Oklahoma Mesonet // Press Releases

• University of Oklahoma Presents Meteorological Recommendations to the Republic of Croatia (6/18/2009)
• Two Oklahoma Educators Honored with Public Service Award from State Climate Agency (5/5/2009)
• First-of-its-kind Weather Observing Network Located in Oklahoma City Unveiled Today During the National Weather Festival (11/11/2008)
• University of Oklahoma Awarded $3.8 Million NOAA-funded Project For Climate, Drought Assessments, Planning Tools (10/8/2008)
• Oklahoma Panhandle Drought Labeled "Exceptional" (6/19/2008)
• University of Oklahoma Meteorology Team to Visit Croatia for Needs Assessment (6/18/2008)
• Climate Change Statement for Oklahoma: An Official Statement of the Oklahoma Climatological Survey (10/29/2007)
• OCS Climatologist to Speak at National Convention (10/3/2007)
• Can Parts of Oklahoma Still Be Dry? (7/30/2007)
• 14 Percent Less Tan (6/20/2007)
• June 2007 Now Wettest on Record Statewide (6/29/2007)
• It was the Wettest of Times... (6/20/2007)
• First 90-degree day in Oklahoma City (6/8/2007)
• Drought Ends in Oklahoma (sort of) (4/5/2007)
• El Niño Fizzles...Does Drought Return? (2/6/2007)
• Drought Picture in Oklahoma Mixed (12/14/2006)
• Drought Improvements (mostly) Not Warranted (12/7/2006)
• Oklahoma Dodges a Bullet (12/4/2006)
• Drought Remains Severe in Northwest Oklahoma (11/9/2006)
• Crimson and, Um, Orange? OU shares Norman campus with OSU (10/26/2006)
• Halloween Weather (10/23/2006)
• Early Freeze for Oklahoma? (10/10/2006)
• The Migration of Royalty (10/9/2006)
• El Niño and Oklahoma Drought: Friend or Foe? (9/19/2006)
• Drought in Southern Oklahoma Deemed "Exceptional" (8/30/2006)
• July 2006 Far From Warmest For Oklahoma (7/25/2006)
• Summer May Be Just Getting Started (7/25/2006)
• Weekend Rain OK (6/19/2006)
• Norman Meteorologist Travels to China (6/6/2006)
• Out With a BANG? (5/3/2006)
• Just A Drop in the Bucket (3/9/2006)
• March 1 Record Temperatures (3/2/2006)
• La Niña's Return May Spell Doom for Drought Relief (2/20/2006)
• Oklahoma Drought Update (2/10/2006)
• Drought: Oklahoma's Costliest Weather Hazard (1/27/2006)
• Rain Helps Some But Drought Far From Over (1/23/2006)
• January Burn Conditions Set Records (1/19/2006)
• It's Not Always Warm In Oklahoma (1/12/2006)
• Dryness Lingers On for Much of State (6/17/2004)
• May 2004 Likely To Be State's Driest (6/1/2004)
• Nebraska Snows and Oklahoma's Woes (2/16/2004)
• November: Feast or Famine (12/02/2003)
• Monthly Climate of Oklahoma - October (10/09/2003)
• Royal Wind Vanes Visit Oklahoma (9/11/2003)
• Monthly Climate of Oklahoma - September (9/10/2003)
• Monthly Climate of Oklahoma - August (7/31/2003)
• Monthly Climate of Oklahoma - July (7/7/2003)
• Rain, Rain, Go Away (6/11/2003)
• Oklahoma Springtime Dangers (6/8/2003)

Early Freeze for Oklahoma?
October 10, 2006

Early Freeze.doc

Early Freeze.pdf

Early Freeze for OKlahoma?
By Mark Shafer
Director of Climate Information
The Oklahoma Climatological Survey
10/10/2006

NORMAN - It's hard to believe that just a few days ago we were withering in 90-degree heat and now we're talking about a freeze. But, this is October in Oklahoma. While freezes in early October are unusual, they are by no means unheard of. In fact, looking at 88 long-term stations spanning the state, every single one of them has recorded a freeze on or before October 11. The earliest freezes have occurred in northwestern Oklahoma, while southern and eastern Oklahoma have held out longer.

