Ticker for May 3, 2001

                
MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ...
May 3, 2001        May 3, 2001        May 3, 2001        May 3, 2001


Anniversary

Today marks the second anniversary of the May 3rd, 1999 tornado
outbreak.  On that day dozens of lives were lost and many more saved.
Thanks again to the forecasters, media and emergency management
officials (many of whom used the Mesonet's OK-FIRST system) who
helped keep the magnitude of disaster in check that day.


Heavy Rainfall over Western Oklahoma

On the heels of yesterday's dry Ticker, a little bit of relief fell
onto western Oklahoma and parts of Oklahoma's winter wheat belt.

The rainfall continues this afternoon.  Here are some 24-hour
Mesonet rainfall totals, as of 2:30 pm:

Erick        1.52"    Mangum       0.60"    Camargo      0.34"
Retrop       0.88"    Hinton       0.54"    Alva         0.32"
Weatherford  0.84"    Lahoma       0.54"    Kingfisher   0.31"
Butler       0.81"    Seiling      0.42"    May Ranch    0.31"
Bessie       0.69"    Hooker       0.41"    Watonga      0.30"
Hollis       0.65"    Putnam       0.39"    Cheyenne     0.30"


A Fun Introduction to a New Product

Based on a suggestion from a Mesonet subscriber, we will be releasing
a 24-hour dew point change map very soon.  It will be updated every
15 minutes, just like the 24-hour temperature change map.  Here's
a neat example from yesterday afternoon:




Notice the disparate trends in the panhandle.  In 24 hours, the
temperature at Kenton dropped 34 F, but the dew point increased by 23 F!
You don't often observe 23 F dew point increases behind a cold front,
but that was the case when Wednesday's front followed a very hot and
dry Tuesday afternoon.  Here's Kenton's meteogram from the period:




Speaking of that Front ...

Today's Medford meteogram shows the passage and retreat and passage and
retreat and passage and retreat of that cold front!