Storms' powerful winds batter state
BY MATT DINGER & BRYAN PAINTER NewsOK.com
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
8/10/11 at 4:24 AM
Straight-line wind speeds recorded at Lahoma in Garfield County on Monday were as powerful as an EF-1 tornado and a Category 2 hurricane.
The Oklahoma Mesonet recorded winds at 96 mph during Monday night's thunderstorm. Wind speeds with EF-1 tornadoes are between 86 and 110 mph, and 95 mph is the highest wind speed in Category 1 hurricanes.
"What we saw yesterday can be more damaging than a weak tornado in many cases," said forecaster Marc Austin with the National Weather Service in Norman.
Wind gusts were measured at 80 mph in the Stillwater area in Payne County and at 73 mph four miles south of Billings in Noble County. Winds of 71 mph were recorded six miles north of Oklahoma City, and 70 mph winds were reported at Vance Air Force Base in Garfield County.
Click here to read the complete article at NewsOK.com.
Oklahoman Staff Writers Matt Patterson and Tiffany Gibson, World Staff Writers Rhett Morgan and Amanda Bland and World Correspondent Sheila Stogsdill contributed to this story.
Tuesday's high breaks streak
Tulsa's 99-degree high Tuesday broke the 14-day streak of reaching 100 degrees, dating to July 26. Tuesday's high was slightly above the 94-degree normal for this time of year and was cooler than 2010's high of 101 on the same date. Tulsa's rainfall so far this month, 1.15 inches, is also slightly above normal for August through Aug. 9.
Tuesday's high 99
Tuesday's low 73
Wednesday's forecast high 94
Wednesday's forecast low 74
100-degree days this summer* 36
Tuesday's rainfall (as of 10 p.m. Tuesday) Trace amounts
August rainfall (as of 10 p.m. Tuesday) 1.15 inches
August's rainfall average** 0.81 of an inch
*since summer started June 21
** Through Aug. 9.
