MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... June 29, 2023 June 29, 2023 June 29, 2023 June 29, 2023
The heat continues
https://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20230629/heat-alert.png
Yeah, that looks pretty bad, right? But here's the deal...it probably won't be as bad as yesterday, and tomorrow will be even a little bit cooler. So we're on the downhill slide (and we all know just how painful that can be) until we really cool off over the weekend and through much of next week. Not exactly cool (that was my nickname in college, by the way), but seasonable at worst.
https://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20230629/nws-norman-7day-temps.png
But speaking of yesterday, when all our troubles seemed so close, check out that heat index of 120 at Ringling! And the widespread 110+ values! And the actual air temps weren't too much better.
https://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20230629/yesterdays-max-heat.index.png
https://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20230629/yesterdays-max-temps.png
Yikes, 113 degrees at Altus?!? That's the highest temperature we've seen in the state since July 19 of last year when Mangum hit 115 and several other sites reached 114. So it could always be worse (that was my nickname in high school... I was quite popular!).
Speaking of worse, drought is sort of a mixed bag of that AND better. We're down to about 36% of the state in drought, which is our lowest level ("lowest level" was my nickname in elementary school!) since July 5 of last year. But it is sort of an Even Stevens deal where we see big improvements in the NW half of the state but worsening in the SE half. Check out the changes over the last month and you can see how we've flip-flopped the experiences in the two halves.
https://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20230629/20230627_ok_trd.png
https://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20230629/1month-DM-change.png
Now the good news is that our rain chances should start to go up over the weekend into early next week. We're not talking massive amounts here, but at least it's moisture. AND it comes with cloudiness, which helps keep us from sweltering in the July sun.
https://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20230629/5day-rain-forecast.gif
Nothing wrong with a good swelter, but best taken in moderation.
Gary McManus State Climatologist Oklahoma Mesonet Oklahoma Climatological Survey gmcmanus@mesonet.org
==================================================
The OCS/Mesonet Ticker
https://ticker.mesonet.org/
To subscribe or unsubscribe from the Ticker
or for questions about the Ticker or its content
Phone or Email the Ticker Manager at OCS
Phone: 405-325-2253 Email: ticker@mesonet.org
---------------------------------------------------
-C- Copyright 2024 Oklahoma Climatological Survey
===================================================
|