KOKC (Oklahoma City airport) heat: hottest July, August, and summer on record

[radarman]

FWIW, it feels unequivocally worse now after the passing of a shower (94/70) than it has any day in July so far.

Totally agree, the cliche holds. Today's 90/70 was more uncomfortable than the 110. Can't even imagine the poor folks in S. IL the other day that were pushing 100/80. That is unbearable.

[Roger Smith]

Have I missed seeing it, or should there be a thread for severe heat developing in the northern plains states? There's going to be a 599-dm high at 500-mb near DSM in a few days, that's similar to the July 1995 heat wave setup. If there was more drought further north it would be like a 1936 heat wave setup too, in any case, it appears like it could go past 110 F in SD and 105 F in ND, sw MN and IA-NE around end of this week and the weekend. With all the standing water and evaporation issues, there are going to be some massive rainstorms in a few places when storms develop. This process has already started in western Canada but the dynamics will be a lot more severe later in the week for the Dakotas, MN and IA, then into WI and IL.

[snowmanwx]

OKC airport obviously missed the 100°F mark yesterday with a high of 98°F--and a localized 2.91 inches of rain, the highest in the state (except a couple stations in Kay County after midnight). The area that got > 2 inches was very small (perhaps 25 square miles or less), and the area with >1 inch wasn't much larger (likely less than 100 square miles).

A severe thunderstorm initiated almost literally over the airport over the airport--already among the wettest locations in the City this year--and produced an isolated area of marginally excessive precipitation. This scenario should provide an excellent case study on the meteorological effects of isolated thunderstorms on drought regions during the summer. So far, the OKC airport ASOS is now posting a dewpoint slightly higher than that of any Mesonet or Oklahoma City Micronet station in the City.

OKC airport clinched the 100°F threshold again today, beginning a new streak for the consecutive record. I don't think there's been a July at Oklahoma City in which every day posted a maximum temperature ≥98°F.

PS: More rain showers are moving toward the City from the southwest. Current at Chickasha Mesonet is 90°F/78°F. Yes, that's a legitimate dewpoint temperature.

[tacoman25]

OKC airport obviously missed the 100°F mark yesterday with a high of 98 °F--and a localized 2.91 inches of rain, the highest in the state (except a couple stations in Kay County after midnight). The area that got > 2 inches was very small (perhaps 25 square miles or less), and the area with >1 inch wasn't much larger (likely less than 100 square miles).

A severe thunderstorm initiated almost literally over the airport over the airport--already among the wettest locations in the City this year--and produced an isolated area of marginally excessive precipitation. This scenario should provide an excellent case study on the meteorological effects of isolated thunderstorms on drought regions during the summer. So far, the OKC airport ASOS is now posting a dewpoint slightly higher than that of any Mesonet or Oklahoma City Micronet station in the City.

OKC airport clinched the 100°F threshold again today, beginning a new streak for the consecutive record. I don't think there's been a July at Oklahoma City in which every day posted a maximum temperature ≥98°F.

PS: More rain showers are moving toward the City from the southwest. Current at Chickasha Mesonet is 90°F/78°F. Yes, that's a legitimate dewpoint temperature.

Looks like a good chance both of those records won't happen starting with today. OKC is at just 91 at 1 pm. with lots of overcast around.

[snowmanwx]

It took a while, but KOKC has now clinched 102°F for today despite mostly cloudy skies and isolated virga showers thorugh the afternoon and the soil moisture from Tuesday's deluge.

Just imagine how hot it might get without those impediments. Washington, McClain County, less than 40 miles south of KOKC, reached 108°F today. That heat is coming soon.

[OHSnow]

Looks like a good chance both of those records won't happen starting with today. OKC is at just 91 at 1 pm. with lots of overcast around.

Nope. It cracked the century mark late this afternoon, still sitting at 101 as of 6 PM.

[tacoman25]

Nope. It cracked the century mark late this afternoon, still sitting at 101 as of 6 PM.

The guy above you already said that.

I guess global warming kicked in just in time! Only 21 more days to go to set the record!

[OHSnow]

The guy above you already said that.

I guess global warming kicked in just in time! Only 21 more days to go to set the record!

Yeah, I guess so. It seems like global warming kicks in everytime you type something. Like when you said a cooldown was coming to the east coast on July 4th in the July forecast temp thread and ever since then departures have been climbing and climbing.

[tacoman25]

Yeah, I guess so. It seems like global warming kicks in everytime you type something. Like when you said a cooldown was coming to the east coast on July 4th in the July forecast temp thread and ever since then departures have been climbing and climbing.

