Ticker for August 8, 2019

                
MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ...
August 8, 2019     August 8, 2019     August 8, 2019     August 8, 2019


Drought roars ahead!




Severe drought has made an appearance in the state for the first time since
October 2018, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor report. Playing through a
nearly ideal "flash drought" scenario, the abrupt end of beneficial rains during
June and then through July into August, coupled with periods of intense summer
heat, AND adding in an overgrowth of vegetation from the heavy rains of spring,
and you have a ton of pressure on our available moisture supply. The growing
deficits are depicted across the western half of Oklahoma on the Oklahoma
Mesonet's 30- and 60-day rainfall maps.













This has led to a rapid decline in soil moisture, again following the script
of a flash drought scenario.









There is good news. There always is. How good is the question. It's raining
as we speak, AND in the area hardest hit by those deficits. It hasn't been a
lot, but the potential for heavy rain is there, more so up across northern
Oklahoma.









There will be additional rain chances as we go through early next week, mainly
up north as that heat dome meanders to the south a bit.



Now for more bad news. As we get further into next week, the Climate Prediction
Center sees increased odds for above normal temps and below normal precipitation.
More fuel for the flash drought, unfortunately.





More good news. I know, right?!? Those outlooks are based off of yesterday's
model runs. The local forecasters tend to think that the heat dome is going to
break down a bit and allow better rain chances in here next week. Of course,
all of that could change with each model run, until they coalesce into something
more tangible.

Even MORE good news...the end of this Ticker!

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