Well it looks as if the heat dome has settled above Oklahoma over the next week. According to State Climatolgoist Gary McManus we will see high heat index values up into the 110’s off and on over the next five days.
McManus says while it is hot this week, there is some hope for change, “Those outlooks can and will change as the heat dome from hades meanders about, and our dim rainfall hopes could also improve as that occurs. As it is now, we see chances for some storms to fire up to the north and head down our way pretty much each night for the next week, but this is pretty iffy right now. We’ll hold out hope on this as well.”
McManus said the worst part about the summer forecast is when its so hot throughout the day, its harder to cool down in the evenings, “Without the ability to refresh overnight and lose the heat stress of the day, that just exacerbates the following day’s heat stress. So it’s a cumulative impact on living things, from plants and livestock to us humans. So when you see lows like this this morning, and what’s expected overnight tonight, be sure to check on your vulnerable friends and family, as well as pets and livestock.”
Even though Oklahomans expect to see high temperatures and hot forecasts throughout the summer in Oklahoma, McManus said that the summer could be even hotter this year: “When we see patterns like this setup, it can be a harbinger of things to come. There’s a difference between being hot and being ABOVE NORMAL hot. Above normal temperatures, so sought after in the winter, are a curse during the summer. And we’ve seen all types of summers just over the last 3 years.”
Even though Oklahoma has seen “mild” summers in the past, McManus says this year is looking more like the summer of 2022, which was the hottest in the state since 2011. ” There was really very little relief from the heat, and it led to an intense flash drought in early June. Summer pretty much lasted through mid-fall that year.”
McManus said there is still a possibility the weather pattern could switch up, but so far he isn’t seeing signs of that just yet. To read more from State Climatologist Gary Mcmanus on his daily ticker, click here:
