Ticker for May 21, 2015

                
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May 21, 2015 May 21, 2015 May 21, 2015 May 21, 2015


A Momentous Drought Monitor Map!

When you have rainfall amounts like this



and this



and soil moisture maps like this





and a reservoir storage map that went from this



to this



is it any wonder that the U.S. Drought Monitor map for Oklahoma went from this



to this



in little over a month?

And what a momentous map that is (hence the title of the Ticker)! For the first
time since March 8, 2011, ZERO extreme or exceptional(D3 or D4) drought is
displayed within Oklahoma's borders.



That map from March 8, 2011, still shows a state with 82% depicted as having
at least moderate drought, but the difference is that was when this 2010-15
drought was just beginning to intensify. The current map shows a drought which
is dying, and dying rather rapidly.

Before March 8, 2011, the previous time Oklahoma was noted with at least extreme
drought was back on August 12, 2008, in the far western Panhandle. Let's hope
the wait this time is much longer for its return, although 3 years or so isn't
bad.



Now the worst map in the history of the Drought Monitor for Oklahoma, going by
the amount of extreme-exceptional drought, occurred on August 7, 2012, with
97% of the state in at least extreme drought. Ugh, what an ugly shade of red
(shout-out to my OSU partners...that's a freebie!).



Although I still believe the map from October 4, 2011, with 70% of the state in
EXCEPTIONAL drought was probably the drought at its peak.



Now, if you're still worried by drought, or by a low lake, or by going almost
two days without flooding rainfall...give it a minute. Help is on the way. If
not this week, then possibly the next.




Hey, we should have cake! Wet, soggy, water-logged cake.

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

May 21 in Mesonet History

Record Value Station Year
Maximum Temperature 102°F GRA2 2005
Minimum Temperature 34°F EVAX 2022
Maximum Rainfall 4.46″ CENT 2013

Mesonet records begin in 1994.

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