Ticker for June 3, 2011

                
MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ...
June 3, 2011       June 3, 2011       June 3, 2011       June 3, 2011


(E)F-5 tornadoes in the U.S. since 1950

I've had a few questions about how many F-5 (pre-2007) and EF-5 tornadoes have
occurred this year, and how many in the U.S. over the years. The fine folks
across the hall at NOAA's Storm Prediction Center (SPC) have a great page with
that information. The data dates back to 1950 when the most accurate statistics
began.

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/f5torns.html

With the announcement of a couple of days ago placing the Binger-to-Guthrie
tornado in EF-5 territory, that raises the total number of category-5 tornadoes
in the U.S. since 1950 to 57. Oklahoma has had six of those, or about 11% of
the total.



Notice that there have been five this year across the southern half of the
country on three separate days. This is compared to the April 3, 1974 super-
outbreak in which seven F-5 monsters touched down in the South and Midwest.

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We're still looking at possible drought improvement over the next three months
with the La Nina pattern fading away, and the expectations of a more normal
rainfall pattern, according to yesterday's U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook.



Remember, drought improvement does not mean drought eradication, necessarily,
but at the least some improvement of impacts. Here's hoping Mother Nature makes
it so.

Gary McManus
Associate State Climatologist
Oklahoma Climatological Survey
(405) 325-2253