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Oklahoma’s State Climatologist Recaps November’s Turbulent Weather, Looks Ahead To December

Damage to a tree in Yukon following last week's ice storm.
Zane LaCroix
/
Oklahoma Public Media Exchange
Damage to a tree in Yukon following last week's ice storm.

Record-setting weather, plus tornadoes, flooding, and a significant ice storm that shut down the state over the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend all came during what the state climatologist called one of the “wildest stretches” of November weather in Oklahoma’s history.

Gary McManus said Tuesday morning the first storm that hit the state in mid-November seemed more like a spring severe weather event, with supercells generating seven tornadoes in this state, and more in Oklahoma’s northern and southern neighbors. Heavy rainfall, large hail, and even a 99 mile-per-hour wind gust were all recorded during the November 16 and 17 series of storms. Parts of the Oklahoma panhandle received six inches of snow.

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, a storm system approaching from the west (with help from the remnants of Hurricane Sandra) pushed a significant amount of moisture into Oklahoma. That, combined with a strong cold front, led to what the state saw over Thanksgiving, with an inch of ice, widespread damage to trees, and 150,000 power outages.

“According to preliminary data from the Oklahoma Mesonet, the month tied 2004 as the wettest November since records began in 1895 with a statewide average of 5.97 inches, 3.46 inches above normal,” McManus said.

Even with that Arctic front that led to a chilly holiday, it was still a warmer-than-average November. The statewide average temperature was 50.8 degrees, which is 1.5 degrees above normal.

Looking ahead to December, the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center says we’ll likely see above-average precipitation across western Oklahoma, and continued warm temperatures. That’s in line with predictions from earlier this spring.

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Brian Hardzinski is from Flower Mound, Texas and a graduate of the University of Oklahoma. He began his career at KGOU as a student intern, joining KGOU full time in 2009 as Operations and Public Service Announcement Director. He began regularly hosting Morning Edition in 2014, and became the station's first Digital News Editor in 2015-16. Brian’s work at KGOU has been honored by Public Radio News Directors Incorporated (PRNDI), the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters, the Oklahoma Associated Press Broadcasters, and local and regional chapters of the Society of Professional Journalists. Brian enjoys competing in triathlons, distance running, playing tennis, and entertaining his rambunctious Boston Terrier, Bucky.
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