Ticker for June 1, 2017

                
MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ...
June 1, 2017       June 1, 2017       June 1, 2017       June 1, 2017


A devilish month indeed


Not because of the 50 tornadoes. Not because of the 104 mph wind gust. NOT
BECAUSE OF THE GRAPEFRUIT SIZE HAIL! No, May wasn't devilish because of those
things. That's quintessential May right there. No, May was devilish because the
statewide average temperature ended up at 66.6 degrees. Yeah, freaky. But in all
seriousness, as far as Mays go, this one was very "May-ish." You can read more
about May below.

As for now, our concern is more of the flooding variety. Rain should begin today
down south and spread over the state. These will probably me slow-movers, so
some of that rain could be heavy with flooding a possibility. And then more
rain early next week could add to the wheat growers' misery.



Remember, turn around, don't drown...if a right/left turn is available, that's
okay too.

Now on to (or back to) May.

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May gets top billing as Oklahoma?s rowdiest weather month, and it certainly lived
up to that notoriety this year. At least three major severe weather outbreaks
occurred during May. These short but intense periods of disturbed weather brought
the state tornadoes, severe winds, hail to the size of grapefruits, and
widespread flooding. Data from the National Weather Service suggest as many as
50 tornadoes touched down during the month, a number that could rise as more
possible twisters are investigated.

http://www.weather.gov/oun/tornadodata-ok-2017

The state?s first tornado death since May 9, 2016, occurred with a large EF2
tornado that struck the Elk City area on May 16. The tornado, which reached
1000 yards wide at one point, was on the ground for 18 miles. The fatality
occurred as it struck a vehicle, killing the driver who was fleeing the tornado.
As many as eight businesses and 200 homes were damaged or destroyed along the
twister?s path in Beckham County. The Oklahoma Mesonet site at Walters recorded
a thunderstorm related wind gust of 104 mph on the 18th, the seventh highest
wind gust recorded by the network since its inception in 1994.




The small town then suffered a flash flood the following evening. The last
severe outbreak of the month hit the state on the 27th into the 28th with
damaging hail, severe winds and numerous tornado warnings.

According to preliminary data from the Oklahoma Mesonet, the statewide average
precipitation total was just a tad below normal at 4.66 inches. The rainfall
totals were quite variable across the state, however. Mesonet sites in the
Panhandle and a broad swath from south central into the northeast ranged from
1-4 inches above normal. Interspaced in between was an even larger area of
below normal totals, with deficits of 1-4 inches. The far southeast also came
in 2-3 inches below normal. Tishomingo led the Mesonet with 10.05 inches while
Tipton brought up the rear with an inch.





May?s totals end a climatological spring season (March-May) that saw impressive
surpluses erase equally impressive deficits. The spring statewide average was
13.78 inches, nearly 3 inches above normal to rank as the 19th wettest on
record. The northeast and Panhandle areas experienced their fifth and sixth
wettest spring on record, respectively. The totals exceeded normal by 8-10
inches across the northeast. There were small pockets of 1-4 inch deficits
across southern Oklahoma.





The January-May statewide average ended at 18.4 inches, 3.89 inches above
normal to rank as the 14th wettest such period on record.





The wet spring eradicated the last traces of drought within Oklahoma by the end
of May, per the U.S. Drought Monitor. It was the first drought-free report for
the state since June 21, 2016. Over 73 percent of the state was in drought at
the beginning of March.





The wet, stormy weather ensured Oklahoma?s first cooler than normal month since
December 2016. The statewide average temperature of 66.6 degrees fell 1.6
degrees below normal to rank as the 34th coolest May on record.




While the month itself was mild, one weekend was befitting of mid-summer.
Temperatures rose into the upper 90s and 100s from the 25th through the 27th.
Combined with a strong flow of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, the heat index
rose even higher, prompting a heat advisory for central and southern Oklahoma.
Burneyville registered a heat index of 110 degrees on the 27th. Altus and
Grandfield recorded the highest actual air temperature of 102 degrees that same
day. The lowest reading was 29 degrees at Kenton on May 1 ? also the state?s
last freeze. The first five months of the year ended at 55 degrees, the third
warmest such period on record.

The outlooks for both temperature and precipitation favor a mild, wet month to
come, with increased odds of below normal temperatures and above normal
precipitation. Accordingly, the drought outlook for June indicates drought
development is unlikely.





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