Ticker for October 3, 2023

                
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October 3, 2023    October 3, 2023    October 3, 2023    October 3, 2023


Wear a helmet




YIKES! Stupid severe weather. Better'n tornadoes, I guess, although the threat
of those ain't zero either. And let's not forget the severe winds and flooding!













OOF (reader alert: "OOF" is a step up from "YIKES!", but not quite as high as
a "YEEARGH!")! All of those would be bad, but it appears the severe hail is the
big threat. When it gets to baseball size, that'll put knots on your noggin
faster'n you can rub 'em. Oh yeah, the flooding! Somebody's gonna get 3-5 inches
of rain, and somebody else close to them is gonna get a half-inch. But flash
flooding is a big concern over the next couple of days.









Yeah, this is what we put up with to get rain around here. But don't get scared,
get prepared and think of much  more pleasant matters! I always turn to my old
standby.

Yes, Cherry Pop-Tarts:

Oh, Cherry Pop-Tarts, sweet delight,
In the morning or late at night,
Your flaky crust, a golden embrace,
Holds a filling that I can't replace.

Bursting with cherries, a fruity surprise,
Baked to perfection under the skies,
A taste that takes me to childhood days,
In your deliciousness, my heart sways.

Toasting in the toaster, you sizzle and pop,
A warm, comforting treat, from bottom to top,
With frosting that glistens, so sugary and bright,
You're a poppin' pastry, a pure delight.

Cherry Pop-Tarts, you're a breakfast dream,
In each bite, you make life gleam,
So here's to you, in the morning's light,
A snack that's pure, a tasty delight!

THAT should prepare you all for what I'm about to say next...I see winter
Saturday morning. No, not WINTER winter...FALL winter.



Hey, when I see 30s on the forecast map, I call that winter! I'm not prepared
for 45 here in central OK either. Why, it seems like just yesterday we had
highs in the 80s and lows in the 60s! It seems so long ag...wait, oh yeah.





Better celebrate today, FALL summer fans, because the FALL fall is about to hit
the fan after today.



You LIKE highs in the 60s on Saturday? YOUR SICK YOUR SICK (not as sick as me,
misspelling "you're" on purpose)!



At least it looks like it warms back up again after that. We're getting much
closer to our first fall freeze climatological dates, if not average then an
early case.





Ugh, now I'm getting grumpy. What do I do when I'm getting grumpy? I write
scathing odes about things I despise!

Oh, Strawberry Pop-Tarts, you tempt my taste buds so,
But beneath your vibrant frosting, there are things I'd like to know.
Your filling, once so promising, alas, falls quite short,
A synthetic strawberry taste, at least it's a flavor of a sort.

The frosting on your surface, sweet and pink, it's true,
But the artificiality of it leaves me feeling somewhat blue.
Your crust, though crispy, lacks a certain homemade grace,
Leaving me yearning for a more authentic embrace.

In the realm of Pop-Tarts, you hold a special place,
But I can't help but wish for a more natural taste.
Fresh strawberries in the morning would surely be sublime,
Compared to your processed flavor, a taste of a different time.

So, Strawberry Pop-Tarts, though you're an iconic treat,
I long for something real, a fruity morning feat.
Perhaps one day, your recipe will find a truer way,
Until then, I'll dream of berries, in the light of day.

Gary McManus
State Climatologist
Oklahoma Mesonet
Oklahoma Climatological Survey
gmcmanus@mesonet.org