For most of the state, if temperatures dip below freezing later this week, the first freeze would be roughly a one-in-ten chance. This means that taking the first freeze date for all years on record and ranking them, 90 percent of those years did not record a freeze until after mid-October. The normal, or 5-in-10 chance of freezing, occurs in about the 3rd week of October in northern Oklahoma to the first week of November in southern parts of the state.

Even if temperatures do not dip to 32 degrees, it may still be cold enough in some places for frost to form. Official temperature records are recorded at a height of about 5 feet. On a clear night with light winds temperatures at the ground can be as much as 4 degrees colder than at the recorded measuring height. So even if forecast temperatures are for the mid-30s, it might be wise to cover up flowers and other sensitive plants.

To find out how unusual early freezes are, visit the Oklahoma Climatological Survey at http://climate.mesonet.org/ and look for County Climate Summaries. Each county page lists stations that have long-term temperature records that will give you a range of freeze dates, plus a whole lot of other valuable climate information!

Attachments:
Map - Date of Earliest Freeze
Map - Average Date of First Freeze
Table - Freeze Dates for Selected Towns in Oklahoma

City	Earliest	1 in 10 Chance	2 in 10 Chance	Median	8 in 10 Chance	9 in 10 Chance	Latest
Ada	Oct 7	Oct 20	Oct 27	Nov 6	Nov 18	Nov 22	Dec 8
Altus	Sep 30	Oct 20	Oct 24	Nov 4	Nov 13	Nov 20	Dec 8
Altus Dam	Sep 30	Oct 18	Oct 26	Nov 6	Nov 17	Nov 21	Dec 6
Alva	Sep 21	Oct 10	Oct 19	Oct 27	Nov 6	Nov 12	Nov 30
Antlers	Oct 8	Oct 20	Oct 24	Nov 3	Nov 11	Nov 21	Dec 4
Ardmore	Oct 18	Oct 27	Nov 2	Nov 10	Nov 23	Nov 30	Dec 21
Arnett	Sep 30	Oct 12	Oct 17	Oct 26	Nov 5	Nov 11	Nov 29
Barnsdall	Sep 23	Oct 9	Oct 14	Oct 20	Nov 6	Nov 10	Nov 12
Bartlesville	Sep 22	Oct 7	Oct 12	Oct 25	Nov 5	Nov 9	Nov 11
Billings	Sep 26	Oct 12	Oct 17	Oct 27	Nov 10	Nov 16	Dec 2
Bixby	Sep 30	Oct 12	Oct 19	Nov 1	Nov 9	Nov 11	Dec 1
Blackwell	Sep 30	Oct 14	Oct 19	Oct 28	Nov 8	Nov 11	Nov 25
Blanchard	Oct 7	Oct 20	Oct 27	Nov 5	Nov 17	Nov 23	Dec 8
Boise City	Sep 18	Sep 28	Oct 7	Oct 16	Oct 25	Oct 26	Dec 1
Bristow	Sep 30	Oct 14	Oct 19	Oct 31	Nov 8	Nov 15	Dec 28
Buffalo	Sep 24	Oct 8	Oct 10	Oct 22	Oct 29	Nov 4	Nov 16
Canton Dam	Sep 24	Oct 12	Oct 17	Oct 26	Nov 8	Nov 11	Nov 19
Carnegie	Sep 24	Oct 9	Oct 16	Oct 26	Nov 7	Nov 16	Nov 27
Chandler	Sep 27	Oct 12	Oct 20	Oct 31	Nov 11	Nov 20	Nov 30
Chattanooga	Oct 7	Oct 19	Oct 24	Nov 4	Nov 16	Nov 20	Dec 8
Chickasha	Oct 9	Oct 17	Oct 20	Oct 29	Nov 10	Nov 16	Nov 23
Claremore	Sep 29	Oct 10	Oct 18	Oct 27	Nov 7	Nov 11	Nov 25
Clinton	Oct 7	Oct 16	Oct 19	Oct 30	Nov 10	Nov 16	Dec 4
Cushing	Oct 7	Oct 25	Oct 29	Nov 6	Nov 16	Nov 20	Dec 8
Duncan	Oct 7	Oct 26	Oct 31	Nov 8	Nov 18	Nov 22	Dec 8
Durant	Oct 9	Oct 22	Oct 25	Nov 5	Nov 17	Nov 24	Dec 8
Enid	Oct 8	Oct 20	Oct 25	Nov 3	Nov 13	Nov 18	Dec 1
Erick	Sep 21	Oct 12	Oct 18	Oct 26	Nov 5	Nov 12	Dec 4
Eufaula	Sep 29	Oct 20	Oct 25	Nov 4	Nov 16	Nov 22	Dec 9
Fort Supply Dam	Sep 19	Oct 3	Oct 8	Oct 22	Nov 3	Nov 8	Nov 15
Frederick	Oct 9	Oct 26	Oct 30	Nov 9	Nov 22	Nov 25	Dec 9
Freedom	Sep 15	Oct 1	Oct 7	Oct 16	Oct 26	Oct 29	Nov 9
Gate	Sep 28	Oct 10	Oct 16	Oct 24	Nov 4	Nov 10	Nov 14
Geary	Sep 22	Oct 19	Oct 23	Nov 3	Nov 13	Nov 21	Dec 21
Goodwell	Sep 21	Oct 4	Oct 10	Oct 20	Oct 29	Nov 2	Nov 12
Great Salt Plains Dam	Oct 7	Oct 18	Oct 25	Nov 3	Nov 10	Nov 17	Dec 1
Guthrie	Sep 21	Oct 12	Oct 19	Oct 28	Nov 10	Nov 14	Nov 29
Hammon	Sep 15	Oct 8	Oct 12	Oct 24	Oct 31	Nov 3	Dec 3
Hanna	Oct 9	Oct 16	Oct 20	Nov 1	Nov 10	Nov 11	Nov 20
Hennessey	Sep 30	Oct 18	Oct 22	Oct 31	Nov 10	Nov 16	Dec 1
Hobart	Sep 30	Oct 16	Oct 20	Nov 2	Nov 12	Nov 17	Nov 27
Holdenville	Oct 8	Oct 18	Oct 23	Nov 3	Nov 13	Nov 19	Dec 5
Hollis	Sep 21	Oct 17	Oct 22	Nov 1	Nov 10	Nov 16	Dec 8
Hooker	Sep 20	Oct 5	Oct 8	Oct 19	Oct 27	Oct 31	Nov 14

