MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... May 6, 2014 May 6, 2014 May 6, 2014 May 6, 2014
Okay, now she's just messing with us!
http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20140506/surrender.png
Oh, we'll get to the weather in a minute, but seriously ... an earthquake "warning?" What the heck am I supposed to do with that? You have probably heard this already, but the USGS and Oklahoma Geological Survey came out yesterday with a joint statement/warning saying the chances of a damaging magnitude 5.5 quake is more likely across central Oklahoma thanks to the swarm of earthquakes we've had the last few months and years. Here is the statement on the USGS website so you can read the news for yourself.
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/ceus/products/newsrelease_05022014.php
This is my favorite quote on the matter, from Robert Williams, a research geophysicist with USGS, and it proves everybody is a meteorologist at heart.
"We don't know if this earthquake rate is going to continue," Williams said. "It could go to a higher rate or lower, so the increased chances of a damaging quake could change in the future."
That about sums up what I know about earthquakes as well. Whole lotta shaking going on.
Like I said in the title, now Mother Nature is just messing with us. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Weather? Well, what more needs to be said. We have record temperatures (see if your area broke their record)
http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20140506/yesterday-highs.png http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20140506/yesterday-records.png
http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20140506/todays-forecast-highs.png http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20140506/todays-record-highs.png
extremely low relative humidity values (these will go down dramatically across the state as the air warms up and the wind kicks up)
http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20140506/current-RH.png
and strong winds (again, these will increase dramatically throughout the day)
http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20140506/current.gustarrows.gif http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20140506/today.gust.gif http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20140506/yesterday.gust.gif
creating critical fire danger hazards for the next few days, especially today. I'll let the NWS offices do the talking for a bit now.
http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20140506/nws-amarillo.jpg http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20140506/nws-norman1.jpg http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20140506/nws-norman2.jpg http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20140506/nws-norman3.jpg http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20140506/nws-tulsa.png
Things are bad enough that half the High Plains and points east are under a Red Flag Fire Warning (hint: look for the red...glad to help).
http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20140506/nws-advisory-map.png
A Red Flag Warning is rather complicated, so let me explain it to you:
DON'T BURN ANYTHING, DON'T THROW CIGARETTE BUTTS OUT THE WINDOW, DON'T DRAG A CHAIN BEHIND YOUR CAR!
In fact, don't even breathe or blink your eyeballs. The friction from either could start a fire. Just sit motionless somewhere in an asbestos suit. Again, glad to help.
And last but certainly not least, to put the kibosh on ANYBODY trying to burn anything today, the Governor not only issued a burn ban across much of the state
http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20140506/burn-ban-map.jpg
she also declared a state of emergency over the entire state due to the recent wildfire activity
http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20140506/state-of-emergency.pdf
The burn ban is pretty simple: see Red Flag Warning rules above.
Okay, now onto some better news. It does look like it will rain somewhere in the state over the next few days. There will be a chance for storms and severe weather, but more importantly, moisture.
http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20140506/3day-rain-forecast.gif
I hope that can shift to the west. I really do, because that is not good for western Oklahoma. But it's great for the eastern half or two-thirds of the state. At least it will allow for a bit more green-up and tamp down on that fire danger a little bit. Extend that out a few days and there will be additional rain chances, supposedly. We always see some darker greens out west on these 7-day forecasts. They don't ever occur, but they're nice to look at.
http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20140506/7day-rainfall-forecast.gif
So there you have it. Don't burn anything or I'll sic Tom Joad on ya. As for your friendly neighborhood State Climatologist, I'll be coming to you from Cimarron County for the next two days chasing drought and Dust Bowl memories with a reporter. You're welcome to join us ... here's the forecast.
http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20140506/boise-city-forecast.png
Dust Bowl indeed!
Gary McManus State Climatologist Oklahoma Mesonet Oklahoma Climatological Survey (405) 325-2253 gmcmanus@mesonet.org
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