Agricultural News
Two Thirds of Oklahoma Now in Severe to Extreme Drought
Thu, 19 Jul 2012 10:05:22 CDT
Drought in Oklahoma continued to expand with all but a tiny sliver of southern Love County now being designated as Moderate Drought or worse. The percentages for severe to extreme drought in the state has jumped dramatically in the last seven days from just over 38% to more than 64% in those two categories of the dryness ranking. This latest Drought Monitor update- as seen above- shows that none of Oklahoma is considered to be in exceptional drought- compared to almost 43% of Oklahoma that was in that worst drought category one year ago.
Nationally- the July 17, 2012, U.S. Drought Monitor map showed increases in the area of the United States in all categories of drought, setting a record for the third consecutive week for the total area of the country in drought during the 12-year history of the map. As of July 17, 53.17 percent of the country was in moderate drought or worse, up from 50.92 percent a week earlier. You can see the latest National Drought Monitor Map at the bottom of this story.
"We continue to see drought spreading and intensifying," said Brian Fuchs, climatologist and U.S. Drought Monitor author at the National Drought Mitigation Center, based at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. "Even though we've made improvements in places like Texas where they've had rain, drought has expanded in other areas, like eastern Iowa."
Statistics released with the July 17 Drought Monitor map show 53.17 percent of the United States and Puerto Rico in moderate drought or worse, compared with 50.92 percent a week ago; 35.32 percent severe or worse, compared with 31.11 percent a week ago; 11.32 percent extreme or worse, compared with 9.71 percent a week ago; and .83 percent exceptional or worse, compared with .62 percent a week ago.
"The dryness and heat wave pattern are still locked in," Fuchs said. "The latest forecast says this isn't changing. This could easily go on into September."
The U.S. Drought Monitor map is produced in collaboration by the National Drought Mitigation Center at UNL, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and about 350 drought observers across the country. It is released each Thursday based on data through the previous Tuesday.
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