Some areas of Oklahoma facing drought, by Gary McManus, Oklahoma Climatological Survey
The recent cool weather and smattering of rain enjoyed by Oklahoma came too late to forestall the impacts from over a month of extreme temperatures and dryness. The latest depiction from the U.S. Drought Monitor indicates moderate drought has now gained a foothold in the southeastern one-half of the state. While that is the mildest intensity of drought the Drought Monitor reports, it is often the precursor to more severe development. The Drought Monitor authors solicit advice from local experts at the Oklahoma Climatological Survey and National Weather Service to determine Oklahoma’s drought picture.
The short time it took for the current drought to develop is indicative of a “flash drought” episode. A flash drought can occur when abnormally dry and hot weather negatively affects vegetation and water supplies. Oklahoma was in relatively decent shape going into the hottest and driest part of summer with abundant moisture from June to mid-July. Statewide average rainfall statistics from the Oklahoma Mesonet indicate the June 1-July 12 period was the 13th wettest on record for Oklahoma with a surplus of 2.31 inches. Southwest Oklahoma experienced its wettest such period on record with a surplus of over 4.30 inches. Mother Nature turned the spigots off shortly thereafter, however, and the temperatures began to soar.
Much of the southern one-half of the state received 20-40 percent of normal rainfall since July 12. More than 20 Oklahoma Mesonet stations in southwest, central and east central Oklahoma have recorded less than an inch of rainfall during that period. Oklahoma City has been particularly dry with a meager 0.09 inches of rainfall. Combine that dryness with 14 days of high temperatures at or above 100 degrees and the prime ingredients for a flash drought are in place.
The cooler weather the state has seen over the last few days will help ease the progression of the flash drought, but precipitation is now needed to ease the dryness already in place. The state’s secondary rainy season of September and early October is quickly approaching so perhaps some much-needed moisture recharge is in store. Farther out, La Niña conditions currently developing in the equatorial Pacific could mean a warmer, drier winter for the state so a fall recharge could become even more important.
Hazardous weather outlook, National Weather Service, Norman
HARPER-WOODS-ALFALFA-GRANT-KAY-ELLIS-WOODWARD-MAJOR-GARFIELD-NOBLE-
ROGER MILLS-DEWEY-CUSTER-BLAINE-KINGFISHER-LOGAN-PAYNE-BECKHAM-
WASHITA-CADDO-CANADIAN-OKLAHOMA-LINCOLN-GRADY-MCCLAIN-CLEVELAND-
POTTAWATOMIE-SEMINOLE-HUGHES-HARMON-GREER-KIOWA-JACKSON-TILLMAN-
COMANCHE-STEPHENS-GARVIN-MURRAY-PONTOTOC-COAL-COTTON-JEFFERSON-
CARTER-JOHNSTON-ATOKA-LOVE-MARSHALL-BRYAN-HARDEMAN-FOARD-WILBARGER-
WICHITA-KNOX-BAYLOR-ARCHER-CLAY-
THU AUG 26 2010
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK COVERS NORTHERN…WESTERN…
CENTRAL…AND SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA…AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS.
.DAY ONE…TODAY AND TONIGHT…
THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK…
THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED.
DISCUSSION…
A DRY AND STABLE AIRMASS WILL CONTINUE OVER OKLAHOMA AND WESTERN
NORTH TEXAS. THEREFORE…NO THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED.
PROBABILITY TABLE…
VALID THROUGH 700 AM CDT FRIDAY AUG 27.
PROBABILITY OF THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRING IN THE
NWS NORMAN COUNTY WARNING AREA…ZERO.
OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER…
NONE.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY…
THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK…
THE RETURN OF WARMER TEMPERATURES AND DEEPER MOISTURE WILL LEAD TO A
SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TOWARD THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. THE
CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE GREATEST NEAR A WEAK FRONT IN
NORTHERN OKLAHOMA.
OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER…
NONE.
Record low temperatures for Aug. 25 set yesterday at Gage and Ponca City, National Weather Service, Norman
RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES SET AT GAGE AND PONCA CITY…
A RECORD LOW TEMPERATURE OF 49 DEGREES WAS SET AT GAGE YESTERDAY,
AUGUST 25TH. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 51 SET IN 1966.
