The University of Tulsa

Mountain Cedar Pollen Forecast

Metropolitan Area

Exposure Risk

Oklahoma City

Low

Tulsa

Low

St. Louis MO

Low

 

Date Issued: 16 December 2014

 

Mountain Cedar Location(s): Arbuckle Mountains, OK

 

Regional Weather: Tuesday, Arbuckle Mountains December 16 – TX/OK: Across the region today winds will be flowing from the north with sunny to mostly sunny skies.  High temperatures will be in the mid to upper 40s.  Overnight winds will decrease to light and variable conditions with temperatures into the 30s. To the south, Texas will start the day mostly sunny but partly cloudy skies that will build in from the southwest.  The area will be in the upper 50s and to the east along the Edwards Plateau edge into the low to mid 60s.  Winds will begin from the north and northeast switching to a more easterly and eventually southeasterly flow overnight.  Lows across the area will be in the low to mid 40’s across the Plateau and in the upper 40’s along the I-35 corridor.  Tomorrow will be mostly cloudy to the north in the Arbuckle region with a chance of showers (40 to 50%) and temperatures in the mid 40’s with southeasterly breezes.  Across Texas, cloudy conditions will build in with mostly cloudy skies over the plateau and denser clouds in the surrounding areas.  There will be a 40 to 60% chance of rain across the Edwards Plateau area tomorrow.  The chance of rain increases from south to north.  Temperatures will be in the 50’s and winds will remain from the east to southeast, 5 to 10 mph.  Tomorrow night cloudy skies and continued chance of rain will occur across the area.  Temperatures will remain relatively steady with only a drop of a few degrees. 

Trajectory weather: Air mass trajectories over the Arbuckle Mountains move slowly southward on a dominant northerly air flow today.  Skies will be sunny and highs today will be in the upper 40’s. Winds will begin at levels reaching 10 mph, but towards evening will fall off to light and variable conditions.  Overnight clouds will begin to build in with low temperatures dropping to the mid 30’s.  Tomorrow there will be a 50% chance of showers with cloudy skies predominating.  Winds will be from the southeast and temperatures will rise into the mid 40’s.  Similar conditions will remain overnight with cloudy conditions, a 50% chance of showers and temperatures in the lower 40s.  Winds will remain from the southeast.    Today and tomorrow, the trajectories will remain within the southern Oklahoma to north-central Texas region.  A check earlier this week showed that the Arbuckle Juniper trees were not ready to shed pollen and thus conditions are currently poor for pollination, entrainment and travel from the southern Oklahoma region.

OUTLOOK: *** 
Low Threat Today and Low Threat Tomorrow *** Poor conditions for pollen release today and tomorrow.  Today and tomorrow light winds and moderate temperatures provide good conditions for pollen release and entrainment.  However, a check earlier in the week shows that the cones in southern Oklahoma are not yet ripe.  Therefore there is little threat from these trees as a source of pollen.  However, over the past few days, pollen has been noted in Tulsa as well as Oklahoma City to the north and a number of sites across Texas (see Texas forecast), therefore symptoms of pollen allergies may be affecting individuals.

 


   Trajectory Start (s) (shown by black star on map): Davis, OK



Prepared by: Estelle Levetin (Faculty of Biological Science, The University of Tulsa, 800 S. Tucker Dr., Tulsa, OK 74104) and Peter K Van de Water (Department of Earth and Environmental Science, California State University Fresno, 2576 East San Ramon Avenue, M/S ST24, Fresno CA 93740-8039). This forecast gives the anticipated future track of 

released Mountain Cedar pollen, weather conditions over the region and along the forecast pathway, and an estimated time of arrival for various metropolitan areas.

Questions: Aerobiology Lab e-mail: pollen@utulsa.edu

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