Mesonet Ticker for July 10, 2025

                
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July 10, 2025      July 10, 2025      July 10, 2025      July 10, 2025


Tis but a scratch




*This is a gentle reminder that D0 (i.e., that yellow color on the Drought
Monitor map) isn't drought, it signifies "abnormally dry conditions," for areas
either possibly entering or exiting drought. D1 is where drought starts on their
intensity scale.*

Well, that month was great whilst it lasted. The month without any color on the
U.S. Drought Monitor map, that is...the Oklahoma version. Since being color free
for the first time since June 2019 back on June 10 (and drought free since June 3),
things have continued to dry out across SW OK. You can see in the top graphic that
that far corner is now down to less than 50% of normal precip over the last 60
days, and that's also being reflected in the soil moisture from that area as well.

In other words, we're starting to see impacts.





Aye, 'tis but a scratch, but that's how droughts start, you know. This one
might be very short-lived, however, much like my teen idol phase back in my
youth. Well, this is a bit longer than that period (i.e., zero), because this
little foray back into drought'ish territory might last just a week if the
rainfall forecasts are accurate (work with me here, folks!).



A stalled front this weekend is gonna be the focus for some possible heavy
rains, enough so that we're in the "slight" flood risk area in the WPC's
excessive rain risk map for this weekend. Say that three times fast!!

"That three times fast."

That wasn't so tough.



And the action could keep going deep into next week as well, with increased
odds of both below normal temps and above normal rainfall.



Like I said yesterday, if you see an extended period of below normal temperatures
in the summer here in Oklahoma, it's probably due to rainfall (and the clouds
associated with it).

We're gonna bake today though, with some pressure cooker heat that we're just
not used to yet since it's been so mild, so those that are sensitive to high
heat index conditions should take extra precautions to stay hydrated and seek
cool areas.







So again, to reiterate, and say again, I think this bit of dry flare-up might
be short-lived, much like my foray into hair products. We will be watching as
we go forward if SW OK should miss out on the rains, however. And we do have
La Nina trying to rear its ugly head as we get into the cool season, where
we're now seeing prognostications between that and "Neutral Conditions" go
head-to-head.



Let's get through the next 4-5 months before we worry about that, but something
to keep in mind.

Want something else to keep in mind? Okay, how about this...why did those
Imperial Stormtroopers wear those white armored suits if they croaked after a
single blaster shot?

Yeah, exactly!

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

                

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