Validity?

[Hawkayaks]

Somewhere between 1 and 5 years ago, I heard that the jetstream was dropping more south around the Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas area, which would cause rain and storms to form more over Dallas, Forth Worth and less in places like Arkansas and Northeast/Southeast Oklahoma. I dont know rainfall patterns, but I feel like this trend has been present. Seems that over the last ten years the Tot has run more than northern creeks, like Richland, and especially over the last two years storms have been dying off before they get to Arkansas. Anyone else hear this?

[okieboater]

I do not know as much as I need to know about weather patterns. Most area boaters I know monitor the weather big time.

I do monitor the jet stream multiple times most every day and have a jet stream URL displayed on my tool bar.

What I notice is the way the jet stream is blowing almost always matches our weather here in OK.

For example you could see that stationary high right over OK that gave us several months of hot and dry weather. Soon as that stationary high moved west the jet stream started looping down over OK and we got cooler weather and some rain. Not as much rain as we need but at least some.

Bottom line for us boaters looking for rain, watching the jet stream is another tool for us.

[sig]

The southwest part of Arkansas has traditionally been wetter than other parts. See attached mean annual precipitation map (if it doesn't work, I'll try again from home).

[Eric Esche]

I have not been here long enough to say whether or not the historical precipitation map shown is valid for the current trending period, but thanks for showing it. As a relative newcomer to NWA, I will take it unless some one comes up with data that is more recent. Last 6 years here have seemed to be either flood or drought, and I have wondered each year if THIS was the norm.

I did use the tendency for rivers to dry up in late June to July to schedule my Knee replacement and rotator cuff surgeries so I was not going to miss any more paddleing than I had to, but yet as quickly as I could to minimize the endured pain.

Eric Esche

[okieboater]

Here is one place I look for forecast weather based on historical records

http://www.dryday.com/united-states/col ... -forecast/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The above is for one of my favorite rivers, ARK in Chaffee County CO

You can choose your area for a free 30 day forecast

I cannot say it has always been accurate to the day but is amazing close for longer periods, ie if it sez it will rain over say a week long period, it is pretty accurate