October Climate Data is supplied by @OKMesonet

Periods of Record Temps #1903-2010 Precip #1903-2012 Snow #1903-2012 # - large gaps in record	Key * - Record since tied Highlight = Oct record All Temps in deg F All Precip in inches Sig Prcp Freq = Pct of days with >= 0.1" precip	Oct. Averages High Temp 78 F Low Temp 50 F Avg Temp 64 F Precip 2.85" Snow 0.0"				1 T Avgs: 85/54 Sig Prcp Freq: 6% Extremes: High T 104 (1977) Low T 39 (1985) Precip 1.46 (1941)
2 T Avgs: 85/55 Sig Prcp Freq: 8% Extremes: High T 102 (2000) Low T 40* (1975) Precip 1.12 (1986)	3 T Avgs: 84/55 Sig Prcp Freq: 12% Extremes: High T 104 (2000) Low T 40 (1975) Precip 2.15 (1955)	4 T Avgs: 83/56 Sig Prcp Freq: 15% Extremes: High T 102 (1928) Low T 38 (1979) Precip 3.57 (1953)	5 T Avgs: 82/55 Sig Prcp Freq: 14% Extremes: High T 98 (1937) Low T 37 (1932) Precip 3.45 (1919)	6 T Avgs: 82/55 Sig Prcp Freq: 13% Extremes: High T 99 (1937) Low T 35 (2001) Precip 2.31 (1930)	7 T Avgs: 80/53 Sig Prcp Freq: 16% Extremes: High T 101 (1979) Low T 31 (1952) Precip 1.13 (1919)	8 T Avgs: 80/53 Sig Prcp Freq: 16% Extremes: High T 99 (1979) Low T 34 (1976) Precip 1.54 (1919)
9 T Avgs: 81/52 Sig Prcp Freq: 13% Extremes: High T 99* (1928) Low T 26 (2000) Precip 4.44 (1918)	10 T Avgs: 80/51 Sig Prcp Freq: 11% Extremes: High T 96 (1963) Low T 27 (2000) Precip 1.66 (1926)	11 T Avgs: 79/52 Sig Prcp Freq: 7% Extremes: High T 97 (1954) Low T 34 (1932) Precip 1.43 (1931)	12 T Avgs: 79/52 Sig Prcp Freq: 12% Extremes: High T 95 (1979) Low T 28 (1977) Precip 1.71 (1960)	13 T Avgs: 80/53 Sig Prcp Freq: 11% Extremes: High T 100 (1954) Low T 34 (1986) Precip 3.73 (1923)	14 T Avgs: 79/52 Sig Prcp Freq: 14% Extremes: High T 99 (1928) Low T 34* (1969) Precip 1.89 (1960)	15 T Avgs: 78/51 Sig Prcp Freq: 23% Extremes: High T 97 (1917) Low T 35* (1914) Precip 3.31 (1915)
16 T Avgs: 78/51 Sig Prcp Freq: 16% Extremes: High T 96 (1917) Low T 30 (2001) Precip 1.80 (2006)	17 T Avgs: 77/50 Sig Prcp Freq: 12% Extremes: High T 98 (1972) Low T 31* (1976) Precip 1.05 (1942)	18 T Avgs: 77/49 Sig Prcp Freq: 12% Extremes: High T 95 (1972) Low T 33 (1948) Precip 4.16 (1965)	19 T Avgs: 77/48 Sig Prcp Freq: 4% Extremes: High T 95 (1940) Low T 25 (1989) Precip 1.40 (1983)	20 T Avgs: 75/48 Sig Prcp Freq: 12% Extremes: High T 95 (1979) Low T 25 (1976) Precip 7.10 (1983)	21 T Avgs: 76/48 Sig Prcp Freq: 18% Extremes: High T 95 (2003) Low T 32 (1917) Precip 1.96 (1972)	22 T Avgs: 75/48 Sig Prcp Freq: 15% Extremes: High T 93 (1939) Low T 29 (1990) Precip 2.76 (1986)
23 T Avgs: 73/47 Sig Prcp Freq: 20% Extremes: High T 92 (2003) Low T 28 (1917) Precip 1.33 (1977)	24 T Avgs: 73/45 Sig Prcp Freq: 13% Extremes: High T 95 (2003) Low T 27 (2005) Precip 1.25 (1949)	25 T Avgs: 73/46 Sig Prcp Freq: 9% Extremes: High T 91 (1939) Low T 28 (2005) Precip 2.18 (1923)	26 T Avgs: 73/45 Sig Prcp Freq: 13% Extremes: High T 93 (1950) Low T 26 (1957) Precip 2.60 (1918) Snow trace* (1913)	27 T Avgs: 72/44 Sig Prcp Freq: 12% Extremes: High T 91 (1930) Low T 26 (1997) Precip 0.74 (2000)	28 T Avgs: 72/45 Sig Prcp Freq: 8% Extremes: High T 90 (1937) Low T 26 (1925) Precip 1.95 (1991)	29 T Avgs: 73/45 Sig Prcp Freq: 11% Extremes: High T 92 (1950) Low T 20 (1980) Precip 1.50 (2009)
30 T Avgs: 72/45 Sig Prcp Freq: 13% Extremes: High T 90 (1963) Low T 17 (1917) Precip 1.90 (1979)	31 T Avgs: 70/44 Sig Prcp Freq: 21% Extremes: High T 88* (1944) Low T 17 (1993) Precip 1.88 (1940) Snow trace (1941)

