROBABILITY OF THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRING IN THE
NWS NORMAN COUNTY WARNING AREA…ZERO PERCENT.
OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER…
VERY HIGH TO EXTREME WILDFIRE POTENTIAL WILL EXIST AGAIN TODAY OVER
WESTERN NORTH TEXAS AND WESTERN OKLAHOMA. A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN
EFFECT.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY…
THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK…
THUNDERSTORMS WILL BECOME MORE LIKELY FROM LATE THURSDAY NIGHT
THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT AS A STRONG STORM SYSTEM MOVES INTO THE
SOUTHERN PLAINS. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND FRIDAY NIGHT OVER NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS AND MOST
OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN OKLAHOMA.
THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL INCREASE AGAIN AROUND NEXT TUESDAY.
OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER…
WILDFIRE POTENTIAL WILL BE VERY HIGH TO EXTREME ONCE AGAIN ON
THURSDAY OVER FAR WEST CENTRAL AND NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA. A
FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS IN EFFECT.
Red Flag Warning and Fire Weather Watch, issued by National Weather Service, Norman
URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK WED MAR 31 2010 ...RED FLAG CONDITIONS OVER A LARGE AREA TODAY...MORE LIMITED ON THURSDAY... .VERY WARM WEATHER WILL CONTINUE TODAY AND THURSDAY...WITH BREEZY AND GUSTY SOUTH WINDS. WITH TEMPERATURE AND WIND CRITERIA BEING MET... RED FLAG CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP WHEREVER HUMIDITY DROPS BELOW 20 PERCENT. TODAY HUMIDITY WILL BE VERY LOW IN ALL OF WESTERN OKLAHOMA AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS. AREAS FARTHER EAST TOWARD INTERSTATE 35...WILL SEE HUMIDITY BRIEFLY APPROACH 20 TO 25 PERCENT AROUND MIDDAY...BUT AIR WITH HIGHER HUMIDITY WILL ARRIVE FROM THE SOUTH DURING THE AFTERNOON. OVERNIGHT AND GOING INTO THURSDAY...THE HIGHER HUMIDITY GULF AIR WILL SURGE WEST AND NORTHWARD...LEAVING ONLY FAR WESTERN OKLAHOMA AT RISK TO SEE RED FLAG CONDITIONS ON THURSDAY. ALFALFA-MAJOR-BLAINE-KINGFISHER-CADDO-CANADIAN-COMANCHE-COTTON- CLAY- WED MAR 31 2010 ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NORMAN HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. RED FLAG CRITERIA WILL BE MET TODAY...WITH INCREASINGLY WARMER AND DRIER WEATHER AS ONE MOVES FROM EAST TO WEST THROUGH THE WARNED AREA. TEMPERATURES WILL CLIMB TO THE UPPER 80S AND LOWER 90S THIS AFTERNOON. HUMIDITY WILL RANGE FROM AROUND 20 PERCENT AT CHEROKEE... EL RENO...AND HENRIETTA TEXAS...DOWN TO 8 TO 15 PERCENT TO THE WEST OF FAIRVIEW...WEATHERFORD...AND WICHITA FALLS. ALTHOUGH WINDS WILL NOT BE EXCEPTIONALLY STRONG...SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL AVERAGE 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 30 MPH. OVERNIGHT RECOVERY WILL BE GREATER THAN THE PREVIOUS NIGHT...AS GULF MOISTURE BEGINS TO ARRIVE. HUMIDITY WILL RECOVER TO 60 TO 70 PERCENT IN MUCH OF THE WARNED AREA BY THURSDAY MORNING. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL. ----------------------------
URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK WED MAR 31 2010 ...RED FLAG CONDITIONS OVER A LARGE AREA TODAY...MORE LIMITED ON THURSDAY... .VERY WARM WEATHER WILL CONTINUE TODAY AND THURSDAY...WITH BREEZY AND GUSTY SOUTH WINDS. WITH TEMPERATURE AND WIND CRITERIA BEING MET... RED FLAG CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP WHEREVER HUMIDITY DROPS BELOW 20 PERCENT. TODAY HUMIDITY WILL BE VERY LOW IN ALL OF WESTERN OKLAHOMA AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS. AREAS FARTHER EAST TOWARD INTERSTATE 35...WILL SEE HUMIDITY BRIEFLY APPROACH 20 TO 25 PERCENT AROUND MIDDAY...BUT AIR WITH HIGHER HUMIDITY WILL ARRIVE FROM THE SOUTH DURING THE AFTERNOON. OVERNIGHT AND GOING INTO THURSDAY...THE HIGHER HUMIDITY GULF AIR WILL SURGE WEST AND NORTHWARD...LEAVING ONLY FAR WESTERN OKLAHOMA AT RISK TO SEE RED FLAG CONDITIONS ON THURSDAY. WOODS-DEWEY-CUSTER-WASHITA-HARMON-GREER-KIOWA-JACKSON-TILLMAN- HARDEMAN-FOARD-WILBARGER-WICHITA-KNOX-BAYLOR-ARCHER- WED MAR 31 2010 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING... A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING. RED FLAG CRITERIA WILL BE MET TODAY...WITH INCREASINGLY WARMER AND DRIER WEATHER AS ONE MOVES FROM EAST TO WEST THROUGH THE WARNED AREA. TEMPERATURES WILL CLIMB TO THE UPPER 80S AND LOWER 90S THIS AFTERNOON. HUMIDITY WILL RANGE FROM AROUND 20 PERCENT AT CHEROKEE... EL RENO...AND HENRIETTA TEXAS...DOWN TO 8 TO 15 PERCENT TO THE WEST OF FAIRVIEW...WEATHERFORD...AND WICHITA FALLS. ALTHOUGH WINDS WILL NOT BE EXCEPTIONALLY STRONG...SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL AVERAGE 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 30 MPH. OVERNIGHT RECOVERY WILL BE GREATER THAN THE PREVIOUS NIGHT...AS GULF MOISTURE BEGINS TO ARRIVE. HUMIDITY WILL RECOVER TO 60 TO 70 PERCENT IN MUCH OF THE WARNED AREA BY THURSDAY MORNING. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL. -------------------------------
URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK WED MAR 31 2010 ...RED FLAG CONDITIONS OVER A LARGE AREA TODAY...MORE LIMITED ON THURSDAY... .VERY WARM WEATHER WILL CONTINUE TODAY AND THURSDAY...WITH BREEZY AND GUSTY SOUTH WINDS. WITH TEMPERATURE AND WIND CRITERIA BEING MET... RED FLAG CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP WHEREVER HUMIDITY DROPS BELOW 20 PERCENT. TODAY HUMIDITY WILL BE VERY LOW IN ALL OF WESTERN OKLAHOMA AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS. AREAS FARTHER EAST TOWARD INTERSTATE 35...WILL SEE HUMIDITY BRIEFLY APPROACH 20 TO 25 PERCENT AROUND MIDDAY...BUT AIR WITH HIGHER HUMIDITY WILL ARRIVE FROM THE SOUTH DURING THE AFTERNOON. OVERNIGHT AND GOING INTO THURSDAY...THE HIGHER HUMIDITY GULF AIR WILL SURGE WEST AND NORTHWARD...LEAVING ONLY FAR WESTERN OKLAHOMA AT RISK TO SEE RED FLAG CONDITIONS ON THURSDAY. HARPER-ELLIS-WOODWARD-ROGER MILLS-BECKHAM- WED MAR 31 2010 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING... ...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NORMAN HAS ISSUED A FIRE WEATHER WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING. A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING. IN FAR WESTERN OKLAHOMA...TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY CRITERIA WILL BE MET EASILY TODAY...WITH HIGHS IN THE LOWER 90S AND HUMIDITY BETWEEN 8 AND 12 PERCENT DURING THE AFTERNOON. ALTHOUGH WINDS WILL NOT BE EXCEPTIONALLY STRONG...SOUTHWEST...AND SOMETIMES SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE TO AROUND 20 MPH WITH GUSTS NEAR 30 MPH DURING THE AFTERNOON. WHILE GULF MOISTURE WILL RETURN WEDNESDAY NIGHT OVER MUCH OF OKLAHOMA...THE FAR WESTERN PART OF THE STATE WILL REMAIN IN THE VICINITY OF A DEVELOPING DRYLINE. RED FLAG CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE AGAIN ON THURSDAY...IF THE DRYLINE SETS UP INSIDE THE WESTERN ROWS OF OKLAHOMA COUNTIES...AS CURRENTLY FORECAST. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL. A FIRE WEATHER WATCH MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST TO OCCUR. LISTEN FOR LATER FORECASTS AND POSSIBLE RED FLAG WARNINGS.
