Extreme Summer Weather Explained
The National Weather Service in Norman is into its second consecutive week of issuing heat advisories for the state.
Eastern portions of Oklahoma were under an excessive heat warning Wednesday, while much of the rest of the state had a heat advisory. Heat index values in the metro were expected to reach 107 and above.
If it feels hotter than normal this year, that’s due to high dew points caused by recent heavy rains.
Ben Thorn is a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. He says the heat this year is unusual compared to last year and even when Oklahoma experienced intense droughts in 2011 and 2012 because of high humidity.
“Last year, in July about this time, we were having really really high temperatures. Oklahoma City might’ve gotten to 112, 110 degrees several days in a row, but it was more of a dry heat. The body is able to cool itself more,” Thorn said.
The state is also seeing a weather phenomenon called heat bursts in July.
According to NWS, they result from decaying thunderstorms that typically occur in the region in May and June and migrate North into Nebraska and the Dakotas as the summer progresses.
Arrests Made In Connection With Scuffle At State BOE Meeting
Two Oklahoma men are facing charges following a scuffle at last month’s State Board of Education meeting.
Defendants are Edwards Moore Jr. and Leonard Scott III were arrested Tuesday.
The heated exchange happened in the lobby before the June meeting began while the crowd waited for the doors to open.
Without authority to do so, Scott handed out numbers for people to enter the meeting and along with Moore, they are accused of blocking the doorway and not allowing people to enter.
Both men are charged with obstructing passage within a state building. Scott is also charged with willfully disrupting state business agency operations.
Moore is also charged with two counts of assault and battery after he allegedly grabbed and pulled back a crowd member trying to enter the hallway, and pushed a security officer.
The bonds were set at $500 each, and both men have bonded out.
New Theme Park Coming To Vinita
State leaders and developers say a new theme park and resort is heading to Vinita, just west of Grand Lake.
The American Heartland Theme Park and Resort is a $2 billion project on about 1,000 acres.
The development will include a large RV park with cabins, a hotel and a theme park comparable in size to Disneyland.
The City of Vinita announced the theme park Wednesday at a ceremony where lawmakers, city leaders and developers praised the project.
Interim Director of the State Department of Commerce Hooper Smith says the impact of the American Heartland Theme Park will be lasting.
“American Heartland’s long-term impact will be transformative not only for northeast Oklahoma, but for the entire region,” Hooper Smith said.
The development will start with the Three Ponies RV park with an expected opening in 2025. The theme park and resort areas are set to open in 2026.
Got Feedback On Oklahoma City Parks?
Oklahoma City is seeking ideas about improvements to three parks in the northeast part of the city.
Improvements are coming to Booker T. Washington Park, Northeast Park and Minnis Lakeview Park in Oklahoma City through the MAPS4 program.
MAPS4 is a public improvement program funded by a temporary penny sales tax in OKC.
As part of the plan, the city is looking for ideas from nearby residents.
To collect input, Oklahoma City is hosting a public meeting next Thursday. The meeting will be held at the city’s newest rec center - the Willa D. Johnson Center - in Frederick Douglass Park. Online surveys are also open.
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