Agricultural News
Oklahoma Drought Shows Slight Improvement
Thu, 18 Dec 2014 15:16:19 CST
Winter rain events are helping Oklahoma's drought situation. In the latest US Drought Monitor report four percent of the state dropped its drought rating in the past week. That means
28 percent of the state is no longer receiving a drought classification. The Drought Mitigation Center reported the couple of inches of rain that fell across eastern Oklahoma recently
was a significant moisture event, which improved conditions in the southeast part of the state.
Overall nearly 72 percent of the state remains in drought. The latest report has 5.71 percent of the state in exceptional drought (D4), 15.97 percent in extreme drought (D3), 19.17 percent in severe drought (D2), 20.19 in moderate drought (D1) and 10.93 percent of the state is abnormally dry. According the drought ratings, drought is more widespread and intense across Oklahoma than a year ago.
In the Oklahoma Climatological Survey Mesonet Ticker, State Climatologist Gary McManus said the Climate Prediction Center's one-month outlook is forecasting above normal precipitation and below normal temperatures. The three-month outlook for January through March from the CPC is also calling for above normal precipitation with below normal temperatures. Since this is the driest time of the year, McManus said he does not expect the state will receive drought busting precipitation in the coming months.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's US seasonal drought outlook is predicting drought will persist or intensify across much of the western half of the state. The eastern half looks to remain in drought but show improvement.
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