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| . . . Day by Day . . . | . . . April 19 in Mesonet History* . . . | ||||||||||||
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MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... April 18, 2024 April 18, 2024 April 18, 2024 April 18, 2024 Fastest hazard alive https://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20240418/20240416_ok_trd.png I don't know if you've noticed this, but we're going the wrong way on our precipitation. No, it's not falling up, but not much is falling DOWN either. Wait, it is falling up, because with our increased temperatures and plants coming alive (at least the ones that have gotten a good enough drink), that moisture is being sucked from the ground and put back in the atmosphere. We can choose just about any time frame over the last 4 months, but the last 60 days is pretty indicative (English to Okie translation: shows) of just how dry we've gotten. https://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20240418/60day-rain-totals.png https://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20240418/del60day_rain.current.png https://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20240418/pct60day_rain.current.png https://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20240418/60day-rain-stats.png I'm calling it a flash drought. That's probably arguable, but we have seen intensification by more than 2 levels over the last 4 weeks on the U.S. Drought monitor, and with our nearly 3 months of above normal temperatures has sped things along. Some folks call it a drought. I call it a flash drought. Mmmm-hmmmm. https://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20240418/4week-change-DM.png Notice how warm it's been since the beginning of February? https://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20240418/statewide-avg-highs.png If'n you wanted to see if we've been more above normal in temps vs. below normal, you could go all A = limx→∞∑ni=1f(x). δx. Or, instead of finding yourself in a Calculus-induced stupor, just guesstimate. Right, vastly more above normal temps. And much above normal temperatures go hand in hand with below normal precipitation to feed drought. Like Laurel and Hardy, Hope and Crosby, Laverne and Shirley, Riggs and Murtaugh, Kirk and Spock, Spongebob and Patrick, Rick and Morty...well, you get the idea. Cherry Pop-Tarts and milk. Strawberry Pop-Tarts and trash. Okay, stop! In fact, I'd say this is the FOURTH flash drought that has fueled the overall drought from 2021-2024. Another arguable point...I don't believe we ended the drought and began a new one. I think we are still in the same drought episode we started back in August 2021. I also think chili is better with beans in it, so take everything I say with a grain of salt. And crackers! https://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20240418/21-24.drought.png There you can see flash drought #1 that really got this drought going occurred in December 2021 (remember...10 degrees above normal for the month, hottest December on record by more than 5 degrees, lots and lots of wind?). Some good relief then flash drought #2 can be traced back to June 10, 2022 (to the day!) when the rains shut off and we entered our hottest summer since 2011. Then peak drought in October 2022, then more relief. THEN flash drought #3 can be traced back to July 21, 2023 (to the day!) when the rains shut off and we entered the half-summer from hell (remember the Mesonet-record heat index of 127 degrees at Jay on Aug. 21?). Then, more relief until our current flash drought event is taking us back up to more intense drought once again. The question is...where do we go from here? Do we go back to the previous 3 spikes of more intense drought, or do we level off or go back down? All this talk of summer, that's all about to change with our cold front we have moving through the state as we Tick. Now you can Tock about like cold weather all you want, but are ya going to enjoy the 30-50 mph winds that go along with it? And the wind chills? It will warm up with the sun, at least, but it feels downright wintry in the far western edges of OK behind the front. https://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20240418/current-wind-chills.png https://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20240418/current-gusts.png https://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20240418/ndfd_24hgust.us_state_ok.png We're going backwards on the calendar, from June yesterday to early March the next several days. https://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20240418/friday-highs.png https://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20240418/saturday-highs.png https://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20240418/sunday-highs.png We need rain though! And unfortunately, as I said yesterday, it's not gonna fall where we need it the most. https://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20240418/3day-rain-forecast.gif Fear not (or fear...that'll work too)...our early summer temps and more rain chances will come back next week into the end of the month, it appears. At least the odds are stacked that way. https://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20240418/apr25-may1-outlooks.png Bert and Ernie! Okay, I'm done. Gary McManus State Climatologist Oklahoma Mesonet Oklahoma Climatological Survey gmcmanus@mesonet.org
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