From the National Weather Service, Norman
From the National Weather Service, Norman:
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK COVERS NORTHERN…WESTERN…
CENTRAL…AND SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA…AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS.
.DAY ONE… TODAY AND TONIGHT…
THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK…
THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED.
DISCUSSION…
DESPITE VERY WARM CONDITIONS AND CONTINUING SOUTH WINDS… THE
ATMOSPHERE WILL REMAIN TOO DRY TO SUPPORT THUNDERSTORMS.
PROBABILITY TABLE…
VALID THROUGH 700 AM CDT THURSDAY APR 1.
PROBABILITY OF THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRING IN THE
NWS NORMAN COUNTY WARNING AREA…ZERO PERCENT.
OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER…
VERY HIGH TO EXTREME WILDFIRE POTENTIAL WILL EXIST AGAIN TODAY OVER
WESTERN NORTH TEXAS AND WESTERN OKLAHOMA. A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN
EFFECT.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY…
THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK…
THUNDERSTORMS WILL BECOME MORE LIKELY FROM LATE THURSDAY NIGHT
THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT AS A STRONG STORM SYSTEM MOVES INTO THE
SOUTHERN PLAINS. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND FRIDAY NIGHT OVER NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS AND MOST
OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN OKLAHOMA.
THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL INCREASE AGAIN AROUND NEXT TUESDAY.
OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER…
WILDFIRE POTENTIAL WILL BE VERY HIGH TO EXTREME ONCE AGAIN ON
THURSDAY OVER FAR WEST CENTRAL AND NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA. A
FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS IN EFFECT.
short-term forecast from National Weather Service, Norman
REGIONAL WEATHER DISCUSSION…
WARM…DRY…AND WINDY WEATHER WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING HOURS
ACROSS OKLAHOMA AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS. THE WARMEST AND DRIEST AIR
WILL BE FOUND OVER FAR WEST-CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA…WHERE
TEMPERATURES WILL TOP OUT AROUND 90 DEGREES AND FALL THROUGH THE 80S
THIS EVENING. RELATIVE HUMIDITIES ACROSS FAR WESTERN OKLAHOMA WILL
AVERAGE 5 TO 15 PERCENT INTO THE EARLY EVENING…BEFORE INCREASING
TO OVER 20 PERCENT LATE IN THE EVENING.
FARTHER EAST…ENCOMPASSING MOST OF OKLAHOMA AND ALL OF WESTERN
NORTH TEXAS…TEMPERATURES WILL TOP OUT IN THE 80S AND UPPER 70S
WITH HUMIDITIES RANGING FROM AROUND 15 TO 30 PERCENT. TEMPERATURES
WILL COOL INTO THE 60S AND 70S THIS EVENING AND HUMIDITIES WILL
INCREASE INTO THE 30 TO 45 PERCENT RANGE.
OVERALL…THE SOUTHERLY WIND WILL STAY GUSTY THROUGH EARLY EVENING
BEFORE THE GUSTS BECOME LESS COMMON. BY 8 PM…MOST WIND SPEEDS ARE
EXPECTED TO DECREASE INTO THE 10 TO 20 MPH RANGE AT MOST LOCATIONS.
HOWEVER…PARTS OF WESTERN OKLAHOMA WILL STILL SEE SOME WIND SPEEDS
GREATER THAN 20 MPH.
First 90-degree temperatures in Oklahoma since Oct. 20, 2009, according to Gary McManus, Oklahoma Climatological Survey
