Ticker for April 15, 2008

                
MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ...
April 15, 2008     April 15, 2008     April 15, 2008     April 15, 2008



Are We Past the Point of Freeze Danger?

There have been several requests for information about the last freeze
of spring (will it happen? what's a typical date? etc.). Well, we're
really in the forecast business, but we can offer some advice on
historical probabilities. Please reference this Ticker from April 2002:

http://ticker.mesonet.org/select.php?mo=04&da=01&yr=2002

Also, please remember that overnight temps can vary dramatically by
and situation. A host of factors may influence the ultimate low
temperature, such as:

Local Terrain - low spots tend to cool more quickly and a bit more
deeply than the areas around them
Local Wind - On a very stable night, even a hint of a breeze can
generate enough mixing to keep temperatures up.
Local Tree Cover - When you're a tender tomato tot teetering on
temperatures below freezing, you'll take any
help you can get, and a tree in the immediate
vicinity can absorb and re-radiate just enough
energy to keep temperatures up. Of course, your
best bet is to ask your owner to take you inside.
Local Building Nearby - See "Local Tree Cover"


Thanks for the Opportunity

The Entire Ticker Staff had the opportunity to meet with an Oklahoma
City Garden Club today, to share some stories about Oklahoma's climate
(and people!) history. We appreciate the opportunity to share and
learn, and we appreciate the OU Speakers' Service, which makes "road
trips" possible.