Ticker for March 24, 2021

                
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March 24, 2021     March 24, 2021     March 24, 2021     March 24, 2021


Oh snow!




OH SNOW YOU DIDUNT! I wasn't sure how to spell "did unt," since it's not a world
and all, but I gave it my best shot. And Mother Nature is giving Oklahoma her best
shot again, with snow expected in the western half of the Panhandle, whilst
southern Oklahoma gets a round of severe weather. So expect hazardous driving due
to snow in the Panhandle, and due to severe weather down south. And while this
should be considered a low-end severe weather event by Oklahoma standards, it
should still be watched closely, so stay weather aware.











A good snow (oxymoron?? WHO YOU CALLING AN OXYMORON!) this late in March is
certainly not rare, at least for that part of the state. Boise City averages
7 inches of snow in March, and over 2 inches in April. Heck, they average more
snow in March (7.3 inches) than they do in February (3.7 inches)! Oklahoma has
had its share of snow, as you well know...unless you just moved here. Not sure
which is better, just missing out on a lot of snow, or the trip into an Oklahoma
spring severe weather season. At any rate, check out this seasonal snowfall
map. Parts of Oklahoma still remain ahead of even much of North Dakota, and parts
of South Dakota.



Arnett leads the official totals for the state at 42.3 inches, but Gate just to
their north is right behind at 39.6 inches. In Central Oklahoma, Kingfisher
reported 27 inches, and Piedmont is close with 26.4 inches.

Watch out for a freeze in the northwest for the next few days, but the weekend
looks to bounce back with some pretty nice spring-ish weather.





For those worried about another freeze in other parts of the state, probably
a bit early to feel comfortable (unless you put on a coat...something plants
aren't able to do). From the established 1981-2010 normals, about another week
or two before we get by that average last spring freeze; less in the south and
more in the north, of course.



For the really nervous, that can extend out another 2-3 weeks if your risk
tolerance is pretty low.



My risk tolerance gets pretty shaky anywhere under 60 degrees, so I'm counting
on the first map to be our guide this year.

By the way, want to add your location to the official weather record for rain
and snow? Consider joining up with the thousands of other volunteer weather
observers across the U.S. and add your voice...and your measurements. Here's
a bit more about that!
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Are you a weather enthusiast? Do you think community-based science is fun? Or
maybe you’re looking for fun activities for your kids? The Community
Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) is a national
community-based network of volunteers of all ages and backgrounds who measure
precipitation each day in their own backyard or community. Every year, CoCoRaHS
has a March Madness campaign where each state across the country competes for
the “CoCoRaHS Cup” by recruiting the most observers. Help Oklahoma bring home
the gold by signing up at cocorahs.org!

These measurements help to fill the data gaps in existing weather networks and
the data are used by the National Weather Service, the agricultural community,
and other scientists. For example, many CoCoRaHS observers submitted snowfall
measurements from the winter storm in February, which was very valuable since
the Oklahoma Mesonet does not measure snowfall. CoCoRaHS is a wonderful program
for students too, because they can learn how to read the rain gauge
measurements, round the numbers, learn where they are on the map by viewing
their reports online, and even perform higher-level data analyses by tracking
their measurements over time.

What do I do next? Sign up for free at cocorahs.org and order the official
CoCoRaHS rain gauge, which can be purchased for about $30 at this link. Look
out for Facebook and Twitter posts from the Oklahoma Mesonet to try to win a
free rain gauge! For more information about CoCoRaHS, please visit cocorahs.org,
where you will find program information, how to sign up and take measurements,
instructional videos, and more.

If you have any questions, please contact Charles Kuster at
charles.kuster@noaa.gov.

Gary McManus
State Climatologist
Oklahoma Mesonet
Oklahoma Climatological Survey