A RECORD LOW TEMPERATURE OF 52 DEGREES WAS ALSO SET AT PONCA CITY,
WHICH BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 54 SET IN 1962.
Hazardous weather outlook, National Weather Service, Norman
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WASHITA-CADDO-CANADIAN-OKLAHOMA-LINCOLN-GRADY-MCCLAIN-CLEVELAND-
POTTAWATOMIE-SEMINOLE-HUGHES-HARMON-GREER-KIOWA-JACKSON-TILLMAN-
COMANCHE-STEPHENS-GARVIN-MURRAY-PONTOTOC-COAL-COTTON-JEFFERSON-
CARTER-JOHNSTON-ATOKA-LOVE-MARSHALL-BRYAN-HARDEMAN-FOARD-WILBARGER-
WICHITA-KNOX-BAYLOR-ARCHER-CLAY-
1145 AM CDT WED AUG 25 2010
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK COVERS NORTHERN…WESTERN…
CENTRAL…AND SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA…AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS.
.DAY ONE…THROUGH TONIGHT…
THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK…
THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED.
DISCUSSION…
A COOLER… DRIER AND MORE STABLE AIRMASS WILL CONTINUE TO
OVERSPREAD OKLAHOMA AND NORTH TEXAS THROUGH TONIGHT. THEREFORE NO
THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED.
PROBABILITY TABLE…
VALID THROUGH 700 AM CDT THURSDAY AUG 26.
PROBABILITY OF THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRING IN THE
NWS NORMAN COUNTY WARNING AREA…5 PERCENT.
OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER…
NONE.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY…
THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK…
THE RETURN OF WARMER TEMPERATURES AND DEEPER MOISTURE WILL LEAD TO A
SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS BEGINNING EARLY NEXT WEEK.
OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER…
NONE.
Fort Supply temperature dips to 40.7 degrees
Gary McManus, Oklahoma Climatological Survey, ”Just got word from the folks across the hall at the Norman National Weather Service forecast office that the Fort Supply cooperative observer station reached a low temperature of 40.7 degrees — August 25.The nearest Mesonet station at Woodward only got down to a relatively warm 50 degrees, but the Woodward meteogram tells the story of what occurred at Ft. Supply. Very light northerly winds and clear skies allowed density and radiational cooling to prevail, and the temperature plummeted at the observer’s location.”
Historically, that is the coldest temperature ever recorded in Fort Supply during August, besting the previous record low for the month of 47 degrees, set on August 29, 1988. It shatters the previous record for Ft. Supply on the 25th itself by 10 degrees with the previous record being 51 degrees set back in 1966.Data from Ft. Supply began in 1940. The reading also becomes the 5th-lowest temperature ever recorded in Oklahoma during August (tied with 2 others):
39 MARLOW 1 WSW 8/24/1923
39 OKMULGEE WATER WORKS 8/24/1967
40 BOISE CITY 2 E 8/28/1964
40 JEFFERSON 8/10/1903
41 FT. SUPPLY 8/25/2010
41 JEFFERSON 8/31/1915
41 SOUTH GRAND LA KE 8/21/1950
42 ALVA 1 ENE 8/29/1988
43 CHICKASHA 8/31/1915
43 PAWHUSKA 8/31/1915
43 RALSTON 8/29/1988
43 STILLWATER 2 W 8/31/1915
Hazardous weather outlook, National Weather Service, Norman
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WASHITA-CADDO-CANADIAN-OKLAHOMA-LINCOLN-GRADY-MCCLAIN-CLEVELAND-
POTTAWATOMIE-SEMINOLE-HUGHES-HARMON-GREER-KIOWA-JACKSON-TILLMAN-
COMANCHE-STEPHENS-GARVIN-MURRAY-PONTOTOC-COAL-COTTON-JEFFERSON-
CARTER-JOHNSTON-ATOKA-LOVE-MARSHALL-BRYAN-HARDEMAN-FOARD-WILBARGER-
WICHITA-KNOX-BAYLOR-ARCHER-CLAY-
WED AUG 25 2010
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK COVERS NORTHERN…WESTERN…
CENTRAL…AND SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA…AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS.
.DAY ONE…TODAY AND TONIGHT…
THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK…
THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED.
DISCUSSION…
SCATTERED SHOWERS WILL LINGER EARLY THIS MORNING OVER PARTS OF
SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA….BUT ARE EXPECTED TO END BY LATE MORNING.
