Ticker for October 30, 2019

                
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October 30, 2019   October 30, 2019   October 30, 2019   October 30, 2019


Octcember




Octanuary? Febtober? Just plain old January? October has jumped the rails and is
on a collision course with ridiculous. Never mind that RIGHT NOW it's colder than
a metal ladder on New Year's Eve (I just randomly made that up, sorry {much like
everything else I write, sorry} [you can probably tell, sorry]}).



And we're looking at everything from snow to freezing rain to just a plain old
cold rain.



But we're also looking at possibly the coldest October 30 afternoon in history
for some parts of the state. Only southeast Oklahoma is somewhat safe from this
dubious achievement.





AND the worst of all these wintry indignities, frozen milk duds for tomorrow's
trick-or-treaters.



You see lots of 1993's on that Oct. 30 historical low Tmax map above, and a few
1991's as well...historically, the coldest Halloweens on record; but for
different reasons. Statistically speaking, looking at the statewide averaged
average temperature (basically all the lows and highs for the day averaged
together), 1993 comes up as coldest:

-***-
Halloween       Statewide Avg. T
1993                 31.9F
1991                 34.4F
1949                 42.1F
1941                 42.5F
2002                 42.6F
1967                 44.0F
2017                 44.0F
-****-

I managed to sneak 2017 in there, tied for 6th coldest Halloween on record,
because I remember it to have been REALLY cold. So if you remember that one,
imagine how cold the 1991 and 1993 versions were at 10+ degrees colder!

Lies, damn lies, and statistics. I will maintain from my vantage point as the
state of Oklahoma's chief climatological blowhard that 1991 gets the mantle as
coldest Halloween ever, over 1993. Let me 'splain.

Much like this year's Halloween is shaping up to be, 1993 had  a very frigid
start. This is pre-Mesonet, so we're talking NWS COOPerative observer data. But
we don't go trick-or-treating in the morning, do we? Sure, we get out and
about just like every day, going to work or school. But later that evening is
when we see masses of roaming ghouls and goblins (and their kids) going house
to house begging for free food. Now look at the highs. They aren't great, but
they're not too bad. Some 30s and 40s, even some 50s.



Now let's check out Halloween 1991's highs and lows. The low temperatures are
comparable, with some teens, 20s and 30s...1993 is a bit colder, nevertheless.
But the highs are where 1991 wins the day, or loses, depending on how you look
at it. Mainly 20s and 30s.



And let's not forget -- again, much like this year -- there was snow leading
up to and on the day of Halloween.



So with highs forecast to get up into the 40s tomorrow, I think we're looking
at ONE of the coldest Halloweens on record, but maybe not quite 1991.



Cold is cold though, and then there's the wind added in...

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