Ticker for November 24, 2004

                
MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ...
November 24, 2004  November 24, 2004  November 24, 2004  November 24, 2004



November 2004 Might Finish as Gloomiest in Mesonet History

The Sun existed mostly as a rumor this month, but the eastward exit
of a storm system re-introduced the Sun's work to an increasing
fraction of the state today. And, as a soggy state squints skyward,
it looks like this month might go down as the gloomiest in Mesonet
history, at least according to our solar radiation measurements.

When comparing the sunniness, for lack of a better term, of a period
in time, we'll use a percentage that represents the ratio of realized
sunlight versus the amount we'd receive if there were no atmosphere.
There are a few caveats, of course, and those are detailed in the
October 23, 2002 edition of the Ticker:

http://ticker.mesonet.org/select.php?mo=10&da=23&yr=2002

Suffice it to say that - for most months, anyway - Oklahoma realizes
about 45 to 55 percent of the sunlight thrown at us by our bright
friend at the center of the solar system. The ten sunniest and least
sunny months in the Mesonet's 11-year history are listed below.


The Ten "Gloomiest" Months   The Ten Sunniest Months

Month      Percent of        Month      Percent of
and Year   Realized SRAD     and Year   Realized SRAD

Oct 2002   38.3              Aug 2000   66.4
Jan 1998   40.4              Nov 1999   64.9
Feb 2001   41.4              Sep 2000   64.7
Nov 2003   42.0              Jul 1999   63.9
Nov 1996   42.9              Jul 2001   63.2
Dec 1997   43.0              Aug 1999   63.1
Feb 2003   43.2              Jul 2003   63.0
Nov 1994   43.7              Jul 1998   62.4
Nov 1998   43.8              Jun 2001   62.2
Feb 1997   43.9              Nov 1995   61.8


So far, November 2004 is running at about 32.8 percent, which would
not only set a new low, but would do so decisively! Here's a statewide
peek at this month's gloominess:


Here's August 2000, by comparison:



If you think general gloominess is typical of November, you're right,
sort of. Four of the gloomiest months listed above are Novembers.
But there's a brighter side to November, and we know because we've
seen it (but not often). Two of the sunniest months are also
Novembers!

No other month on the calendar made each list once, much less twice.