Tue, Apr 23, 2013
Science of Climate Change and Variability Workshop Oklahomas for Excellence in Science Education, the Oklahoma Climatological Survey, the National Science Foundation, and the University of Oklahoma Biological… Read More »
Mon, Apr 01, 2013
Arrival of Spring Fails to Rescue Dry March April 1, 2013 The wet conditions of February failed to translate into March, but the cooler than normal… Read More »
Thu, Feb 28, 2013
February Brings Winter Storms, Drought Relief February 28, 2013 Winter roared back into Oklahoma during February, providing significant drought relief to much of the… Read More »
Mon, Feb 04, 2013
January Defies Dry Trend January 31, 2013 January seemed destined to finish on the dry side of normal, just as the eight months previous… Read More »
Wed, Jan 30, 2013
Oklahoma Mesonet Weather Camps 2013 We will be hosting two camps in the summer of 2013. A middle school camp for Middle School Oklahoma… Read More »
Wed, Jan 02, 2013
Heat and Drought Dominate 2012 Oklahoma Weather Headlines A slide back to true wintry weather, the likes of which had not been seen across Oklahoma since early… Read More »
Thu, Nov 29, 2012
Oklahoma Drought Picture Worsens During November Oklahoma Drought Picture Worsens During November Drought surged during November with a return to the dry, warm and… Read More »
Thu, Nov 08, 2012
Oklahoma Drought Continues to Expand With some areas of the state awaiting their first drop of rainfall since the end of September and a… Read More »
Thu, Nov 01, 2012
October Interrupts Warm Streak, But Not Drought It’s been awhile since Oklahoma has seen a month like October. Eleven months, to be exact. Not since September… Read More »
Tue, Oct 02, 2012
Late September Rains Provide Drought Relief Hopes for drought relief were starting to fade as September wound down, only to be saved by a slow-moving soaker… Read More »
Thu, Sep 06, 2012
Drought and Wildfires Plague August According to data from the Oklahoma Mesonet, August finished one degree above normal to rank as the 53rd warmest… Read More »
Thu, Aug 09, 2012
Extreme to Exceptional Drought Covers Most of Oklahoma Spurred by the rapidly intensifying flash drought and its impacts, including the extreme fire danger realized in the state… Read More »
Wed, Aug 01, 2012
July Blazes to Sixth Warmest on Record as Drought Expands August 1, 2012 Heat exploded across Oklahoma during July thanks to a rapidly intensifying drought and a persistent upper-level ridge… Read More »
Thu, Jul 19, 2012
Heat and Drought Surge Once Again in Oklahoma The drought plaguing much of the interior United States continues to stretch its tendrils into Oklahoma. Some experts claim… Read More »
Mon, Jul 02, 2012
June Ends On A Scorching Note A blistering final week and a return to drought transformed June from a mildly hot month into a… Read More »
Mon, Jun 04, 2012
May Ends Warmest Spring in Oklahoma History May Ends Warmest Spring in Oklahoma History Fri. June 1, 2012 A pleasantly cool final day and scattered heavy… Read More »
Fri, Mar 30, 2012
OK Regents Summer Academies This summer, invite your students to spend time at an Oklahoma college or university and discover the fascinating worlds of aeronautics,… Read More »
Fri, Mar 23, 2012
Drought Ends for Much of Oklahoma Drought Ends for Much of Oklahoma Thu, Mar 22, 2012 Heavy rain associated with this week’s slow-moving storm… Read More »
Thu, Mar 01, 2012
Warm February Closes Out Eleventh Warmest Winter in Oklahoma Golf clubs replaced parkas as the outdoor accessory of choice this winter, and Oklahoma’s kids can only dream of missed… Read More »
Tue, Jan 03, 2012
EarthStorm-Job Shadow Program for Meteorology Careers Applications for the 2012 Job Shadow Day are available at: http://www.mesonet.org/index.php/earthstorm/page/job_shadow. Deadline: February 3rd, 2012 Job Shadow Day: February… Read More »
Thu, Nov 29, 2012
Oklahoma Drought Picture Worsens During November
Drought surged during November with a return to the dry, warm and windy weather pattern that Oklahoma has become accustomed to over the last couple of years. According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor report, the amount of extreme to exceptional drought rose from 72 percent last week to 91 percent this week. The state had not seen that amount of extreme to exceptional drought since late September. Other than a small but persistent area of moderate drought in far northeastern Oklahoma, the entire state remained in at least severe drought according to the report. The Drought Monitor’s intensity scale slides from moderate-severe-extreme-exceptional, with exceptional being the worst category. The bulk of that increase came across areas in southern and eastern Oklahoma that had been categorized in severe drought since September.
Through November 28, the statewide average temperature stood at 52.4 degrees according to preliminary data from the Oklahoma Mesonet, approximately 3.4 degrees above normal. That would rank this November as the 12th warmest since 1895, although a couple of warm days to finish the month could increase that ranking. November is set to become the 26th month out of the last 32 to finish warmer than normal, dating back to April 2010. Oklahoma’s 2012 January-November average temperature remains approximately two-tenths of a degree ahead of 1954 in a race to break the record for warmest calendar year.
The month has also been exceedingly dry, a continuation of what the state has seen since May. The Mesonet’s statewide average total for the month will finish at 0.57 inches, more than 2 inches below normal and the 21st driest November on record. It has been 63 days since the Mesonet site at Buffalo has seen a day with at least a quarter-inch of rain. Other parts of western and southern Oklahoma have gone from 40-60 days with a similar lack of rainfall. It has been 60 days since the Hollis Mesonet site has recorded a tenth of an inch of daily rainfall and as many as 47 days in the Panhandle. This November stands in stark contrast to last year’s version, which ended as the 12th wettest on record at nearly 2 inches above normal. The current span of particularly dry weather extends farther back than the beginning of November. According to preliminary data from the Oklahoma Mesonet and the National Climatic Data Center, the statewide average rainfall total for May through November was 13.48 inches, the second driest such period on record in Oklahoma. The only drier May through November was 1952’s 13.34 inches.
The combination of wind, warmth and lack of rainfall accelerated the loss of moisture from the state’s soils and reservoirs, and impeded the progress of the winter wheat crop. The November 26 weekly crop update from the USDA’s Oklahoma office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service noted that the state’s topsoil and subsoil moisture conditions were rated 95 percent and 97 percent poor to very poor, respectively. The report also indicated that only 13 percent of the winter wheat crop was rated as good, with one percent in the excellent category. Eleven of the state’s major reservoirs are at less than 70 percent of normal capacity, with an additional eight being below 80 percent. Lake Altus-Lugert is in the worst shape at 17 percent of capacity.
There is very little rain in the forecast, although light amounts are expected across eastern Oklahoma associated with a frontal system early next week. Longer range outlooks from the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC) indicate increased odds of more warm and dry weather in store for December. The CPC also sees increased odds of above normal temperatures lasting through the winter, but little confidence in any prediction on precipitation. December, January and February are the three driest months for Oklahoma.
Oklahoma Mesonet consecutive day without 1/10 inch rainfall
