By ALTHEA PETERSON Staff Writer on Jul 2, 2012, at 2:32 PM Updated on 7/02 at 4:45 PM
A chart comparing the monthly temperatures of 2010, 2011 and 2012 with the average temperatures from 1971-2000. 22 out of the last 27 months (in other words, April 2010-June 2012) have had above average temperatures. Map courtesy of the Oklahoma Mesonet
WEATHER WORLD
It's not a Tulsa urban legend, myth or a running joke: It really does rain every year (since 2008) at downtown's Mayfest.
And ...
There is a lot to digest on the drought front, so I'll try to cover as much ground as I can.
Before showing this week's ...
Bad news this week, Oklahoma: Your drought situation was either unchanged or got worse.
If this comes as a surprise, ...
Lately, it seems like every time we break weather records in this state it sounds like a broken record (bad pun, yes, bad pun).
Here is your newest record: The hottest first six months of the year in state history, said Gary McManus, associate state climatologist with the Oklahoma Climatological Survey.
Here's what you need to know:
New record: 60.1 degrees (statewide average) for January-June
Old record: 58.9 degrees set in 2006The new record is 4.9 degrees above normal.Oklahoma Mesonet information is from state records that date back to 1895.Average temperatures are from 150 Oklahoma Mesonet sites statewide, which include at least one in each Oklahoma county.This record is preliminary right now, as records are made official by the National Climatic Data CenterI will have more from McManus later this week on this new record, but in a nutshell, when you have a mild winter, you can expect a lot warmer temperatures will follow into spring and summer.
The year is only halfway over. Stay tuned this summer for more broken records!
Tulsa records:
As it turns out, we set the same record that the state did - hottest January-June. We beat a 2006 record just like the state! I will have more on this in Tuesday's print edition.
And... it turns out that I forgot to mention a Tulsa weather record in my summary on Friday. We had the hottest March on record. We also had the second-hottest May on record.
In my defense, I was on maternity leave during part of both of those months.
--Althea Peterson
PS: To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven, including parenthood. Check out the newest Tulsa World blog "
Because I Said So: Perspectives in parenting," which I am one of the six contributors.
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