Food Safety and Kitchen Cleaning After a Disaster #NATLPrep

Flooding can cause power outages for hours, days and even weeks, which may make food unsafe to eat.  If a fire, flood, power outage or natural disaster impacts your home, minimize the potential loss of food and reduce the risk of foodborne illness by knowing how to determine food safety. You can learn the right decisions for keeping your family safe after a power outage with food and cleaning safety facts from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). After a Flood Use bottled drinking water that has not come into contact with flood water. Do not eat any food that may have come in contact with flood water. Discard any food that is not in a waterproof container if there is any chance it may have come in contact with flood water. Food containers that are not waterproof include those with screw-caps, snap lids, pull tops, and crimped caps. Discard cardboard juice/milk/baby formula boxes and home canned foods if they have come in contact with flood waters.  They cannot be cleaned and sanitized effectively.  Inspect canned foods; discard any food in damaged cans. Check cans for  swelling, leakage, punctures, holes, fractures, extensive deep rusting, or crushing/denting severe enough to prevent normal stacking or opening with a manual, wheel-type can opener. Discard wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby bottle nipples, and pacifiers that may have come in contact with flood waters. There is no way to clean them safely.  Thoroughly wash metal pans, ceramic dishes, utensils (including can openers) with soap and water (hot water if available). Rinse and sanitize them by boiling in clean water or immersing them for 15 minutes in a solution of 1 tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of drinking water. Thoroughly wash countertops with soap and water (hot water if available). Rinse and then sanitize them by applying a solution of 1 tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of drinking water. Allow it to air-dry. Note: If your entire refrigerator or freezer was in flood waters — even partially — it is unsafe to use and must be discarded. After a Weather Emergency The USDA also issued a news release with food safety tips to follow in advance of losing power, steps to follow if the power goes out,  and food safety after a flood. There were also steps to follow after a weather emergency. Check the temperature inside of your refrigerator and freezer. Discard any perishable food (such as meat, poultry, seafood, eggs or leftovers) that has been above 40°F for two hours or more.        Check frozen food for ice crystals. The food in your freezer that partially or completely thawed may be safely refrozen if it still contains ice crystals or is 40°F or below. Never taste food to decide if it is safe. When in doubt, throw it out.  For more information about cleaning up after a disaster, review Prepareathon’s Flood and Hurricane guides. Also, see food safety tips at Ready.gov.

Get Involved During National Preparedness Month #NatlPrep

The fourth week of National Preparedness Month (NPM) 2017 begins on Sunday, September 24. Each week NPM focuses on a different preparedness action. The theme for September 24-30 is Get Involved! Be a Part of Something Larger. Share preparedness information or create a preparedness program for your community, campus, business, or faith-based organization. Consider the following preparedness steps from the Ready Campaign: Join Campus CERT or Ready Campus activities. Get your business, faith-based organization, and community prepared for an emergency. Register to volunteer with a voluntary or faith-based organization active in disaster. Visit www.nvoad.org to learn more. Become a Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador. If you plan to host a preparedness event, we encourage you to share it on the Prepareathon™ website. You can find more resources including the weekly themes, graphics, videos, and social media content in the NPM Toolkit.

Simple Steps for Earthquake Preparedness

August 24 marked the anniversary of the 2011 East Coast earthquake. While earthquakes may be more prevalent in some areas than others, they can happen anywhere and are unpredictable. Taking steps ahead of time to protect yourself in the event of an earthquake is vital in reducing injuries and loss of life. The vast majority of injuries during an earthquake occur because of flying glass and falling objects. Stay safe with these tips from Prepareathon’s How to Prepare for an Earthquake guide: Prepare your home for an earthquake by securing all items that could fall and cause injuries (e.g. bookshelves, mirrors, light fixtures). Practice how to Drop, Cover, and Hold On under a desk or table. Watch the When the Earth Shakes video for more information on what to do if an earthquake happens while you are inside, outside, or driving. Plan how you will communicate with family members by making a family emergency communication plan. When the shaking stops, look around. If there is a clear path to safety, leave the building and go to an open space away from any damage. For more tips on earthquake preparedness, visit www.ready.gov/earthquakes.