What about in this thread when I questioned the guy who said the 100 degree streak was a lock at OKC? The next day it ended.

[brettjrob]

KOKC has suddenly become the region's cool spot. Lagging just about every other site in central OK by 2-3 F so far this morning, and the Td of 67 F is also well above surrounding Mesonet obs. The West OKC mesonet site is also much cooler than any site adjacent to it. Seems quite likely this is related to the heavy rainfall the other day, and it will be interesting to see for how long that impact continues to be felt.

[LocoAko]

KOKC has suddenly become the region's cool spot. Lagging just about every other site in central OK by 2-3 F so far this morning, and the Td of 67 F is also well above surrounding Mesonet obs. The West OKC mesonet site is also much cooler than any site adjacent to it. Seems quite likely this is related to the heavy rainfall the other day, and it will be interesting to see for how long that impact continues to be felt.

Yep, noticed that. It was really evident yesterday afternoon before the sudden late-afternoon spike in temperatures.

[natecast]

25 down, 25 to go before tying the record of 50 days of 100 degree highs in 1980. There are 47 days left until the end of August.

[snowmanwx]

Temperature at KOKC soared to (or beyond) 100°F today for the 26th time this year. Yesterday it hit 105°F. Nevertheless, it is even now the coolest, most humid site in central Oklahoma. On the Mesonet, OKCW, the site that got the most rainfall from Tuesday, now ranks as the coolest, most humid in central Oklahoma. Mesonet sites at Newkirk, Foaker, and Copan (near the Kansas border in Kay, Osage, and Washington counties, respectively) also look cooler but much more humid than their Oklahoma neighbors. These sites too experienced heavy rain last week. See what a little rain does! For an example of the effect of lots of rain, see summer 2007. It will be interesting to see just how long the effect will last measurably.

[wall_cloud]

only 26? we're up to 51 in San Angelo so far this year. The record for most 100 degree days in a year is 60. that record should be broken very easily.

[wall_cloud]

It took such an anomalous upper level PV/low retrograding west from the GOM to break an anomalous streak, go figure. What a weird system it is though, guidance had major issues simulating how that system would interact with the deep heat low over the southern plains.

models don't handle TUTTs worth a flip. Might as well throw guidance out on those.

[brettjrob]

See what a little rain does! For an example of the effect of lots of rain, see summer 2007.

The entire state would be unrecognizable to someone who's seen it for the first time this year. It literally looked and felt more like the Caribbean or New Orleans. Hazy, oppressive humidity, everything green, standing water, daily downpours, the whole nine yards. Much like the dryline in the spring, the desert/swamp line sometimes decides to set up west of here for the summer, and sometimes east.

[radarman]

The entire state would be unrecognizable to someone who's seen it for the first time this year. It literally looked and felt more like the Caribbean or New Orleans. Hazy, oppressive humidity, everything green, standing water, daily downpours, the whole nine yards. Much like the dryline in the spring, the desert/swamp line sometimes decides to set up west of here for the summer, and sometimes east.

That summer DOE ARM had organized an experiment called CLASIC (Cloud and Land Surface Interaction Campaign). A large number of aircrafts were brought in equipped with lidars and millimeter wavelength radars, and profilers and CASA radars were used as well. The point was to see how surface interactions affected cloud growth and eventually led to rain.

Unfortunately, with large expanses of the plains literally under standing water, the surface measurements didn't go particularly well. And scheduling the small aircraft around all those thunderstorms was quite a logistics task.

From the CASA perspective it was a great period, with action practically every day, but I remember when it ended I was very thankful and exhausted.

A few data plots from the archives:

[natecast]

100 degrees recorded at KOKC.....now 28 days this summer.

BTW, the Mesonet shows that the soil temperature 2" below SOD is 118 in Tipton, far SW OK. Exceptional drought FTW.

[Reed Stough]

Gee I didn't realize how hot it has been out there. You aren't getting the press you deserve, not aleast out here in the west.

At least ours is somewhat of a dry heat, but you guys get all the humidity.

[Calderon]

98 has been the high on the hourly reports, at 4pm, and has pulled back to 96 for 5pm.

[OHSnow]

Weird... I wonder why OKC always seems to be the cold spot in the state. You would think being a big city and smack-dab in the middle of the state, it wouldn't be the coldest location.

[natecast]

Weird... I wonder why OKC always seems to be the cold spot in the state. You would think being a big city and smack-dab in the middle of the state, it wouldn't be the coldest location.

