Rain, Rain, go away! June 30, 2007

Hi all!

Remember when you were a kid and inside the house when it was raining? Makes you remember the old rhyme, Rain, Rain, go way, come back another day! I have to say I agree with just about everyone around Oklahoma, the rain needs to stop! I will be glad to see some dry days again.

I went on vacation to Mississippi, where it has not rained in over a month, guess what, I brought the rain with me, rained the first 3 days I was there! I have to say the fishing was really good when there was a break between storms. My wife caught a nice 14 1/2 inch Crappie, the first fish she has caught in over 15 years.

Anyway, July 4th is looking pretty good for no rain, just remember the “OFF” spray when you are outdoors watching the fireworks, the bugs are out! My wife is terrified of bugs, so I have been getting rid of them alot lately.

The weather will get better after Tuesday, so I am looking forward to it. The temps will be about the same all week.

Have a great week! And I great 4th of July! Remember our Troops!

Shawn P. Crouch
KOCO Weather Inter
shawntheintern@yahoo.com

Arcadia Lake closed? June 30, 2007

Wow! What does it take to close a lake? How about a water level 10 feet above normal! Most of the recreational facilities are underwater including trails, ramps, and docks. The lake was built for flood control so the Corp of Engineers cannot release the water so the level will not retreat anytime soon. This means no July 4th celebrations at Arcadia.

This is a good reminder to check area lakes before you head out. Others may suffer the same result.

AT

Dangerous situation continues… June 29, 2007

Flash flooding is ongoing over many areas of central and northern Oklahoma. The National Weather Service is urging everyone to stay at home and away from rising water. Rain will remain in the forecast through this weekend before becoming less organized early next week.
AT

Rainfall Update June 29, 2007

We had some heavy rainfall in the metro this morning. A quick 1.25″ fell over The Village and parts of Northwest OKC. Some totals through the state since midnight:

Lawton 3.22″
Hinton 1.84″
Pawnee 2.47″
El Reno 1.58″
Metro .50″ – 1.50″
Ponca City 1.11″
Red Rock 1.17″
Cherokee 0.98″
Watonga 1.51″

Rusty

Tired of Rain June 28, 2007

I am pretty tired of blogging about rain the past two weeks, so I’ll throw a few tidbits about the weather on the blog and go in a different direction.

- 2007 is the 3rd wettest spring on record (March Thru May)
- Rained 16 straight days and counting (previous record was 14)
- May and June of 2007, not among the Top 10 wettest on record

At my other job for OCS, I have been completing and revising famous Oklahoma weather events of the past 16 years. Ranging from the Lahoma Storm to the El Reno storm of 2006, I have been plugging away updating code and graphics associated with these events.

In other news, the NBA Draft is tonight. With the rainy weather outside, a night of flipping between KOCO and the NBA Draft could provide for some interesting programming.

For all the latest weather information log on or tune in to KOCO 5.

Nick
Weather Intern

Why? June 28, 2007

Yes, why? Why does it continue to rain? When will it end? Is this rare? Is this a record? All of these things being asked by us, by you, by everyone lately. Here are the answers:

A record? Yes, if you count the number of consecutive days it has rained. The amount of rain in May and June are no where near record levels.

Is this rare? Yes it is. Why and when? The why is an upper level low pressure system trapped between two ridges of high pressure, one centered over the Rockies, the other over the east coast. Winds aloft are extremely weak this time of year and therefore there’s no push to move this system out of Oklahoma/Texas. We also have a lot of tropical moisture in place from the Gulf of Mexico and a weak cold front that drifted into the state. Eventually, the rain will end. The low will weaken and drift farther away from Oklahoma. The best guess will be slowly over the weekend with some isolated storms still left over on Monday.

If the system does not behave, then it is possible to see isolated storms last through our Independence Day Holiday.

AT

More Heavy Rain Expected June 28, 2007

Did you think the headline would read any different? This will be the 16th consecutive day that Oklahoma City has received measurable rain, continuing a record long streak.

Heavy rain has already hit Kingfisher County overnight. More than 4″ has fallen in that area. Several high water rescues have already taken place there this morning, as cars have been stranded on flooded roads.

The Flash Flood Watch is in effect until at least Friday morning for most of the state. Heavy rainfall is likely throughout the state through Friday afternoon. Widespread 1-2″ rainfall totals with 2-4″ and up to 8″ in some locations.

Keep an eye on localized flooding in your area and water on the roads, also watch out for those potholes!

Rusty

From drought to flood June 27, 2007

Yesterday and this morning, Oklahoma City made national news as flooding continues to hammer the state. I still find it hard to believe that we were in a 2 year drought that ended just a month or so ago. It is nice to see everything so green again which makes it hard to complain. Our water bills, our electric bills are both getting a break. Unfortunately there are those that will have to pay the price for the excess moisture. People living in flood prone areas such as near creeks, rivers, lakes, and city regions will have to be prepared to react to rising water. Today is our 15th consecutive day in a row for rain at Will Rogers Airport and the ways things are going, we’re looking at rain through Saturday with another 2 to 3 inches commonplace.
AT

National Lightning Awareness Week June 27, 2007

While flooding is the main threat from the active weather pattern we are in now, thunderstorms possess another threat–lightning.

National Lightning Awareness Week is this week, and the purpose is educating on lightning safety.

On average, 62 people are killed by lightning per year. In 2006, there were 47 confirmed deaths and 246 confirmed injuries.

Here are some quick facts on lightning:

–25 million cloud-to-ground lightning strikes occur in the United States each year
–The air within a lightning strike can reach 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit
–Lightning can heat its path five times hotter than the surface of the sun
–One ground lightning stroke can generate between 100 million and 1 billion volts of electricity

The key thing to know is the safest place to be during a thunderstorm is a large enclosed building. The second safest location is an enclosed metal vehicle, car, truck, or van.

Remember, if you can hear thunder, you are within striking distance. Lightning can strike as far as 10 miles from an area where it is raining.

I encourage you to read more from NOAA’s Lightning Safety website. The website has important tips on what to do if caught outdoors in a thunderstorm. It also discusses indoor safety during a thunderstorm.

Also, with the ongoing flooding situation I suggest reading my March 19th post on National Flood Safety Awareness Week.

Vivek
Weather Intern

Who’ll Stop the Rain? June 26, 2007

Many Oklahoma residents might be asking the same question Creedence Clearwater Revival asked some 40 years ago. Well our long lost friend the summertime ridge looks to move in early next week putting a stop to the rain. But let’s first take a look back at a very wet and slightly cooler than normal ’07.

Interesting Facts About 2007 Weather
-To date, doubled last year’s rainfall
-Exceeded last years total rainfall today
-Rained 14 straight days and counting. (Previous record 14, set in May/June 1937)
-Parts of central Oklahoma nearly a foot above normal for rainfall to date
-Hit 90 the latest in the year since 1999
-Still haven’t hit 95, latest since 2004

2006 was a year for exceptional drought and wildfires, and 2007 is a year for record rainfall and flooding. Remember to tune in or log on to KOCO for all the latest weather information.

Nick
Weather Intern