From Storm Clouds to Rainbows Emily Sutton explains climate change and how families can help make a difference BY ERIN PAGE . PHOTOS PROVIDED. As a child, Oklahoma City meteorologist Emily Sutton won a contest to talk with her town’s mayor about the importance of recycling. Her focus on caring for our Earth has persisted into adulthood. A mom now herself, Sutton says adults could use more of the wonder kids instinctively embody about the natural world, as well as their resolve to make a positive difference. Sutton has been experiencing Oklahoma’s extreme weather firsthand for 14 years. She started her job with KFOR just a few weeks before the infamous 2009 Christmas Eve blizzard. This past summer, she reported the state’s all- time heat index of nearly 127 degrees in Jay, Okla. Weather extremes like these can be a scary subject for kids. As a frequent speaker to school children, Sutton has a knack for helping kids understand these topics and empowering them to devise impactful solutions. We interviewed Sutton to get her take on the impact climate change is already making on our state, the implications for the future and what families can do now to turn the tide.
METEOROLOGIST EMILY SUTTON HAS REPORTED ON OKLAHOMA'S EXTREME WEATHER FOR THE PAST 14 YEARS.
temperature changes take a toll on cattle. Warmer years can mean more disease; colder years can mean more cattle dying off or needing extra coal to keep the cattle warm. These effects on agriculture do impact everyone. We think grocery prices are high right now, but as we have more extreme weather, we all pay out of pocket for that. Small temperature changes also mean insects are sticking around longer, so the mosquito season is longer. We also now have insects that have never before migrated this far north. The pollen season is longer, which can translate to more or worse allergies. Everything is connected to our weather. Climate change can be triggering and political for some — but at the end of the day, you don’t have to believe in climate change to believe in droughts and floods. Science is science. This is our planet — we are all living here and we should take care of it. What are the implications for Oklahoma’s future? The extremes we’re noticing in our weather now will be normal for our grandchildren. The USGS (United States Geological Survey) climate models are in high agreement that Oklahoma can expect our temperatures to be hotter by about 2 to 5 degrees by mid- century, which isn’t that far away, depending on carbon emissions. With lower carbon emissions, OKC can expect an average of 10 additional 100 degree days each summer. With higher emissions, we’d have 20 to 30 additional 100 degree days.
We think of Oklahoma as being a common place for weather extremes — but what are some of the extremes we’ve seen the past few years that you’d classify as abnormal? Within 14 years of being here — even by Oklahoma standards — we’ve had many abnormal weather events, starting, for me, with the Christmas Eve blizzard of 2009, which brought 14 inches of snow. We had the hottest summer on record in 2011, with 63 100 degree days (during which I decided to train for a triathlon!). In May 2013, we had two violent tornadoes hit major metropolitan areas, which is unheard of since less than 1 percent of tornadoes are classified as violent (EF4 or EF5). Only a week and half later, we also had the widest tornado on record, which was 2.6 miles wide with measured winds to nearly 300 miles per hour. This last summer, we set the all-time highest heat index in Jay of nearly 127 degrees. And those are just a few examples. It’s easy to see how climate change affects farmers and others whose livelihoods are tied to the weather. But how does climate change affect everyday families here in the metro? I recently interviewed ranchers and farmers in Loyal, Okla. as they’ve watched the climate change through the years. They’re experiencing longer periods of prolonged drought. The past few winters, we’ve experienced La Niña, or unseasonably warm and dry conditions. Now we’ve switched to El Niño, which can mean below average temperatures and above average precipitation but doesn’t guarantee it. The impact for [these] farmers is that these
22 METROFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM / MAR-APR 2024
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online