Mesonet Ticker for August 6, 2026

                
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August 6, 2026     August 6, 2026     August 6, 2026     August 6, 2026


The drought that roared




This is a really tough time, especially for those of us driving 2012 Kia Optimas
with an AC that only works when you're driving about 65 mph. They were really
shocked in the parking lot of the 7-Eleven when I gunned it trying to get it
kicked on again, but hey, that can replace those pumps. They have insurance.

It's also tough for anybody dealing with drought in the state, because as I've
been warning for a couple of weeks now, any extension of those above normal
temperatures and below normal rainfall past our 20th-warmest/30th-driest July
we just had would result in a rapid increase. Hey, don't take my word for it
(unless we're talking Pop-Tart flavors, 4-way stop etiquette, or left-lane
interstate rules), others have been warning about this as well.





Well, here's where those predictions come home to roost. And roast. Take a look
at our heatwave.







And our dry spell.













Have a look-see at our soil moisture.







Take a gander at our vegetation condition.





Okay, as Conan (the Barbarian, not O'Brien) said in "Conan the Destroyer"...
"ENOUGH TALK!" I mean, "ENOUGH MAPS!" Let's actually talk about what we're
seeing. So the amount of actual drought in the state (D1-D4) increased from
about 44% last week to about 60% this week, or around 16%. That's pretty big
for one week, but it's the increase in D0 that should alarm you...and alarmed
you should be.

D0 or Abnormally Dry Conditions, while not an actual drought category, signals
areas either in danger of coming into or leaving drought. In this case,
definitely the former. That area increased from about 21% to about 36%. Add up
that D0 area of possible new drought soon of 36%, and the area ALREADY IN
drought of 60%...well, that adds up to about 96% of the state in some form
of drought or hint of drought. So the question now is, will we see relief
before drought takes hold? We need some rainfall, and we need it quick.

Heck, it's raining right now for crying out loud!



The only problem...well, there are LOTS of problems, but the only problem with
THIS round of storms is it ain't coming south very much, and there hasn't been
a lot of rain south of the OK/KS border.



And not much in the forecast during this latest round of storm chances.



And Frankly, or whatever your name is, it's tough to find many toad-stranglers
as we look out over the next week or two.





So what's it mean? Rapid drought onset "flash drought" will probably occur over
the next couple of weeks, minus a serious pattern change. The heat will
continue, both actual and apparent versions. Fire danger will increase,
especially across the western half of the state. Our lakes, reservoirs, and
stock ponds will continue to diminish. Your lawns, trees, and crops will suffer.

Speaking of enough talk...

Gary McManus
State Climatologist
Oklahoma Climate Survey
gmcmanus@ou.edu
                

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