Agricultural News
Severe Weather this week provided Adequate moisture to Support some Green up in Western Oklahoma
Fri, 06 May 2022 13:39:44 CDT
Statewide Discussion:
Severe weather and storms this week provided adequate moisture to support some green up in western Oklahoma although a few pockets remain where wetting rains have not fallen. Much of the western two-thirds of the Oklahoma Panhandle and a portion of southwestern Oklahoma centered around Beckham County continue to lag with rainfall and herbaceous green up is struggling. Moving into the weekend, temperatures will warm to above-normal coupled with dry air and increasing southerly winds prompting increasing fire danger across the Panhandle and the western tier of counties. Meanwhile, central and eastern Oklahoma will likely feel downright tropical with above-normal temperatures and dew point temperature above 60°
Today:
A cool and rather moist morning will give way to rising temperatures and drying conditions. The highest fire danger indices today will develop in the Oklahoma Panhandle and western tier of counties along the 100th Meridian where temperature will warm into the 80°-88° range under mostly-clear skies. Relative humidity values may dip into the single digits at 9% in western Cimarron County and 15-27% in the eastern Panhandle and extreme western counties. Winds will remain rather calm today in this area with southerly winds sustained 8-14 mph with some higher gusts. Rates of fire spread in rangeland fuels is expected to remain below 90 ft/min offering very good opportunity for initial attack efforts.
Saturday:
A Fire Weather Watch is in effect for Cimarron and Texas Counties where fuels remain available and supportive of problematic fire behavior. Elevated fire weather conditions in extreme western Oklahoma over fuels that have struggled to green up will result in increased fire danger again.
• Western Oklahoma Panhandle:
Temperature 97°-99° with relative humidity values 6-9% will support very receptive fine-dead fuels registering 1-hour fuel moisture values at 2% with localized 1% observations possible. Southwest winds sustained 18-23 mph with gusts around 35 mph will support rates of fire spread on established fires at 182-250 ft/min (2.4 mph) during peak burning conditions. Significant fire potential is limited although large fire occurrence is likely if a fire becomes established prior to initial attack resources arrival.
Sunday:
Hot, dry and breezy conditions continue Sunday across the west holding fire danger in place. Some areas received enough rainfall to support breaks in the fuelscape offering fire suppression opportunity limiting significant fire potential although large fire potential remains in place. Along and west of US 183, temperatures will register 92°-103° with relative humidity values 8-22% yielding extremely receptive fine-dead fuels. Wind speed increases into the afternoon peaking during late afternoon with southerly winds sustained 20-26 mph with some gusts topping 30 mph (40 mph in the western Panhandle). Again, the fuelscape across the area has been broken with recent rainfall prompting green up where wetting amounts were received. Initial attack activity will be challenging with large fire potential in place. Significant fire occurrence potential is low.
Burn Bans:
Refer to: https://ag.ok.gov/divisions/forestry-services/ for the most current burn ban information and links to specific burn ban proclamations.
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