The first drought recorded in the state since November 2015 has reached Oklahoma, according to the Oklahoma Mesonet. While rain fell in large amounts this week in southern and southeastern Oklahoma—-4 inches at Durant—-the northwest and the Panhandle received no rainfall, according to Gary McManus, State Climatologist.
“The tougher pill to swallow is that more rain is expected over the next few days, just not much of it up to the NW,” wrote McManus in his Thursday Mesonet email report.
As a result of the lack of rainfall, 3 percent of the state is now classified as a “moderate drought” and it covers parts of three counties…Roger Mills, Ellis and Woodward.
They are also among 22 counties where conditions are described as abnormally dry. The 22 counties make up 31 percent of the state. A year ago, 98 percent of Oklahoma was in abnormally dry conditions and 70 percent was listed as being in a moderate drought.
But northwest Oklahoma and the Panhandle are areas where there has been no rain. The Panhandle counties have gone 86 consecutive days with rainfall totalling less than 0.25″.
McManus said if there is one plus about the drought and dry conditions, it is that the weather will be cooler and it should help slow the expansion of the drought.
“But the abnormally dry weather does cover 31 percent of the state so there is room for that drought to stretch its legs if rain doesn’t pick up across the NW third of the state,” stated McManus.
