Ticker for March 7, 2012

                
MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ...
March 7, 2012      March 7, 2012      March 7, 2012      March 7, 2012


Record-setting start to the day

The strong southerly winds helped keep the state warm overnight, with low
temperatures this morning staying near or above record levels (on the warm side).
Lows from the Oklahoma Meosnet remained in the 50s and 60s for all but the
Panhandle.



Now compare that to the record warm minimum temperatures for this date from the
NWS' COOPerative observing network.



The low temperatures in all areas but the far western Panhandle were near or
above those record levels. These records date back as far as the 1880s, although
a check of the map shows that March 7, 1974, was a warm morning across the state
as well.

Oklahoma City might have tied their record low of 61 degrees for the day, set
back in 1974 and tied later in 2009. Tulsa's record warm minimum temperature is
way up there at 66 degrees, so no luck on that mark. All the possible records
are contingent on the temperature not dropping even lower after this evening.

The latest rainfall estimates through Monday morning, from the HPC. A little
more pessimistic than yesterday, but it's the first week of March. We will
undoubtedly have plenty more storm systems to siphon some moisture out of.



Of course, by the time you read this the forecast may have changed already.

Gary McManus
Associate State Climatologist
Oklahoma Climatological Survey
(405) 325-2253
gmcmanus@mesonet.org