Agricultural News
Oklahoma Drought Conditions Jump According to Latest Drought Monitor Report
Thu, 23 Sep 2021 20:08:39 CDT
According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor report, dry weather favored summer crop maturation and harvesting in many parts of the country, but reduced topsoil moisture for newly planted winter crops. According to the latest U.S. Crop Progress report, 15% of Oklahoma's winter wheat is planted.
In the southern Plains, short-term dryness, aggravated by late-season heat brought on more abnormal dryness increased drought conditions in Oklahoma and Texas.
Some areas in the High Plains saw drought conditions moderately improve due to beneficial rainfall. Still, pasture and range conditions in much of the region continue to suffer.
Precipitation in high elevations of the Rocky Mountains and much of the Pacific Northwest resulted in modest improvements in drought conditions for those areas. East of the Rockies saw hardly any rainfall.
Drought conditions in the southwest deteriorated as the monsoon season passed. Hot, dry weather continues to be fuel for wildfires in the West - especially in California.
To view the Contiguous U.S. Drought map, click here.
Looking ahead, except for the East Coast, most of the remainder of the country is expected to experience dry weather. The only precipitation expected west of the Mississippi Valley should be limited to showers in the Southwest and Pacific Northwest. From the West Coast to the Plains, summer-like warmth will accompany the mostly dry conditions. Although, rainfall may visit areas in the central and southern Great Plains.
To view the 6-to-10-day precipitation outlook, click here.
To view the 6-to-10-day temperature outlook, click here.
According to the U.S. Monthly Drought Outlook map, drought conditions are expected to persist in most of the West, although, in southern parts of Arizona and New Mexico drought conditions likely will improve. Improvement of drought conditions is also predicted in eastern areas of the northern Plains. In Kansas, Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle, further drought development is likely.
To view the Monthly Drought Outlook map, click here.
Oklahoma
Of the dry, hot weather in the southern Plains, Tulsa, Okla. was one of the driest reported. In the last week, moderate or worse drought conditions jumped from 11% to 39%, making current conditions the worst reported this year in Oklahoma.
Nearly 80% of the state is experiencing abnormally dry conditions or worse at this time. Conditions are the worst for the northwestern part of the state, which has been dealing with abnormally dry conditions since spring. Harper and Woods counties are now reporting a small patch of extreme drought. Various areas of severe drought conditions have been reported in Beaver, Cimarron, Creek, Harmon, Harper, Hughes, Noble, Okfuskee, Osage, Pawnee, Payne, Tulsa, Woods and Woodward counties. As a result, the National Weather Service has issued a hazardous fire weather outlook for much of Oklahoma.
To view the Oklahoma drought map, click here.
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