The ob site for OKC sits at Will Rogers Airport, which is located on the far SW side of the city, removed from downtown. The heat island effect is evident at night when there is a N or NE wind, but with any wind from the S allows the site to get cooler than the rest of the city at night.

[snowmanwx]

Weird... I wonder why OKC always seems to be the cold spot in the state. You would think being a big city and smack-dab in the middle of the state, it wouldn't be the coldest location.

KOKC is the cold spot in central Oklahoma by day because of the heavy rain (2.91 inches) that fell last Tuesday from an isolated thunderstorm at the airport. Most of the rest of the state has had less than one inch of rain over the past 10 days. That one dark yellow dimple in southwestern Okahoma County indicates the location of the airport.

Until the "official" observation moved to the airport on 1 January 1948, Oklahoma City was the cold spot in the state frequently due to siting issues: the observation shelter at 1923 North Classen Boulevard sat so high that the observer had to climb a staircase to access it. That location also lies near one of the highest points then in Oklahoma City.

[brettjrob]

As of 5pm, the max has been 99 F. Still a small chance that we'll get it in the 5-6pm window, but not much of one.

This actually makes me feel better about the day last week where early-day storms squashed our consecutive streak. Today probably would've sent me over the edge if the streak were still alive... today would've been day 21, with the record being 22 days.

[brettjrob]

Another swing and miss today, despite...

[snowmanwx]

Saw that. Other than Hugo in Choctaw County, it looks like KOKC is the coldest spot in the state by day. An isolated thunderstorm continues to work wonders even a week later. Soil moisture should deplete soon enough, but it's just a matter of time.

One other thing: at my personal abode, which got hit hard by some thunderstorm that same Tuesday, the lawn turned green and grew. Because the airport got much more rain, it's possible that all that dead grass is now green for a while. I wonder what that did to albedo and other surface properties.

[icebreaker5221]

So what is it now, up to 32 100 deg days for the year, 33 if today pans out? That's only 18 more to go!

Should be very achievable! Forecast looks promising for continued heat, that's for sure.

[brettjrob]

Very well may miss it today because of ongoing clouds associated with overnight thunderstorm activity. Already pushing 100 F at El Reno (20 WNW OKC), though, so it will be close.

Rainfall at the airport was only 0.11", so we probably won't see any long-lasting impacts from that, at least.

[snowmanwx]

Very well may miss it today because of ongoing clouds associated with overnight thunderstorm activity. Already pushing 100 F at El Reno (20 WNW OKC), though, so it will be close.

Rainfall at the airport was only 0.11", so we probably won't see any long-lasting impacts from that, at least.

Yesterday, KOKC reached 105°F, making it the coolest spot in central Oklahoma except Arcadia Lake (104°F). Most of Oklahoma City measured 107°F (according to micronet, which measures teperature atop traffic signals at an elevation above ground level that leads to underestimates of surface air temperature at standard observing height). The 2.91 inch rainstorm continues to lower the intensity of the heat wave in Oklahoma City. Compare OKCW mesonet, which lies at the north end of the wet splotch, with OKCE and OKCN and any other mesonet sites.

If winds shift from southwest today, they should advect the blast-furnace heat into KOKC. Because KOKC lies on the southwest side of the city, it might get the hot blast even if it spares much of the city.

PS: Oklahoma Climatological Survey confirms that center pivot irrigation systems immediately upstream have lowered daytime temperatures at FTCB and BIXB.

[brettjrob]

Yesterday, KOKC reached 105°F, making it the coolest spot in central Oklahoma except Arcadia Lake (104°F). Most of Oklahoma City measured 107°F (according to micronet, which measures teperature atop traffic signals at an elevation above ground level that leads to underestimates of surface air temperature at standard observing height). The 2.91 inch rainstorm continues to lower the intensity of the heat wave in Oklahoma City. Compare OKCW mesonet, which lies at the north end of the wet splotch, with OKCE and OKCN and any other mesonet sites.

If winds shift from southwest today, they should advect the blast-furnace heat into KOKC. Because KOKC lies on the southwest side of the city, it might get the hot blast even if it spares much of the city.

Looks like 95/75 will go into the dailies. 106 F at Chickasha.

This puts a bit of a damper on our quest for the warmest month ever, too. We're running 89.1 F so far this month, so today will be -4.1 relative to that.

PS: Oklahoma Climatological Survey confirms that center pivot irrigation systems immediately upstream have lowered daytime temperatures at FTCB and BIXB.

Now that's interesting. I noticed FTCB consistently underperforming and figured it was just because it's right next to the reservoir.