Ticker for April 18, 2016

                
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April 18, 2016     April 18, 2016     April 18, 2016     April 18, 2016


Drought Drought all null and void




I got a question. If there's a drought, then why are we here at the Gas'n'Sip on
a Saturday night looking at pictures of floods from  across the state?




By choice, man!

(those pics courtesy of Jeff Patterson and Texas County Emergency Management,
respectively)

Those are just a sampling of the flooding that occurred across the state,
especially in the Panhandle and around parts of southern Oklahoma where more than
half a foot of rain fell in some parts.



As you can see, Tillman County up through SW Caddo County, Cimarron and Texas
counties, and then from Jefferson/Love County up through Potttwatatattttwatomie
(yeah, you try and spell it!!!) counties was especially hard hit. At one point,
all of southern Oklahoma was seemingly in a flash flood warning, but we still
have some warnings out there.



Obviously the drought is going to take a huge hit, although there will be a few
areas that still didn't get their fair share (western Roger Mills, for instance,
and parts of the Panhandle). But our main drought impacts, such as the increased
fire danger due to a delayed green up of vegetation, as well as stress on pastures
and crops, should be largely eliminated due to the moisture received. We do
have to be careful and not improve areas that missed out, but this was a pretty
big drought eraser with those select impacts.

What's coming up? Well, apparently more rain, although heavy amounts look
unlikely. In those areas that received the most rainfall, any additional rains
will be problematic, obviously, especially across southern OK.

After that, a bit of a lull until more possible rains early next week. Oh by
the way, it was about this time last year that it started raining and pretty
much didn't stop until August. Not saying that's what we're in for this year,
just a very casual observation. And, once again, not making a prediction here,
but this weekend was a bit more robust than last year's beginning rains.



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