MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... July 21, 2023 July 21, 2023 July 21, 2023 July 21, 2023
System of a rain
https://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20230721/current-radar.png
Just a quick Tick today so we can Tock about that big blob of thunderstorms that moved across the northern third of the state last night, bringing gobs of rain and also some severe weather. It's what we call a Mesoscale Convective System, which is, unscientifically speaking, an organized glob of thunderstorms. These often form at night in the High Plains and then travel to the east (or wherever the prevailing winds take them). The rain pattern, as well as the wind gusts overnight, tell us its footprint.
https://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20230721/rainrfc.12hr.png
https://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20230721/today.gust.gif
The blob might also be a specialized MCS called a "Mesoscale Convective Complex." It has to be a certain size and lasted for a specific duration, but I'm not going to try and diagnose that this morning. Sure looks like one with its round shape and track across Oklahoma. That could also describe me as I drive around the state, but I assure you I am neither Mesoscale nor Convective!
However, it does look like it has an even more specialized feature called a "Mesoscale Convective Vortex." It is definitely rotating around a center point that you can see if you look at a radar loop.
https://www.mesonet.org/weather/radar?ref=1208
If the MCV can sustain itself, even if the thunderstorms around it fizzle, it could generate more thunderstorms later. Sometimes these things can even form into tropical storms and hurricanes when they move over water, but I think we're safe as it moves over Grand Lake.
Enjoy the temperatures this weekend, especially today's 70s and 80s, because summer roars back next week...and possibly beyond! Today's 70s up in far NW OK might even set records for lowest maximum temperatures for July 21.
https://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20230721/todays-forecast-highs.png
https://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20230721/july21-record.low-tmax.png
https://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20230721/July26-30-outlooks.png
Gary McManus State Climatologist Oklahoma Mesonet Oklahoma Climatological Survey gmcmanus@mesonet.org
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