February 2009 Highlights

February 2009

No river flooding occurred this month, though the Illinois River near Tahlequah rose above action stage.

Drought conditions improved during the month, with portions of Pittsburg, Latimer, Pushmataha, and Choctaw counties currently shown as abnormally dry according to the Drought Monitor. Fire wx is still a concern however, with many counties in Eastern OK under burn bans. Check out the government drought portal: www.drought.gov

Tulsa only had 3 days with measurable rain: Feb 9-11. A new daily rainfall record of 1.27" was set on Feb. 10 (old record 0.80" in 1905). No snow was reported this February.

2008-09 Winter: Tulsa was slightly above averave in temperature, ranking 38th warmest out of 104 years, and was the 57th driest (65th wettest) out of 121 years.

2008-09 Winter: Fort Smith was above average for temperature, ranking as the 50th warmest out of 127 years. Fort Smith was the 62nd wettest (66th driest) out of 127 years this winter.

Tulsa had a record daily high temperature of 81 on 2/26 (old record 79 in 1996). Other records this February include: Fayetteville set a record warm minimum temp of 58 on 2/07 (old record 50 in 1965); McAlester had a record high of 82 on 2/26 (old record 81 in 1986), record warm minimum temperatures of 52 on 2/06 and 59 on 2/07 (old record on 2/7 was 52 in 1966), a record rainfall of 1.10" on 2/10 (old record was 0.24" in 1993), and record warm mean temperatures set or tied on 2/6, 2/7, 2/26.

As of March 1, the past 365-day time period was still the 5th wettest for northeast OK according to the Oklahoma Climatological Survey.