Ticker for November 7, 2000

                
MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ...
November 7, 2000   November 7, 2000   November 7, 2000   November 7, 2000


This week's Tickers will focus on the upcoming changes in Oklahoma's
"normal" monthly values.  The normal values are updated once every ten
years, based on the most recent decade's data (a climatologist's decade
begins with the "1" year and end with the "0" year).  This week we will
present the changes in the May, June, July and August normals.


"Normal" May to Be Wetter, Slightly Cooler Across Majority of State

Oklahoma's "normal" May 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 May monthly values will be very
slightly cooler throughout most of the state to near zero change in the
southeast.  Precipitation normals will be significantly greater for
most of northern Oklahoma to near zero change in the southeast.

Compared to the rest of the century, May months during the nineties
period were quite warm throughout the state.  However, due to the
record warmth during the Mays of the sixties period, the normal
temperatures will actually be slightly cooler than those of the last
ten years.  In other words, a very warm decade was replaced by a warm
decade in the calculations, resulting in a slight drop in normal
temperatures.

Normal May precipitation values will increase, again largely due
to conditions of May months during the sixties period.  While May
precipitation during the the nineties period wasn't extraordinary when
compared to the rest of the century, they are replacing the very dry
sixties period.  This means that the normals will be returning from
slightly depressed values to values more representative of the entire
century.

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

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

Panhandle     66.3   63.7   64.2    64.7      65.5     64.4   -0.3 F
N. Central    68.9   66.6   67.2    67.6      67.7     67.2   -0.4 F
Northeast     68.1   66.9   67.4    67.4      67.7     67.3   -0.1 F

W. Central    68.6   66.7   67.1    67.5      67.9     67.2   -0.3 F
Central       69.0   68.2   68.6    68.6      68.8     68.5   -0.1 F
E. Central    69.3   68.1   68.3    68.6      68.7     68.4   -0.2 F

Southwest     70.5   69.2   69.6    69.8      69.9     69.6   -0.2 F
S. Central    70.3   69.5   69.6    69.8      70.1     69.7   -0.1 F
Southeast     69.4   68.4   68.7    68.8      69.3     68.8    0.0 F

Statewide     68.9   67.5   67.8    68.1      68.4     67.9   -0.2 F


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

Panhandle     2.41   3.98   3.27    3.22     2.79     3.35   +0.13 (+4.0%)
N. Central    3.09   4.85   4.79    4.24     4.56     4.73   +0.49 (+11.6%)
Northeast     3.90   4.94   5.64    4.82     5.70     5.42   +0.60 (+12.4%)

W. Central    3.07   5.77   4.54    4.46     4.14     4.82   +0.36 (+8.1%)
Central       4.06   5.77   5.74    5.19     4.97     5.49   +0.30 (+5.8%)
E. Central    5.05   4.97   6.97    5.66     5.48     5.81   +0.15 (+2.7%)

Southwest     3.42   5.44   4.94    4.60     4.26     4.88   +0.28 (+6.1%)
S. Central    4.47   5.13   6.36    5.32     4.92     5.47   +0.15 (+2.8%)
Southeast     5.61   5.61   7.83    6.35     5.59     6.34   -0.01 (-0.2%)

Statewide     3.88   5.15   5.54    4.86     4.72     5.14   +0.28 (+5.8%)


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

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

Panhandle    65.5  2nd   66.3-60s  63.2-00s    2.79  7th   3.98-70s  2.41-60s
N. Central   67.7 t3rd   68.9-60s  66.1-00s    4.56  5th   5.40-00s  3.09-60s
Northeast    67.7  3rd   68.1-50s  66.3-00s    5.70  4th   6.61-40s  3.90-60s

W. Central   67.9 t2nd   68.6-60s  66.3-00s    4.14  6th   5.77-70s  3.07-60s
Central      68.8  2nd   69.0-60s  67.4-00s    4.97  6th   6.74-00s  3.50-30s
E. Central   68.7 t3rd   69.3-60s  68.5-00s    5.48  5th   7.32-00s  4.36-10s

Southwest    69.9 t2nd   70.5-60s  68.5-00s    4.26  6th   6.03-50s  3.42-60s
S. Central   70.1  3rd   70.4-50s  68.8-00s    4.92  8th   7.23-00s  4.47-60s
Southeast    69.3 t4th   70.0-50s  68.2-00s    5.59  8th   7.83-80s  4.80-10s

Statewide    68.4  3rd   68.9-60s  66.9-00s    4.72  5th   6.17-00s  3.88-60s

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