Ticker for February 11, 2026

                
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February 11, 2026  February 11, 2026  February 11, 2026  February 11, 2026


It can always be worse




February as a month is a lot like the Arby's of months. I mean, it looks good on
the outside, but once you get in it, bad things happen. And the -31F at Nowata
that broke the previous all-time record low state temperature of -27 degrees,
set at at Vinita (2/13/1905) and Watts (1/18/1930), isn't even the worst thing
that happened that day. No, that was the -47F wind chill at Medford!



Not to mention the 27 inches of snow at Spavinaw that broke the 24-hour snowfall
record, too. Well, I guess I did mention it. And we also can't forget what
happened a decade after that when we had the coldest day statewide on Feb. 15,
2021!



Those two events, about 10 years apart, made me a bit aghast (and we all know
just how painful that can be) at the talk of the storm in late January 2026
being "historic." I mean, it was just 5 years ago when that one got
out-historicaled!

Anyways, from the it can always be BETTER department, nothing like that this
February showing up, including today as we start the climb back up on the
thermometer (and we all know how painful THAT can be!!).





Also in the "better" category is the rainfall forecast for the weekend, still
looking somewhat good. Has to actually happen, but we definitely need it.



Our chances for a return to a winter wonderland in February are starting to
shrink a tad with each passing day.



That will leave us with March. March, the Taco Bell of...well, we'll cross that
bridge in a couple of weeks.

Gary McManus
State Climatologist
Oklahoma Mesonet
Oklahoma Climate Survey
gmcmanus@ou.edu