Ticker for February 26, 2024

                
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Whipsaw!




Remember what Will Rogers once famously said?

"Please don't name an airport after me."

But after that, it was "If you don't like Oklahoma's weather, wait a minute and
it'll change." Or something like that. Well, more than a few minutes this time,
more like 2000. But you get the drift. Look for some record highs today and then
again tomorrow, then a strong cold front will blast through Tuesday night and
leave us with wind chills in the teens and 20s and a return of actual temps
below the freezing mark.









Now along the way to that changeover it's gonna be a windy, smoky mess in the
state. Those record highs along with winds gusting to over 45-50 mph will
combine with relative humidity down into the teens and single digits to produce
critical fire danger across much of the state, with the worst conditions across
western Oklahoma, where a Red Flag Fire Warning has been issued by our NWS
friends from those local offices.











Here are some wildfire safety tips. Remember, only You can prevent wildfires.
And your cousin Greg. Oh, and your Aunt Lucy. Wait, and your neighbor Phil.
AND your florist. AND your...oh, you get the point.



Use welding equipment. Check.
Drive on a flat tire. Check.
Park on dry grass. Check.
Throw your cigs out the window. Check.
Drag chains behind your vehicle. Check.

WAIT! I'm now being told those are things you DON'T want to do on high fire
danger days.

DON'T use welding equipment (you're not a welder).
DON'T drive on a flat tire (why would ya anyway??).
DON'T park on dry grass (or any grass, ya heathen!).
DON'T throw cigs out the window (quit smoking).
DON'T drag chains behind your vehicle (what are you driving, a ghost vehicle?).

Bring it home, NWS Amarillo!



The temperatures will rebound quickly back into the 60s and 70s later this week
and back into the 70s and 80s over the weekend, and then back to critical
fire danger.

But at least it'll be March!

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