National Weather Service Norman, Oklahoma facts for kids
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 The National Weather Center complex, which has housed the NWS Norman office since the facility opened in 2006. |
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| Agency overview | |
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| Formed | November 1, 1890 |
| Preceding agencies |
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| Jurisdiction | Federal Government of the United States |
| Headquarters | 120 David L Boren Blvd, Norman, Oklahoma 73072 35°10′55″N 97°26′24″W / 35.182°N 97.440°W |
| Employees | 25 |
| Agency executives |
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| Parent agency | National Weather Service (operating as a branch of the NWS Southern Region Headquarters) |
The National Weather Service - Norman, Oklahoma (also called OUN) is a special office of the National Weather Service. It is located in Norman, Oklahoma. This office creates weather forecasts and sends out weather warnings. It covers central and most of western Oklahoma, plus parts of north Texas.
The Norman office is part of the National Weather Center at the University of Oklahoma. It works closely with other weather groups from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Mark Fox is currently in charge of the office.
The Norman Weather Forecast Office uses three NEXRAD (WSR-88D) Doppler weather radar sites. These radars help them see weather across their area. The radars are in Oklahoma City, Frederick, and at Vance Air Force Base. The office is well-known for its important work. It has been recognized by local news and even by former United States President Barack Obama.
Contents
How the Norman Weather Office Started
Where the Office Has Been Located
The U.S. Weather Bureau opened the first forecast office in central Oklahoma on November 1, 1890. It was first in Oklahoma City at the Overholser Opera House. In 1902, the office moved to the Culbertson Building.
In 1906, the office moved again to a new weather building at 1923 Classen Boulevard. By 1932, it started moving its work to Will Rogers Airport. A special building for the Weather Bureau was built at the airport in 1965. Soon after, the U.S. Weather Bureau changed its name to the National Weather Service (NWS).
On January 27, 1987, the NWS office moved from Oklahoma City to Norman. It went into a building built just for the NWS at Max Westheimer Airport. The National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) joined them there in 1990.
In 1995, the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) also moved to the Norman campus. Then, on August 7, 2006, all these groups moved into the new National Weather Center building. This building is on the University of Oklahoma campus.
How Weather is Forecasted
The Norman Weather Forecast Office is in charge of predicting weather. It also sends out warnings for dangerous weather. This covers 48 counties in Oklahoma and eight counties in western north Texas. Big cities like Oklahoma City, Lawton, and Wichita Falls are in its area.
The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) issues severe thunderstorm and tornado watches. The Norman office then gives updates on these watches for its area.
If there's a problem at the Norman office, like a power outage, another NWS office can take over. The Tulsa office would then issue forecasts and warnings. This plan helps make sure people always get important weather alerts.
The Norman office has given warnings for many big weather events. This includes major tornado outbreaks and severe winter storms.
The 1999 Oklahoma Tornado Outbreak
In May 1999, a huge tornado outbreak hit Oklahoma. The worst day was May 3. One tornado caused over $1 billion in damage. This tornado moved through the southern part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area.
Near Bridge Creek, a special radar measured very high winds in the tornado. They were about 301 miles per hour! These are some of the strongest winds ever seen in a tornado.
At 6:57 p.m. that evening, the Norman office issued the first ever tornado emergency. This was for Moore and southern Oklahoma City. This special warning was created to tell people about the extreme danger. It helped local news share how serious the tornado was.
Online Weather Information
The National Weather Service office in Norman has many websites for the public. These sites give weather information for their forecast area. The main Weather.gov page for Norman has lots of details.
You can find current weather conditions and forecasts for cities. There's also a map showing active warnings and advisories. You can see weather observations from across the area. The site also shares information about past and current weather events.
The NWS Norman office also uses social media like Facebook and Twitter. They use these to share quick forecasts and weather alerts.
Local Forecast Map
The Norman office's website has a local forecast map. This map shows current weather and forecasts for the next few days. It also has a seven-day forecast for the region.
Sometimes, special maps are added for dangerous weather. These might show where severe storms are expected. They can also show how much rain or snow is expected.
Weather Observation Data
The Norman office's website also lists Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) sites. These sites collect weather data. You can find logs of weather data from these sites for the past three days. New information is added regularly.
NOAA Weather Radio
The Norman Weather Forecast Office runs twelve NOAA Weather Radio transmitters in Oklahoma. It also has one in western north Texas. These radios broadcast forecasts, current weather, and warnings. They also share historical weather information.
These transmitters use the Emergency Alert System to send out important alerts. This includes tornado warnings from the NWS and other emergency messages.
The office tests its alert system every Wednesday. This happens at 12:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Central Time. If bad weather is expected, the test is postponed to the next Wednesday.
| City of license | Call sign | Frequency (MHz) | Sign-on date | Service area of transmitter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altus, Oklahoma | WWG97 | 162.425 | June 17, 1998 |  |
| Ardmore, Oklahoma | KXI57 | 162.525 | September 6, 1999 |  |
| Atoka, Oklahoma | KWN49 | 162.500 | 2003 |  |
| Chickasha, Oklahoma | KJY94 | 162.450 | January 7, 2007 |  |
| Clinton, Oklahoma | WXK87 | 162.525 | January 6, 1979 |  |
| Enid, Oklahoma | WXL48 | 162.475 | June 13, 1979 |  |
| Lawton, Oklahoma | WXK86 | 162.550 | December 15, 1978 |  |
| Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | WXK85 | 162.400 | September 18, 1978 |  |
| Ponca City, Oklahoma | WWF42 | 162.450 | September 30, 1994 |  |
| Stillwater, Oklahoma | WNG654 | 162.500 | July 13, 2004 |  |
| Wewoka, Oklahoma | KJY95 | 162.550 | November 29, 2006 |  |
| Wichita Falls, Texas | WXK31 | 162.475 | May 2, 1978 |  |
| Woodward, Oklahoma | WWG46 | 162.500 | September 25, 1997 |  |
