Ticker for March 29, 2001

                
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March 29, 2001     March 29, 2001     March 29, 2001     March 29, 2001


February 2001: 4th Wettest on Record

The February rainfall total of 3.99" was the 4th greatest on record,
a list that spans 110 years back to, and including, 1892.  Seven of
Oklahoma's nine climate divisions observed more than twice the usual
February rainfall.



The Dec-Jan-Feb winter total of 8.20" was the 6th wettest such period
on record.  The Year-to-date (through Feb 28) total of 6.25" is more
than twice the normal value of 2.99".  That puts 2001 in 5th place in
the wettest Jan-Feb category.

A wet February is a trend of recent years.  Six of Oklahoma's twelve
wettest Februaries (is that a word?) have occurred since 1985:

1. 1938: 4.66"      5. 1990: 3.91"      9. 1945:    3.50"
2. 1997: 4.10"      6. 1915: 3.77"     10. 1911:    3.46"
3. 1903: 4.08"      7. 1987: 3.71"     11. 1951:    3.16"
4. 2001: 3.99"      8. 1985: 3.64"     12. 1993/48: 2.95"

Tomorrow's Ticker will detail the upcoming changes in Oklahoma's
normal monthly values.  Some of the changes are quite large!