National Prepareathon Day September 15 #NatlPrep

Disasters and emergencies raise our awareness of the need to prepare ourselves, our families, and our communities for the types of disasters that can affect us. Hurricanes Harvey and Irma are reminders that disasters are often unpredictable.  While September is National Preparedness Month, September 15 is National Prepareathon™ Day, which aims to highlight the preparedness actions that individuals, families, and organizations completed over the past year. Sit down with your loved ones to take stock of your preparedness efforts and consider taking the following actions: Talk with your family and neighbors about planning for an emergency and identify an out-of-town emergency contact that can help your household reconnect if a disaster affects you.  Consider the costs associated with disasters such as insurance deductibles and evacuation costs, and plan for those costs. Anticipate initial out-of-pocket disaster expenses for lodging, food, gas, and more. Check your insurance coverage to make sure you are protected against the risks you face. Most homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover damage or losses from flooding. Consider starting a savings account, if you do not have one already, to help you recover from an emergency or disaster. Use the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit to get started. The EFFAK is a flexible tool designed to help individuals and families at all income levels collect and secure the documentation they would need to get on the road to recovery without unnecessary delays, should disaster strike. Download the FEMA app, which allows you to sign up for weather alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations across the country. Also, sign up for local alerts and warning systems your community may have.  Learn where your community’s shelters are located (and whether or not they are pet-friendly). Practice using your community’s evacuation routes should you be required to leave – this way, you know exactly where you would go, how to get there, and what to do if an emergency occurs. To participate in National Prepareathon Day and share your achievements with the rest of the Nation, register your preparedness action on the Prepareathon website and post about your success on social media with the hashtags #HowIPrepare or #HowWePrepare.

Avoiding Disaster Fraud

After a disaster, many community-based organizations come together to support the needs of those affected. Unfortunately, individuals with ulterior motives may also prey on those disaster survivors by offering fraudulent services. Learn how to protect yourself and your finances from additional loss. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offers reminders to help you avoid disaster fraud, including: Do not pay a fee to apply for FEMA disaster assistance or to receive it. FEMA does not charge a fee for these services. Get three written estimates for repair work. Check credentials, and contact your local Better Business Bureau or Chamber of Commerce to learn about any complaints against the contractor or business. Make sure you obtain a written contract detailing all necessary services and costs before work begins. The contract should also have a projected completion date and outline ways to negotiate changes and settle disputes. Pay only by check or a credit card. A reasonable down payment may be required to buy materials for some projects, but do not pay anything without a signed contract.   Be sure to check out the full list of disaster fraud tips and stay vigilant when disaster strikes. To register for FEMA disaster assistance, call 1-800-621-3362 (TTY: 800-462-7585) or visit www.DisasterAssistance.gov.

How Will Your Family Evacuate? #OKfire

As coastal areas pay close attention to hurricane season and many other areas of the country experience wildfires, now is a great time to develop an evacuation plan with your family, and practice it to ensure you know what to do should an emergency occur. In some circumstances, local officials decide that the hazards are serious and require mandatory evacuations. Wherever you live, knowing what to do in the event you need to leave your home is critical. Review these evacuation guidelines from the Ready Campaign and develop your plan now: Plan places where your family will meet, both within and outside of your immediate neighborhood. Develop an emergency communication plan to decide these locations before a disaster. Keep at least half a tank of gas in your vehicle at all times in case you need to evacuate. Become familiar with alternate routes and other means of transportation out of your area. Choose several destinations in different directions, so you have options in an emergency. Plan how you will leave if you do not have a car.  Make arrangements with family, friends, or your local government. Take your emergency supply kit with you. Take your pets with you, but understand that some public shelters may only admit service animals. Plan how you will care for your pets in an emergency. Unplug electrical equipment such as radios, televisions, and small appliances. Leave freezers and refrigerators plugged in unless there is a risk of flooding. If there is damage to your home and you are instructed to do so, shut off water, gas, and electricity before leaving. The FEMA mobile App can also help you create an evacuation plan, make an emergency supply list, and provide you with weather alerts from the National Weather Service. Take action today to prepare for an emergency.