City	Earliest	1 in 10 Chance	2 in 10 Chance	Median	8 in 10 Chance	9 in 10 Chance	Latest
Hugo	Oct 6	Oct 23	Oct 31	Nov 9	Nov 20	Nov 24	Dec 10
Idabel	Oct 6	Oct 23	Oct 28	Nov 6	Nov 17	Nov 28	Dec 8
Jefferson	Sep 17	Oct 7	Oct 11	Oct 23	Oct 31	Nov 8	Nov 19
Kansas	Oct 8	Oct 16	Oct 20	Nov 1	Nov 7	Nov 13	Nov 24
Kenton	Sep 15	Sep 27	Oct 5	Oct 13	Oct 22	Oct 26	Nov 3
Kingfisher	Sep 26	Oct 16	Oct 20	Oct 29	Nov 7	Nov 14	Nov 24
Lake Eufaula	Oct 6	Oct 30	Nov 4	Nov 15	Nov 24	Dec 5	Dec 21
Lawton	Oct 8	Oct 20	Oct 26	Nov 4	Nov 17	Nov 25	Dec 8
Lindsay	Oct 9	Oct 17	Oct 20	Nov 2	Nov 11	Nov 16	Nov 27
Madill	Oct 11	Oct 24	Nov 2	Nov 10	Nov 22	Nov 28	Dec 14
Mangum	Sep 30	Oct 19	Oct 24	Nov 5	Nov 16	Nov 22	Dec 8
Mannford	Sep 25	Oct 7	Oct 12	Oct 24	Nov 6	Nov 11	Dec 9
Marietta	Oct 8	Oct 26	Nov 1	Nov 7	Nov 18	Nov 22	Nov 28
Mcalester	Oct 9	Oct 20	Oct 24	Nov 2	Nov 11	Nov 20	Nov 27
Mccurtain	Oct 1	Oct 16	Oct 20	Nov 1	Nov 11	Nov 20	Dec 5
Meeker	Sep 21	Oct 10	Oct 17	Oct 27	Nov 7	Nov 11	Nov 25
Miami	Sep 30	Oct 10	Oct 18	Oct 28	Nov 6	Nov 11	Dec 5
Muskogee	Oct 7	Oct 18	Oct 22	Nov 2	Nov 11	Nov 18	Dec 3
Mutual	Sep 24	Oct 10	Oct 17	Oct 26	Nov 5	Nov 10	Dec 9
Newkirk	Sep 27	Oct 13	Oct 20	Oct 29	Nov 8	Nov 14	Nov 25
Nowata	Sep 27	Oct 12	Oct 19	Oct 30	Nov 9	Nov 13	Nov 20
Okeene	Oct 1	Oct 17	Oct 20	Oct 31	Nov 10	Nov 16	Dec 21
Okemah	Oct 11	Oct 23	Oct 29	Nov 7	Nov 19	Nov 24	Dec 21
Oklahoma City	Oct 7	Oct 20	Oct 27	Nov 5	Nov 14	Nov 20	Dec 8
Okmulgee	Sep 29	Oct 12	Oct 18	Oct 30	Nov 9	Nov 15	Nov 23
Pauls Valley	Oct 7	Oct 16	Oct 20	Oct 31	Nov 10	Nov 16	Dec 8
Pawhuska	Sep 29	Oct 9	Oct 14	Oct 24	Nov 4	Nov 8	Nov 26
Ponca City	Sep 30	Oct 14	Oct 19	Oct 29	Nov 8	Nov 16	Nov 24
Pryor	Sep 30	Oct 12	Oct 19	Oct 28	Nov 6	Nov 8	Nov 21
Ralston	Sep 26	Oct 8	Oct 12	Oct 22	Nov 4	Nov 8	Nov 11
Reydon	Sep 21	Oct 8	Oct 11	Oct 25	Nov 5	Nov 11	Nov 28
Seminole	Oct 7	Oct 24	Oct 29	Nov 6	Nov 17	Nov 23	Dec 5
Spavinaw	Oct 7	Oct 19	Oct 24	Nov 3	Nov 17	Nov 23	Dec 1
Stillwater	Sep 27	Oct 12	Oct 18	Oct 27	Nov 6	Nov 11	Nov 26
Stilwell	Sep 23	Oct 10	Oct 12	Oct 22	Nov 4	Nov 9	Nov 17
Tahlequah	Sep 27	Oct 8	Oct 16	Oct 26	Nov 7	Nov 17	Dec 2
Tulsa	Oct 8	Oct 25	Oct 29	Nov 5	Nov 14	Nov 20	Dec 9
Vinita	Sep 20	Oct 7	Oct 12	Oct 23	Nov 5	Nov 8	Dec 1
Walters	Oct 7	Oct 22	Oct 27	Nov 5	Nov 16	Nov 22	Dec 8
Waurika	Oct 8	Oct 22	Oct 27	Nov 4	Nov 15	Nov 21	Nov 28
Waynoka	Sep 21	Oct 9	Oct 13	Oct 25	Nov 3	Nov 7	Nov 17
Weatherford	Sep 26	Oct 19	Oct 22	Nov 1	Nov 10	Nov 16	Dec 7
Webbers Falls	Oct 1	Oct 15	Oct 20	Oct 29	Nov 11	Nov 16	Dec 5
Wichita Mtn Wildlife Refuge	Sep 26	Oct 13	Oct 18	Oct 26	Nov 4	Nov 11	Dec 1

Media Contact:

Cerry Leffler
Oklahoma Climatological Survey
120 David L. Boren Blvd., Suite 2900
Norman, OK 73072-7305
405-325-2541
405-325-2550 (fax)
cerry@ou.edu

For Additional Information:

Mark Shafer
Director of Climate Information
120 David L. Boren Blvd., Suite 2900
Norman, OK 73072-7305
405-325-2541
405-325-2550 (fax)
mshafer@ou.edu