Ticker for November 1, 2017

                
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November 1, 2017   November 1, 2017   November 1, 2017   November 1, 2017


Trick our drought


October was wild and woolly, right up until the end with 37,438 trick-or-treaters
freezing their hind ends off. And those of us that escorted them will curse last
night's weather forevermore (still not as bad as 1991, though). As we look back
on October, our gaze is once again drawn away from the cold weather and towards
the tornadoes and severe weather that struck the state on the 21st. How many times
can you write a press release in Oklahoma and discuss how a Beach Boys concert
was struck by a tornado? But we really did see it all last month, from flurries
to sweltering temps, tornadoes and large hail to just plain nice days. It's all
in the summary below. The moose out front should have told ya. Scroll down for
more on October.

Coming up, however, watch for more roller coaster temperatures as we once again
lay at the mercy of marauding cold fronts. A warm up today and tomorrow with
another front coming this weekend, followed by ANOTHER warm up. Heck, Sunday
(can I say those two words together??) looks downright summery!



Don't expect too much rain, but there could be a few strong storms on Friday.




The carnival ride that is Oklahoma weather continues! Now, let's look back at
October.
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Tornadoes Highlight October Weather
Nov. 1, 2017

October?s weather was highly variable, and a bit too exciting at times as is
usually the case during this transition period from summer to winter.
Temperatures ranged from the teens to the 90s and rainfall totals fluctuated
from double-digits to less than a quarter-inch. Flurries in the Panhandle as
early as Oct. 11 brought the state its first snow of the season, although the
sleds remained stored in the attic. The last of several cold fronts during the
month provided trick-or-treaters with a chilly and sometimes damp search for
candy. Severe weather seemed to get the most emphatic exclamation point of the
month, however. Turbulent weather on the 21st brought severe winds, large hail
and at least five tornadoes according to preliminary numbers from the National
Weather Service.



Twisters are not particularly uncommon during October. From 1950 through 2016,
it had the fifth highest tornado count of any month with 130, and stands as the
most active fall month. It is more uncommon to have a tornado strike a venue
where The Beach Boys are performing, however. An EF1 tornado touched down on
the east side of Newcastle and moved along State Highway 9 into the Norman
area, striking the site of the concert at the Riverwind Casino. Minor damage
was reported at the facility, and no injuries were noted. Another EF1 tornado
moved through the northwest outskirts of Seminole, damaging homes and
businesses. An additional three tornadoes were being investigated in southwest
Oklahoma. The preliminary count for the year rose to 81 tornadoes, well above
the 1950-2016 annual average of 56.

According to preliminary data from the Oklahoma Mesonet, the statewide average
precipitation total finished at 3.43 inches, 0.11 inches below normal to rank
as the 42nd wettest October since records began in 1895.





Pawnee led the Mesonet with 10.95 inches for the month, more than 7 inches
above normal. That surrounding area in the northeast saw widespread totals of
6-9 inches. Kenton measured a measly 0.16 inches, more than an inch below
normal for that portion of the state. Twenty-nine of the Mesonet?s 120 stations
recorded at least 5 inches of rain, and another 20 had at least 4 inches.
Deficits of 1-3 inches were evident across northwestern and southern Oklahoma.
The year was still on pace to finish significantly wet with a statewide average
of 37.09 inches, 5.16 inches above normal to rank as the 12th wettest January-
October since 1895.





Temperatures went on a roller coaster ride during October with wild swings
between storm systems and fronts. Those extreme temperature variations were
epitomized on Oct. 9 during the passage of a strong cold front. At one point
that afternoon, the wind chill was 29 degrees in Boise City and the heat index
was 97 degrees in Durant.



The Mesonet?s actual air temperatures during October ranged from 94 degrees at
Idabel and Valliant to 18 degrees at Buffalo on the 28th. The season?s first
freeze occurred on Oct. 10 in the far northwest. Most of the state had
experienced a hard freeze (at or below 28 degrees) by the end of the month.



The statewide average for October finished 0.7 degrees above normal at 61.6
degrees, although that ranked as the 57th coolest on record.




The year remained on the warm side with a January-October statewide average of
64.7 degrees, 1.6 degrees above normal and the 18th warmest such period on
record.

The Climate Prediction Center (CPC) issued a La Ni?a watch during September,
placing odds of its occurrence during the winter at 70 percent.



That phenomenon, signified by cooler than normal equatorial waters off the
western coast of South America, tends to bring the Southern Plains warmer,
dryer winters.



Given that possibility, CPC?s outlooks for November began to reflect those
impacts. The November temperature outlook indicated increased odds for above
normal temperatures across the entire state. The precipitation outlook was for
increased odds of below normal precipitation across all but the far
northeastern corner.




Drought, which had decreased to a mere 3 percent of the state during October,
was expected to persist in those areas but no further development was expected
through November.




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