Ticker for June 13, 2000

                
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June 13, 2000      June 13, 2000      June 13, 2000      June 13, 2000



"Normal" April to Become Significantly Cooler

Oklahoma's "normal" April 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 April monthly values will be
significantly cooler throughout the state of Oklahoma.  Precipitation
normals will be somewhat greater for most of western, central and
northern Oklahoma.

April temperatures during the nineties period were quite cool.  In
fact, the decade was the coolest such set of Aprils on record for the
southeast climate division, and the second or third coolest for each
of the remaining eight divisions.  The replacement of the very warm
sixties with the cool nineties means that normal temperatures for the
month of April will be significantly less than current values, from a
little more than one-half to one degree Fahrenheit throughout Oklahoma.
This is a stark contrast to the normals for the first three months of
the year, which will become significantly warmer.

The 90s period marks a continuation of a cooling trend for the month
of April.  As a rule, each decade of Aprils since the 60s has been
cooler than the last for each climate division.

April precipitation totals for the decade were above median for all
but the panhandle, south-central and southeast climate divisions, which
were near median.  The north-central division's decadal average of 3.66"
was the greatest such value of the century.  Normal precipitation values
for April will by increase about one-quarter to one-half inch at the
above-median climate divisions.  The largest increases, percentage-wise,
will occur in the north-central, west-central and central divisions.
The normals for all three of these divisions will be greater than the
current values by about 17 percent.

Related data is provided in the tables below.  The first documents
the prospective changes in "normal" April 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 Aprils of the 1991-2000 decade.

Disclaimer:  These are preliminary data for the state of Oklahoma
and the month of April 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 APRIL TEMPERATURES (F)
------ Preliminary -----
Climate                           Current            "New"    Change
Division     61-70  71-80  81-90  Normals    91-00   Normals  in Normals

Panhandle     56.5   55.8   55.6    56.0      54.4    55.3    -0.7 F
N. Central    59.2   58.3   57.8    58.4      56.7    57.6    -0.8 F
Northeast     60.2   59.7   59.1    59.7      58.1    59.0    -0.7 F

W. Central    59.6   58.4   58.0    58.6      57.3    57.9    -0.7 F
Central       61.1   60.4   59.8    60.4      58.9    59.7    -0.7 F
E. Central    61.8   60.9   60.3    61.0      59.4    60.2    -0.8 F

Southwest     62.2   61.0   60.6    61.3      59.4    60.3    -1.0 F
S. Central    63.1   61.8   61.5    62.1      60.6    61.3    -0.8 F
Southeast     62.1   61.0   61.0    61.4      59.9    60.6    -0.8 F

Statewide     60.6   59.7   59.3    59.9      58.3    59.1    -0.8 F



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

Panhandle     1.07   1.93   1.81    1.60     1.80    1.85    +0.25" (+15.6%)
N. Central    2.37   2.83   2.44    2.54     3.66    2.98    +0.44" (+17.3%)
Northeast     3.75   3.64   3.65    3.68     4.92    4.07    +0.39" (+10.6%)

W. Central    2.06   2.43   2.11    2.20     3.19    2.58    +0.38" (+17.2%)
Central       3.26   3.14   3.04    3.15     4.19    3.46    +0.31" (+17.2%)
E. Central    4.64   4.30   3.74    4.23     4.65    4.23    +0.00" (  0.0%)

Southwest     2.04   2.63   2.20    2.29     2.74    2.53    +0.24" (+10.5%)
S. Central    3.86   3.60   3.45    3.63     3.77    3.60    -0.03" (- 0.8%)
Southeast     5.15   4.49   3.84    4.49     5.08    4.47    -0.02" (- 0.4%)

Statewide     3.13   3.21   2.93    3.09     3.79    3.31    +0.22" (+ 5.8%)



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

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

Panhandle    54.4  8th   56.5-60s  52.7-10s    1.80  6th   2.11-40s  1.07-60s
N. Central   56.7  8th   59.2-60s  55.7-10s    3.66  1st  *3.60-40s  2.32-50s
Northeast    58.1  8th   60.2-60s  57.3-10s    4.92  2nd   5.31-40s  3.08-30s

W. Central   57.3  8th   59.6-60s  56.3-10s    3.19  2nd   3.23-20s  2.06-30s
Central      58.9  8th   61.1-60s  57.9-10s    4.19  3rd   4.48-40s  2.62-30s
E. Central   59.4  8th   61.8-60s  58.8-00s    4.65  5th   5.79-20s  3.52-30s

Southwest    59.4  9th   62.2-60s  58.7-10s    2.74  3rd   3.21-20s  2.00-30s
S. Central   60.6  8th   63.1-60s  60.5-10s    3.77  6th   5.03-20s  2.90-30s
Southeast    59.9 10th   62.7-40s *60.0-00s    5.08  6th   6.08-20s  3.84-80s

Statewide    58.3  8th   60.6-60s  57.6-10s    3.79  3rd   4.23-20s  2.67-30s

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