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Powerful Pacific System Impacting the West; First Significant Snow for Portions of the East

Power Pacific system will continue to bring significant impacts for Pacific Northwest into northern California the remainder of the week. Dangerous coastal affects, heavy rain, flooding, strong winds, and higher elevation mountain snow continues. Meanwhile, a storm across the east is set to bring the first accumulating snow to many higher elevations of the Catskills into the central Appalachians. Read More >

Tulsa, OK

Weather Forecast Office

February 2013 Climate and Hydrology Summary

Weather.gov > Tulsa, OK > February 2013 Climate and Hydrology Summary

 

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February 2013 & Winter 2012-13

  • Fort Smith: No daily records were set or tied this month.
  • Using the radar-derived estimated observed precipitation from the RFCs, rainfall totals for February 2013 ranged from 2” to around 5”, with the highest totals in east central OK and west central AR. Far southeast OK and far northwest AR still ended the month with only 50%-90% of the normal February rainfall, though a large portion of the area did receive 125% to around 200% of the normal this month.
  • No river flooding occurred this month.
  • According to the Drought Monitor from February 26, 2013, all of eastern OK and northwest AR was in Severe to Extreme drought, except for Carroll County in Moderate drought. The rain and snow at the end of February helped reduce the drought impacts across the HSA, and for the first time since the end of July 2012, exceptional (D4) drought was not affecting eastern OK or northwest AR. Extreme drought (D3) conditions were still affecting portions of Osage, Pawnee, Creek, western Tulsa, Washington, and western Nowata Counties in eastern OK. Severe (D2) drought was present across the remainder of the area, except for Carroll County, where Moderate (D1) conditions existed.
  • According to the Oklahoma Climatological Survey, January 30-February 28, 2013 was the 14th wettest for northeast Oklahoma, the 23rd wettest for east central Oklahoma, and the 26th wettest for southeast Oklahoma. Records go back to 1921.
Winter (December - January - February) 2012-13
  • Using the radar-derived estimated observed precipitation from the RFCs, rainfall totals for Winter 2012-13 ranged from 4” to near 15” northwest to southeast across the area. Overall, most of the area was 50% to around 100% of normal rainfall for the winter time period, though a few areas ended the winter with above normal precipitation.
  • According to the Oklahoma Climatological Survey, Winter 2012-13 was the 33rd wettest for northeast Oklahoma, the 40th wettest for east central Oklahoma, and the 44th driest for southeast Oklahoma. Records go back to 1921.
Outlook
  • The Climate Prediction Center CPC outlook for March 2013 (issued February 28, 2013) indicates equal chances for above, near, and below normal temperatures and equal chances for above, near, and below median precipitation across all of eastern OK and northwest AR. This outlook is based primarily on short-range computer models and recent snow, rain, and corresponding soil moisture impacts on temperatures in the short term.
  • For the 3-month period Mar-Apr-May 2013, CPC is forecasting a greatly enhanced chance for above normal temperatures and an equal chance for above, near, and below median precipitation across all of eastern OK and northwest AR (outlook issued February 21, 2013). This outlook is primarily based on dynamic computer model output, with some input from statistical forecast tools and long-term trends.
  • According to CPC, ENSO neutral conditions remained through February. ENSO neutral conditions are expected to continue well into Spring 2013, followed by uncertain conditions in the ENSO state beyond that time.
 

 

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