Ticker for April 18, 2024

                
MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ...
April 18, 2024     April 18, 2024     April 18, 2024     April 18, 2024


Fastest hazard alive




I don't know if you've noticed this, but we're going the wrong way on our
precipitation. No, it's not falling up, but not much is falling DOWN either. Wait,
it is falling up, because with our increased temperatures and plants coming alive
(at least the ones that have gotten a good enough drink), that moisture is being
sucked from the ground and put back in the atmosphere. We can choose just about
any time frame over the last 4 months, but the last 60 days is pretty indicative
(English to Okie translation: shows) of just how dry we've gotten.









I'm calling it a flash drought. That's probably arguable, but we have seen
intensification by more than 2 levels over the last 4 weeks on the U.S. Drought
monitor, and with our nearly 3 months of above normal temperatures has sped
things along. Some folks call it a drought. I call it a flash drought.

Mmmm-hmmmm.



Notice how warm it's been since the beginning of February?



If'n you wanted to see if we've been more above normal in temps vs. below
normal, you could go all A = limx→∞∑ni=1f(x). δx. Or, instead of finding
yourself in a Calculus-induced stupor, just guesstimate. Right, vastly more
above normal temps. And much above normal temperatures go hand in hand with
below normal precipitation to feed drought. Like Laurel and Hardy, Hope and
Crosby, Laverne and Shirley, Riggs and Murtaugh, Kirk and Spock, Spongebob and
Patrick, Rick and Morty...well, you get the idea. Cherry Pop-Tarts and milk.
Strawberry Pop-Tarts and trash. Okay, stop!

In fact, I'd say this is the FOURTH flash drought that has fueled the overall
drought from 2021-2024. Another arguable point...I don't believe we ended the
drought and began a new one. I think we are still in the same drought episode
we started back in August 2021. I also think chili is better with beans in it,
so take everything I say with a grain of salt. And crackers!



There you can see flash drought #1 that really got this drought going occurred
in December 2021 (remember...10 degrees above normal for the month, hottest
December on record by more than 5 degrees, lots and lots of wind?). Some good
relief then flash drought #2 can be traced back to June 10, 2022 (to the day!)
when the rains shut off and we entered our hottest summer since 2011. Then
peak drought in October 2022, then more relief. THEN flash drought #3 can be
traced back to July 21, 2023 (to the day!) when the rains shut off and we
entered the half-summer from hell (remember the Mesonet-record heat index of
127 degrees at Jay on Aug. 21?). Then, more relief until our current flash
drought event is taking us back up to more intense drought once again. The
question is...where do we go from here? Do we go back to the previous 3 spikes
of more intense drought, or do we level off or go back down?

All this talk of summer, that's all about to change with our cold front
we have moving through the state as we Tick. Now you can Tock about like cold
weather all you want, but are ya going to enjoy the 30-50 mph winds that go
along with it? And the wind chills? It will warm up with the sun, at least, but
it feels downright wintry in the far western edges of OK behind the front.







We're going backwards on the calendar, from June yesterday to early March the
next several days.







We need rain though! And unfortunately, as I said yesterday, it's not gonna
fall where we need it the most.



Fear not (or fear...that'll work too)...our early summer temps and more rain
chances will come back next week into the end of the month, it appears. At least
the odds are stacked that way.



Bert and Ernie! Okay, I'm done.

Gary McManus
State Climatologist
Oklahoma Mesonet
Oklahoma Climatological Survey
gmcmanus@mesonet.org