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. . . Ticker for September 3, 2018 . . .
        
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September 3, 2018 September 3, 2018 September 3, 2018 September 3, 2018


Drought on its way out!


AIIEEE!! Tropical madness! We have tropical moisture streaming up from the Gulf,
a disturbance off the Gulf of Mexico headed out way, AND a possible Tropical
Storm way down to the east of the Keys making a beeline for Oklahoma.

If I was a drinking man (chocolate milk, shaken, not stirred...well, I'd drink
it shaken too), I'd think some rum was in order. Although the forecast for the
Gordon is very shaky this far out (they're notoriously fickle things, these
tropical systems), at the very least it would appear we're going to get some
heavy rains from the current system to our south.

http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20180903/Mon-Thur-rain-forecast.gif

And, if the remnant of Gordon does mosey into eastern Oklahoma at the end of
the week, that rain forecast will multiply considerably.

http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20180903/7day-rain-forecast.gif

We have to be careful here. As the Tulsa NWS forecast office cautions:

The remnants of Tropical Storm Gordon could affect our region by late
in the week. There is potential for very heavy rainfall, flash and
river flooding depending on the track of the system. There is still
uncertainty on where the system will track, so stay tuned to the
latest forecast updates.

We currently have drought on the run in the state. We've wiped it out
considerably during August, as you can read about below in the August monthly
summary. But we need help in southwest Oklahoma and parts of the northeast.
Osage and Washington counties in particular.

Need help? WHO YOU GONNA CALL?

Uhhhhh...Gordon?

http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20180903/Tropical-storm-Gordon.png
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August Rains Shrink Drought

Autumnal temperatures, heavy rain, and drought reduction captured the Oklahoma
weather headlines during August, although the blazing voice of summer was still
heard on occasion. Drought shrank considerably in both coverage and intensity
during the month thanks to some well-placed heavy rains. Wind, hail and flash
flooding accompanied a somewhat unusual uptick in severe weather. Flash
flooding necessitated water rescues in several cities, and a Main Street bridge
was washed away in Norman. The severe weather culminated with two confirmed
tornadoes in Mayes and Rogers counties on Aug. 19, damaging mobile homes,
outbuildings and trees. The first tornado passed over the Oklahoma Mesonet
station east of Inola, producing a wind gust of 98 mph near the ground. The
rains were the real star of the month, however.

According to preliminary data from the Mesonet, the statewide average rainfall
was 3.99 inches, 1.04 inches above normal to rank as the 22nd wettest August
since records began in 1895. Thirty-two of the Mesonet’s 120 sites received at
least 5 inches of rain, and another 22 recorded 4 inches or more. Miami led the
state with 11.28 inches, although Wister was close behind at 10.56 inches.
Apache had the lowest total of 1.14 inches. Twelve other sites, each across
western Oklahoma, failed to reach 2 inches.

http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20180903/August-rain-totals.png

http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20180903/Aug-rain-depart-normal.png

http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20180903/Aug-rain-pct-normal.png

The June-August statewide average of 10.8 inches was 0.45 inches above normal
to rank as the 41st wettest climatological summer on record. The Panhandle
enjoyed its 12th wettest summer with an average surplus of 3.21 inches. Sites
in Beaver County were more than 5 inches above normal for the season. In
contrast, many of the Mesonet locations in the southwest corner of the state
were nearly 5 inches below normal. Wister was an impressive 11.6 inches above
normal for the summer at 22.3 inches.

http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20180903/Summer-rain-totals.png

http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20180903/Summer-rain-depart-normal.png

http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20180903/Summer-rain-pct-normal.png

The January-August statewide average of 23.58 inches was 1.28 inches below
normal. A swath from southwest through northeast Oklahoma was 10-12 inches
below normal for the first eight months of the year.

http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20180903/Jan-Aug-rain-totals.png

http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20180903/Jan-Aug-rain-depart-normal.png

http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20180903/Jan-Aug-rain-pct-normal.png

The month was decidedly mild with a statewide average temperature of 79.5
degrees, 1.3 degrees below normal to rank as the 37th coolest August on record.

http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20180903/Aug-avg-temps.png

http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20180903/Aug-temps-depart-normal.png

The Mesonet’s 120 sites failed to record a single triple-digit temperature on
16 days during the month. Hollis and Hooker led August with highs of 104
degrees on the 17th and 30th, respectively. Eva fell to 48 degrees on the 21st
for the month’s lowest temperature. The heat index soared to 113 degrees on
the 16th at Webbers Falls. Thirty-four heat index readings of at least 110
degrees were recorded Aug. 16-17. Bolstered by the warmer-than-normal months of
June and July, the climatological summer ended as the 34th warmest on record,
1.3 degrees above normal.

http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20180903/summer-avg-temps.png

http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20180903/summer-temps-departure.png

Similarly, the first eight months of the year were 0.7 degrees above normal to
rank as the 30th warmest January-August on record.

http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20180903/Jan-Aug-avg-temps.png

http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20180903/Jan-Aug-temps-departure.png

Drought coverage across the state was reduced from 55 percent at the end of
July to 31 percent at the of August, with a wide strip of drought-free
conditions from the western Panhandle through eastern Oklahoma. Drought
intensity was reduced as well. Areal coverage of drought considered at least in
the severe category fell from 32 percent to 19 percent.

http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20180903/July31-Drought-Monitor.png

http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20180903/Aug28-Drought-Monitor.png

http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20180903/July31-Aug28-DM-changes.png

The Drought Monitor’s intensity scale slides from moderate-severe-extreme-
exceptional, with exceptional being the worst classification. The southwest
remained the hardest hit area with 94 percent considered to be in severe or
extreme drought.

http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20180903/Southwest-OK-Drought-Monitor.png

The September temperature outlook from the Climate Prediction Center (CPC)
indicated increased odds of above normal temperatures across the entire state,
with those odds a bit more enhanced in the eastern third.

http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20180903/Sept-temp-outlook.gif

The precipitation outlook showed enhanced odds of above normal precipitation
across the far northwest, but a bit higher chances in the Panhandle.

http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20180903/Sept-precip-outlook.gif

CPC’s September drought outlook called for drought improvement or removal in
the northeast and far southwest areas of the state, but persistence in south
central Oklahoma.

http://ticker.mesonet.org/archive/20180903/Sept-drought-outlook.png

Gary McManus
State Climatologist
Oklahoma Mesonet
Oklahoma Climatological Survey
(405) 325-2253
gmcmanus@mesonet.org
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