Ticker for May 3, 2000

                
MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ...
May 3, 2000        May 3, 2000        May 3, 2000        May 3, 2000

"Normal" February to Be Much Warmer Statewide

Oklahoma's "normal" February climate will be getting a makeover after
data from the 1991-2000 decade are processed.  The normal monthly
temperatures and precipitation values are based on a 30-year average,
updated every ten years.  In practice, this means that the 1991-2000
decade (the "nineties period") will be replacing the 1961-1970 ("the
sixties period") decade in the 30-year benchmark.

Preliminary data indicate that normal February monthly values will be
much warmer than currently listed throughout the state of Oklahoma.
This is largely due to the remarkably warm Februaries of the nineties
period.  Precipitation normals will remain roughly the same for most
of Oklahoma.

February temperatures in the nineties period were the warmest of the
century's ten decades by a large margin in each of Oklahoma's nine
climate divisions.  The panhandle division's mean decadal temperature
of 41.1 F was warmer by 2.4 degrees than the previous mark set in the
1921-1930 decade.

Because the very warm nineties values are replacing a relatively cool
set of Februaries from the sixties period, the result will be a
significant increase in "normal" Oklahoma February temperatures.
According to the preliminary data, each climate division will see an
increase of at least one degree Fahrenheit, and the statewide average
will increase by 1.2 F.  The northeast climate division will receive
the largest increase (1.4 F).

Precipitation totals for the decade were near median for most climate
divisions.  A notable exception is the panhandle division, whose
decadal average of 0.40" was the lowest such total of the century.
Normal precipitation values for February will not change more than
ten percent in any climate division, as the nineties period replaces
the near-median sixties period.

Related data is provided in the tables below.  The first documents
the prospective changes in "normal" February temperature values for
each of Oklahoma's climate divisions.  The second is similar, but for
precipitation.  The third provides a brief look at the apparent
historical standing of the Februaries of the 1991-2000 decade.

Disclaimer:  These are preliminary data for the state of Oklahoma
and the month of February only, and have not undergone extensive quality
control processing.  The data are not necessarily indicative of results
outside Oklahoma.  The data are not necessarily indicative of any
long-term trend in Oklahoma's climate, beyond natural interdecadal
variability.


PROSPECTIVE CHANGES IN MEAN FEBRUARY TEMPERATURES (F)
------ Preliminary -----
Climate                           Current            "New"    Change
Division     61-70  71-80  81-90  Normals    91-00   Normals  in Normals

Panhandle     37.7   37.0   37.1    37.3      41.1     38.4   +1.2 F
N. Central    39.2   37.0   38.5    38.2      42.0     39.2   +1.0 F
Northeast     39.5   38.0   39.8    39.1      43.6     40.5   +1.4 F

W. Central    39.8   38.7   39.9    39.4      43.2     40.6   +1.1 F
Central       40.9   39.9   41.1    40.6      44.8     41.9   +1.3 F
E. Central    41.8   41.0   42.1    41.6      45.7     42.9   +1.3 F

Southwest     42.0   41.5   42.4    42.0      45.3     43.1   +1.1 F
S. Central    43.6   43.0   43.9    43.5      47.5     44.8   +1.3 F
Southeast     43.1   42.7   44.4    43.4      47.1     44.7   +1.3 F

Statewide     40.8   39.8   40.9    40.5      44.4     41.7   +1.2 F



PROSPECTIVE CHANGES IN MEAN FEBRUARY PRECIPITATION (in)
---------- Preliminary ---------
Climate                           Current           "New"    Change
Division     61-70  71-80  81-90  Normals   91-00   Normals  in Normals

Panhandle     0.60   0.53   0.93    0.69     0.40     0.62   -0.07 in (-9.7%)
N. Central    0.75   1.09   1.67    1.17     0.98     1.25   +0.08 in (+6.6%)
Northeast     1.31   1.74   2.67    1.91     1.76     2.06   +0.15 in (+7.9%)

W. Central    0.89   1.00   1.48    1.12     0.91     1.13   +0.01 in (+0.6%)
Central       1.14   1.46   2.49    1.70     1.51     1.82   +0.12 in (+7.3%)
E. Central    2.00   2.09   3.37    2.49     2.04     2.50   +0.01 in (+0.5%)

Southwest     1.10   1.07   1.72    1.30     1.32     1.37   +0.07 in (+5.7%)
S. Central    1.67   1.77   2.97    2.14     1.86     2.20   +0.06 in (+3.0%)
Southeast     3.18   2.54   4.06    3.26     2.86     3.15   -0.11 in (-3.3%)

Statewide     1.37   1.47   2.37    1.74     1.50     1.78   +0.04 in (+2.3%)


1991-2000'S APPARENT STADING AMONG THE MOST RECENT TEN DECADES

MEAN FEBRUARY TEMPERATURE (F)      MEAN FEBRUARY PRECIP (in)
Climate      1991- Rank                        1991- Rank
Division     2000  of 10  Warmest  Coolest     2000  of 10 Wettest   Driest

Panhandle    41.1  1st  *38.7-20s  34.6-00s    0.40 10th   1.16-10s *0.50-20s
N. Central   42.0  1st  *40.4-20s  34.7-00s    0.98  8th   1.67-80s  0.75-60s
Northeast    43.6  1st  *41.4-20s  36.0-00s    1.76  5th   2.67-80s  1.31-50s

W. Central   43.2  1st  *41.7-20s  36.5-00s    0.91  6th   1.48-80s  0.71-20s
Central      44.8  1st  *42.7-20s  37.5-00s    1.51  5th   2.49-80s  0.96-00s
E. Central   45.7  1st  *44.0-20s  38.8-00s    2.04  6th   3.37-80s  1.75-20s

Southwest    45.3  1st  *44.0-20s  39.3-00s    1.32  3rd   1.72-80s  0.72-00s
S. Central   47.3  1st  *46.1-20s  41.2-00s    1.86  4th   2.97-80s  1.29-00s
Southeast    47.1  1st  *46.4-20s  41.5-00s    2.86  8th   4.39-40s  2.41-10s

Statewide    44.4  1st  *42.7-20s  37.7-00s    1.50  6th   2.36-80s  1.26-00s

KEY: 1st = warmest or wettest _ of ten decades starting with 1901-1910
10th = coolest or driest                 and ending with 1991-2000

"50s" indicates 1951-1960 decade, etc.
* - previous record