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 »
Fri, Sep 30, 2011
While little relief from drought was found in September, the reprieve from the intense summer heat was nearly instantaneous. After three summer-like days to begin the month, fall weather kicked into high gear and temperatures plummeted. The hottest summer in Oklahoma history soon gave way to the 30th coolest September since records began in 1895. The statewide average temperature for the month was 70.9 degrees according to preliminary data from the Oklahoma Mesonet, 1.6 degrees below normal. Unfortunately, similarly good news did not arrive for most of drought-stricken Oklahoma. The statewide average precipitation total finished at 1.66 inches for a deficit of 2.15 inches, the 20th driest September on record. The northeastern quarter of the state did see some relief, however, with drought-reducing rainfall totals of 3-4 inches. The rest of the state languished in dusty dry soils with totals of less than 1.5 inches in most areas. The Oklahoma Mesonet site at Oilton led the state with 4.47 inches while the south central town of Durant failed to record a quarter of an inch of moisture.
The end of September also brings the end of the water year (October 1-September 30). That period also encompasses the current drought, whose genesis occurred around this time last year with the arrival of La Nina in the equatorial pacific waters. This water year finished as the second driest on record for Oklahoma with a statewide average precipitation total of 20.26 inches, 16.43 inches below normal. The driest such period on record was 18.69 inches from the 1955-1956 water year. For the Panhandle, west central, central and southwestern parts of the state, it was easily the driest water year on record. Southwest Oklahoma’s water year average of 12.68 inches was more than 18 inches below normal and nearly 5 inches drier than the previous record low total of 17.45 inches, again from the 1955-56 water year.
The latest U.S. Drought Monitor graphic from the National Drought Mitigation Center continues to show over 66 percent of the state is impacted by “exceptional” drought, the worst such designation possible. Recent improvements were seen in east central Oklahoma with much of the northeastern one-quarter labeled in “extreme-severe” drought, the second and third worst drought designations. Three months ago, only 33 percent of the state had the exceptional drought label. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor map indicates the entire state suffering from severe-to-exceptional drought impacts.
The re-emergence of La Nina in the equatorial pacific waters last month does not bode well for the drought-plagued Southern Plains and Oklahoma. The climate phenomenon, marked by cooler than normal sea surface temperatures, often brings warmer and drier weather to the southern one-third of the United States from late-fall through spring. Any hint of drier than normal weather is unwelcome news to Oklahoma’s agricultural industry. Oklahoma has experienced approximately $1.6 billion dollars in losses due to the current drought, according to estimates by Oklahoma State University’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. Conditions entering this La Nina episode are much worse than at this time last year when only four percent of the state had any type of drought designation.
The latest U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook from the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center predicts drought to persist or intensify for all of Oklahoma through the end of 2011. Some improvements are possible in northeastern Oklahoma and the western Panhandle, however. With La Nina’s return, continued drought into 2012 appears likely.
