This is the typical type of photo we use to show it's hot outside. But, this was taken Saturday, when a jump in the fountain would have actually been refreshing. TU students (front ) John Lepine and Tim Nissen and J. Christopher Proctor run through the fountain before the UCF v Tulsa conference championship football game at Chapman stadium. TOM GILBERT/Tulsa World
I think I told you a few months ago to put away the tank tops and flip flops, that summer was dead and seasonal changes were occurring? About that…
Well, the seasons changed, and we did see cool weather for a bit, but the first few days of December have been more like September or April than 20 days away from Christmas.
And November wasn’t much of a lead-in to winter, either. As we say goodbye to November, 2012, let’s look back on what the month offered us.
Spoiler alert: not much rain.
- The average monthly temperature was 52.6 degrees, 2.3 degrees above normal.
- The highest temperature recorded in November was, astonishingly 88 on Nov. 2. More astonishingly, that was not the record, but one degree shy.
- The lowest temperature was 24 degrees on Nov. 27.
- Tulsa International recorded a measly 1.11 inches of rain for the month, 1.7 inches below normal.
- The most rain was 0.81 inches that fell on Nov. 11.
- The day before had the highest wind speed of the month, at 36 mph and a gust of 48.
The unseasonable weather has continued and accelerated in December. It’s not the best standard since it’s only three days in and I’m comparing it to a month of historical data over several decades, but the average so far of 65.2 is 22.2 degrees above normal for December. That will obviously (hopefully) decrease as the month progresses and winter (surely…) makes an appearance (eventually).
In fact, you’ll notice that today is quite different than the first three days of December. Highs will be in the 60s, not the 70s. Baby steps? The normal average temperature for December is 39.5, by the way.
Also, the average snowfall for December is 2.3 inches. That brings me again to our snowfall contest! About 40 people have submitted their guesses so far, and there is quite a range in guesses. The average right now is about 7.4 inches of snow, below the historical average of 9.6.
I’ll be taking submissions through Friday. So, send your guess for snow this winter to the nearest 0.1 and the date the first measurable snow will fall to
jerry.wofford@tulsaworld.com and you’re in! The closest snow total will win a weather radio, with the date of the first snowfall the tiebreaker. The full rules and such are
here.
Thanks for playing! And keep those fingers crossed that we will still experience seasons!
--Jerry Wofford
