Ticker for August 27, 2020

                
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August 27, 2020    August 27, 2020    August 27, 2020    August 27, 2020


800-pound hurricane




Well, we might as well lead with the 800-pound hurricane in the room, as Laura
slammed ashore last night as a monster Cat-4 storm. The damage from the
wind and associated storm surge was catastrophic, as could be expected. For our
weather, the fringe counties along our border with Arkansas will be affected
throughout today, with McCurtain County feeling the worst our state will see. That
county will continue in a flash flood watch and high wind warning until Laura
passes to the northeast and pulls her impacts with her.





Farther to the west, our old nemesis -- drought -- is starting to flare up
once again. Fueled by another dry week and high temperatures, we now see
extreme drought once again spreading in far southwest and up into west central
Oklahoma. In fact, this is the first week we haven't seen some decent
improvements in some part of the state.



The rains over the last week, save for far southeastern OK, were spotty at
best, and lesser at least.



This was really poor timing, and August thus far is not shaping up to be like
our wet July. Augusts tend to do that, earning their rep as our most miserably
hot and dry combo summer month. If your lawn has turned yellow, that's to be
expected.







Most parts of the state are comparing unfavorably to August 2000, which is not
good territory.



Yeah, not pretty, right? (Those are the same words I say every time I look
in the mirror...my self esteem fluctuates inversely with the amount of drought
each week). Heck, the summer itself has been downright nasty for most folks, at
least precip-wise.









There might be help on the horizon. A series of cold fronts will start Saturday
and then a couple of times next week, with each bringing some cooler air and
a chance of rain.





Tomorrow is going to be a bear, though, with triple-digits spread about and heat
indices up close to 110.



The Monday map looks much better, if'n you're in northern OK, at least.



Fall is JUST around the corner. I'm serious. Might be a big corner, though.

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