Extreme heat continues, National Weather Service, Norman
U.S. Drought Monitor
This will be the warmest July on record
July 2011 is poised to become the warmest month on record in Oklahoma, for any month. July 1954 holds the current record with an average temperature of 88.1 degrees. Through July 28, the average temperature this July was 89 degrees. The record is sure to fall with only two days left in the month. The average high temperature during July across the state was 102.9 degrees.
Following the second warmest June on record, we’re also going to shatter the record average temperature for June-July. Currently we are sitting at a statewide average temperature of 86.3 degrees. The previous record was 84.6 degrees in 1934.
SOURCE: Oklahoma Climatological Survey
I was asked about triple digit days for Alva and Fairview, each are at 43 days counting today, Oklahoma Climatological Survey
Boise City in the Panhandle has had 3.7 inches of rain since Oct. 1, 2010 – yes, 2010, Oklahoma Climatological Survey
With the release of the new U.S. Drought Monitor map this morning, there should be little surprise that exceptional and extreme drought continue their march to the east.OKC West: 1.49″
Most of central Oklahoma, including Oklahoma City, is now covered by the exceptional drought category. We recommended those changes despite the 3″ of rain that has fallen this month at Will Rogers Airport. Typical of summer rains, that generous total is very localized and an outlier. Our OKC Mesonet stations have received just a tad less.
OKC North: 0.35″
OKC East: 1.22″
Spencer: 0.63″
For July thus far, the Mesonet stations at Burneyville, Ringling and Walters have yet to receive a drop of rainfall, putting things in perspective. Through July 28, the month is ranked as the third driest such period back to 1921 with an average of 0.63″, 1.84″ below normal. Driest? 1980.
The water year to date (Oct 1-July 28) now ranks as the driest such period on record going back to 1921 across the state.By region, it’s also the driest such period back to 1921 for the Panhandle, N. Central, W. Central, Central and Southwest climate divisions.
Climate Div. Total Dep. from Normal Pct of Normal Rank since 1921
Panhandle 6.26″ -10.12″ 38% 1st driest
N. Central 12.36″ -12.72″ 49% 1st driest
Northeast 23.23″ -10.37″ 69% 10th driest
W. Central 9.76″ -13.30″ 42% 1st driest
Central 14.97″ -15.95″ 48% 1st driest
E. Central 26.98″ -10.89″ 71% 12th driest
Southwest 10.40″ -14.04″ 43% 1st driest
S. Central 16.08″ -17.68″ 48% 3rd driest
Southeast 29.31″ -13.89″ 68% 7th driest
Statewide 16.45″ -13.31″ 55% 1st driest
And, Boise City has received 3.7″ of rain since October 1, 2010.
Hazardous weather outlook, National Weather Service, Norman
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK COVERS NORTHERN…WESTERN…
CENTRAL…AND SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA…AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS.
.DAY ONE…THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT…
THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK…
A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH TONIGHT… BUT
ORGANIZED SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED.
DISCUSSION…
A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTH ACROSS KANSAS THROUGH TONIGHT.
THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY DEVELOP NEAR THE FRONT… TO THE NORTH OF
OKLAHOMA. OUTFLOW FROM THESE STORMS MAY MOVE INTO NORTHERN OKLAHOMA.
THE OUTFLOW BOUNDARY MAY THEN BECOME THE FOCUS FOR A FEW
THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTHERN OKLAHOMA. WEAK WINDS ALOFT AND WEAK
INSTABILITY WILL LIMIT THE CHANCE OF SEVERE STORMS… BUT THE
CONTINUED PRESENCE OF HOT AND RELATIVELY DRY AIR AT LOW LEVELS WILL
MEAN THAT A FEW STORMS COULD PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS…
ESPECIALLY THIS EVENING.
PROBABILITY TABLE…
VALID THROUGH 700 AM CDT FRIDAY JUL 29.
PROBABILITY OF THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRING IN THE
NWS NORMAN COUNTY WARNING AREA…30 PERCENT.
PROBABILITY OF SEVERE STORMS IF STORMS OCCUR…20 PERCENT.
OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER…
HEAT AGAIN WILL REACH DANGEROUS LEVELS TODAY OVER THE ENTIRE AREA. A
HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY…
THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK…
THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS FRIDAY ACROSS PORTIONS OF
NORTHERN OKLAHOMA DUE TO A COLD FRONT IN KANSAS.
THERE WILL ALSO BE A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY…
MAINLY OVER SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA. EFFECTS OF TROPICAL STORM DON…
OR ITS REMNANTS… WILL LIKELY REMAIN SOUTH OF THE AREA. BUT AN
INTRUSION OF INCREASING GULF MOISTURE TO THE NORTH OF THE SYSTEM MAY
RESULT IN AN INCREASE IN THE CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE
DAYTIME AND EVENING HOURS THROUGH SATURDAY.
OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER…
THE HEAT ADVISORY HAS BEEN EXTENDED THROUGH SUNDAY AND COULD BE
EXTENDED INTO NEXT WEEK. THERE MAY BE SOME SLIGHT.. BUT NOT
SIGNIFICANT RELIEF FROM THE EXTREME HEAT EARLY IN THE WEEKEND. THE
LARGE DOME OF HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN
PLAINS IS FORECAST TO BUILD AND INTENSIFY AGAIN BY EARLY NEXT WEEK.
EXTREME HEAT IS THEN LIKELY TO PERSIST OR RETURN FOR AT LEAST THE
FIRST HALF OF NEXT WEEK. WILDFIRE POTENTIAL WILL ALSO REMAIN HIGH
DUE TO THE CONTINUED HOT AND DRY CONDITIONS.
Looking ahead at heat wave, map, National Weather Service, Norman
More than half of Oklahoma now in exceptional drought, the worst category, according to U.S. Drought Monitor
Hazardous weather outlook, National Weather Service, Norman
HARPER-WOODS-ALFALFA-GRANT-KAY-ELLIS-WOODWARD-MAJOR-GARFIELD-NOBLE-
ROGER MILLS-DEWEY-CUSTER-BLAINE-KINGFISHER-LOGAN-PAYNE-BECKHAM-
WASHITA-CADDO-CANADIAN-OKLAHOMA-LINCOLN-GRADY-MCCLAIN-CLEVELAND-
POTTAWATOMIE-SEMINOLE-HUGHES-HARMON-GREER-KIOWA-JACKSON-TILLMAN-
COMANCHE-STEPHENS-GARVIN-MURRAY-PONTOTOC-COAL-COTTON-JEFFERSON-
CARTER-JOHNSTON-ATOKA-LOVE-MARSHALL-BRYAN-HARDEMAN-FOARD-WILBARGER-
WICHITA-KNOX-BAYLOR-ARCHER-CLAY-
500 AM CDT THU JUL 28 2011
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK COVERS NORTHERN…WESTERN…
CENTRAL…AND SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA…AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS.
.DAY ONE…TODAY AND TONIGHT…
THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK…
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED.
DISCUSSION…
A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTH FROM NEBRASKA INTO KANSAS TODAY AND
TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY INCREASE LATER TODAY NEAR THE
FRONT… TO THE NORTH OF OKLAHOMA. OUTFLOW FROM THESE STORMS MAY
MOVE INTO NORTHERN OKLAHOMA LATE TODAY OR TONIGHT. THE ASSOCIATED
SURFACE BOUNDARY MAY BECOME THE FOCUS FOR A FEW THUNDERSTORMS OVER
NORTHERN OKLAHOMA. WEAK WINDS ALOFT AND WEAK INSTABILITY WILL LIMIT
THE CHANCE OF SEVERE STORMS… BUT THE CONTINUED PRESENCE OF HOT AND
RELATIVELY DRY AIR AT LOW LEVELS WILL MEAN THAT A FEW STORMS COULD
PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS… ESPECIALLY THIS EVENING.
PROBABILITY TABLE…
VALID THROUGH 700 AM CDT FRIDAY JUL 29.
PROBABILITY OF THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRING IN THE
NWS NORMAN COUNTY WARNING AREA…30 PERCENT.
PROBABILITY OF SEVERE STORMS IF STORMS OCCUR…10 PERCENT.
OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER…
HEAT AGAIN WILL REACH DANGEROUS LEVELS TODAY OVER THE ENTIRE AREA. A
HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY…
THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK…
THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY… MAINLY
OVER SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA. EFFECTS OF TROPICAL STORM DON… OR ITS
REMNANTS… WILL LIKELY REMAIN SOUTH OF THE AREA. BUT AN INTRUSION
OF INCREASING GULF MOISTURE TO THE NORTH OF THE SYSTEM MAY RESULT IN
AN INCREASE IN THE CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE DAYTIME AND
EVENING HOURS THROUGH SATURDAY.
OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER…
THE HEAT ADVISORY HAS BEEN EXTENDED THROUGH FRIDAY. THERE MAY BE
SOME SLIGHT RELIEF FROM THE EXTREME HEAT EARLY IN THE WEEKEND… BUT
THE LARGE DOME OF HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN
PLAINS IS FORECAST TO BUILD AND INTENSIFY AGAIN BY EARLY NEXT WEEK.
EXTREME HEAT IS THEN LIKELY TO PERSIST OR RETURN FOR AT LEAST THE
FIRST HALF OF NEXT WEEK. WILDFIRE POTENTIAL WILL ALSO REMAIN HIGH
DUE TO THE CONTINUED HOT AND DRY CONDITIONS.
13 Oklahoma Mesonet stations had highs at or above 110 degrees today, as of 5:35 p.m.
Of the 120 Oklahoma Mesonet stations, 13 had high temperatures of 110 or higher, as of 5:35 p.m. Wednesday. Alva had a high temperature of 112 degrees, according to the Oklahoma Mesonet weather network.