OTHERWISE…A COOLER AND DRIER AIRMASS WILL SETTLE OVER THE AREA
PRECLUDING THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT THROUGH TONIGHT.
PROBABILITY TABLE…
VALID THROUGH 700 AM CDT THURSDAY AUG 26.
PROBABILITY OF THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRING IN THE
NWS NORMAN COUNTY WARNING AREA…5 PERCENT.
PROBABILITY OF SEVERE STORMS IF STORMS OCCUR…5 PERCENT.
OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER…
NONE.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY…
THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK…
THE RETURN OF WARMER TEMPERATURES AND DEEPER MOISTURE WILL LEAD TO A
SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS BEGINNING EARLY NEXT WEEK.
OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER…
NONE.
Hazardous weather outlook, National Weather Service, Norman
HARPER-WOODS-ALFALFA-GRANT-KAY-ELLIS-WOODWARD-MAJOR-GARFIELD-NOBLE-
ROGER MILLS-DEWEY-CUSTER-BLAINE-KINGFISHER-LOGAN-PAYNE-BECKHAM-
WASHITA-CADDO-CANADIAN-OKLAHOMA-LINCOLN-GRADY-MCCLAIN-CLEVELAND-
POTTAWATOMIE-SEMINOLE-HUGHES-HARMON-GREER-KIOWA-JACKSON-TILLMAN-
COMANCHE-STEPHENS-GARVIN-MURRAY-PONTOTOC-COAL-COTTON-JEFFERSON-
CARTER-JOHNSTON-ATOKA-LOVE-MARSHALL-BRYAN-HARDEMAN-FOARD-WILBARGER-
WICHITA-KNOX-BAYLOR-ARCHER-CLAY-
1200 PM CDT TUE AUG 24 2010
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK COVERS NORTHERN…WESTERN…
CENTRAL…AND SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA…AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS.
.DAY ONE…TODAY AND TONIGHT…
THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK…
A FEW THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY UNTIL LATE AFTERNOON.
DISCUSSION…
THUNDERSTORMS WILL PERSIST NEAR A COLD FRONT MOVING THROUGH SOUTHEAST
OKLAHOMA THIS AFTERNOON. HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH
THUNDERSTORMS AT TIMES PRODUCING MINOR, LOCALIZED FLOODING.
PROBABILITY TABLE…
VALID THROUGH 700 AM CDT WEDNESDAY AUG 25.
PROBABILITY OF THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRING IN THE
NWS NORMAN COUNTY WARNING AREA…100 PERCENT.
PROBABILITY THAT A STORM WILL REACH SEVERE LEVELS…5 PERCENT.
OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER…
NONE.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY…
THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK…
THERE IS A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS THE FIRST PART OF NEXT WEEK.
OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER…
NONE.
Pottawatomie County, urban and small stream flood advisory, National Weather Service, Norman
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NORMAN HAS ISSUED AN
* URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY FOR…
NORTHERN POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY IN CENTRAL OKLAHOMA…
* UNTIL 1030 AM CDT
* AT 730 AM CDT…WEATHER SERVICE RADAR DETECTED VERY HEAVY RAIN
ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF JOHNSON TO 3 MILES
NORTHWEST OF TECUMSEH…MOVING SOUTH AT 20 MPH. THIS RAIN STRETCHED
ACROSS THE CITY OF SHAWNEE…WHERE THE SHAWNEE SITE OF THE OKLAHOMA
MESONET HAD RECORDED NEARLY 1.5 INCHES OF RAIN IN A VERY SHORT TIME.
AN ADDITIONAL HALF INCH OR MORE OF RAIN IS LIKELY TO FALL IN SHAWNEE
AND THE SURROUNDING AREA.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE ELEVATED LEVELS ON
SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS…AND PONDING OF WATER IN URBAN AREAS…
HIGHWAYS…STREETS AND UNDERPASSES AS WELL AS OTHER POOR DRAINAGE
AREAS AND LOW LYING SPOTS.
Rainfall since midnight, Oklahoma Mesonet
7:25 a.m.
Cherokee – 2.05 inches
Shawnee – 1.97 inches
Pawnee – 1.38 inches
Kingfisher – 1.23 inches
