Agricultural News
Flash Drought Now Up to Nine Percent of Oklahoma in Latest Drought Monitor
Fri, 04 Sep 2015 05:19:30 CDT
Flash drought has jumped up and grabbed south central and southeastern Oklahoma since mid July. According to the latest Drought Monitor, severe drought is now up to 3% of the state, all across far SE OK, and moderate-severe is up to 9%. Areas in at least abnormally dry (D0) conditions now cover 20.43 percent of the state.
According to Oklahoma Climatologist Gary McManus, the southcentral and southeastern counties are the most worrisome. He writes in the Thursday, September third Mesonet Ticker "The 2nd driest such period for south central Oklahoma since at least 1921, 4 inches below normal. And the southeast ain't much better. Combine that with that heat dome that sat over the state for so long (and made a comeback this week) and you have the perfect ingredients for flash drought. All those heat indexes of 110-115 meant all that previous 3 months worth of rainfall was evaporating from the soils and the lakes/ponds/reservoirs."
The map above is the latest Drought Monitor released Thursday morning and includes moisture through Tuesday, September first. The map below is of toal rainfall in the state from July 10th through today- and that is what McManus is referencing as being so very dry.
Perhaps the best news in the weather arena is the possibility of rainfall and cooler temperatures arriving next Wednesday or Thursday- based o nthe current extended outlook for the state.
The complete Ticker for September third can be read by clicking here.
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