Ticker for May 9, 2018

                
MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ...
May 9, 2018        May 9, 2018        May 9, 2018        May 9, 2018


Greenless-Land, part deux




I used this on the Mesonet's Facebook page yesterday, but the relative greenness
maps from the Mesonet's OK-FIRE program back up what we presented yesterday.
Western OK needs some rain for some green up and whack that fire danger back to
nil. Look at the difference one week can make with some decent rains and May
heat as you go from last week's map to this week's. Greenness exploded across
the eastern two-thirds of the state like a snot bomb. Sorry, couldn't think of
any eloquent descriptors this early in the morning. Meanwhile, very little change
across the western third of Mars. I mean Oklahoma.

The reason is two-fold. One, we finally warmed up enough to promote vegetative
growth. April ended as the 2nd coolest on record in Oklahoma, so it definitely
impeded growth. B, we needed some actual moisture. Some of that moisture came
in the previous two weeks, but some of it was already in the soil, awaiting some
more favorable growing conditions.

Now take a look at the right-hand side. That's what it looked like LAST year at
this time. Most of the state was in much better shape last year, because the
rains were better last year (I don't know why I circled south central OK in
this old Ticker image...probably trying to make some inane point).



Despite the green up, and the rains of the past couple of weeks, we now need
May to be May again. A good rain every 2 weeks just won't cut it when you're
dealing with the summer-like temperatures we are immersed in now.



But when we do get chances, however slight, we need them to hit.



So only 9 days in, May has been a disappointment for many.





And if you consider mid-April through mid-June as Oklahoma's primary rainy
season, that part has disappointed most as well.





April showers bring May flowers, sure. But April-May dry spells bring drought
intensification.

And what's up with the June bugs???

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