Ticker for November 11, 2004

                
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November 11, 1911: A Palindrome to Remember

Today's Ticker is borrowed in toto from a recent article written by
OCS climatologist Gary McManus. If you receive the Ticker by e-mail,
notice that today's statewide record highs were set in 1911, and still
stand, 93 years later.

Oklahomans have grown accustomed to the fickle weather of the Great
Plains, particularly during the transitional months of spring and
fall. Many state residents have left the house dressed for a
pleasantly warm autumn day, only to be caught unawares by the icy
chill of an arctic blast. With experience comes wisdom, however,
and Oklahomans have learned to keep a trained eye on the weather
forecasts.

Imagine the surprise of the state's burgeoning population on
November 11, 1911, when weather forecasts were mostly limited
to observations passed down the telegraph line, as they witnessed
one of the most abrupt temperature swings in the state's 97-year
history. On that afternoon, Oklahoma City reached a record high
temperature of 83 degrees. Soon thereafter, a "norther" barreled
through the state, dropping temperatures 50-65 degrees in the span
of a few hours. By midnight, the temperature at Oklahoma City had
plunged to a frigid 17 degrees, the record low for that same date.
Both records still stand, marking November 11th, 1911, as the only
date in state history in which the record high and low temperatures
were broken on the same day for a single location.

National Weather Service forecasts indicate the milestones will be
safe for yet another year. The high temperature for Oklahoma City
on the 11th should hover near 50 degrees, and the low is expected
to remain in the 30s.