Ticker for April 23, 2018

                
MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ...
April 23, 2018     April 23, 2018     April 23, 2018     April 23, 2018


It's actually exciting!




No, you see, in this case watching grass grow is going to be EXCITING because
that means a drastic reduction in the number of high fire danger days. And just
look at what a difference ONE storm can make. Here we have the rainfall totals
from Oct. 10, 2017-April 19, 2018.



And again the totals over the last 3 days.



In fact, in eight cases, Mesonet sites received more rain in the last 3 days
than they had in the previous 191 days!

-***-
Station        Oct. 10-April 19       April 20-23
Woodward             0.64"                1.09"
Hooker               0.35"                0.76"
Boise City           0.19"                0.59"
Kenton               0.36"                0.68"
Slapout              0.53"                0.74"
Eva                  0.51"                0.69"
BUFFALO              0.64"                0.79"
Goodwell             0.56"                0.65"
-****-

And of course there were many stations that were close to accomplishing that
feat but didn't quite make it. Here's what the map looks like for both
periods added together.



It's not a drought fix by any means, as is evident by the pct and departure
from normal maps.





So now we want it to get WARM, and with this moisture start growing some green
vegetation that won't readily burn if a cricket rubs its legs together
(creating friction, heat, and thus a fire...come on, work with me here!). And
the good news is more rain is on the way for the week.



We've been through this drought dilemma enough times over the past several
years that we know it's not ONE rainfall that will fix the problem. Nor is it
one rainfall per month. It's several rainfalls spaced out of a period of weeks
reinforcing each previous rainfall. That way you eliminate the problems with
those rains running off and not soaking in, or soaking in and not running off.
Both the soils and the ponds need their share.

So go outside and watch the grass grow. It's exciting!

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