Ticker for July 18, 2024

                
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Dryasaurus




Yes, I did see "Twisters" last night down to the IMAX, right next to the Wal
Marts, and I'm fixing to give you a short review. First off, we Okies are
represented well, as is our beautiful state. And so is the state of the science
of tornadoes, tornado chasing, and severe weather goings on in general. Kudos to
our local NOAA, TV, and chaser personalities for making it IN the movie, but also
helping those that MAKE the movie get it pretty accurate, at least for movie-making
sake. It is a movie after all, there has to be some suspension of disbelief.

My doppelganger Glen Powell was in the movie. Lots of folks say I look just like
him ("lots of folks," like me, myself, and I). Just look at the resemblance:

Glen Powell



Gary McManus



Wow, I look really old there!

Anyway, I'd rate the movie as "Excellent." Keep in mind my movie scale generally
runs from top to bottom as: excellent, great, pretty good, to not bad.

Go see it, it gets my top recommendation...a Cherry Pop-Tart of movies!

How about we get back to weather in real life? Ugh, do we have to? Well okay,
the rains of the past week have added some nice moisture to the state, but still
too many have missed out when compared to the 2-month totals. Still, the more
recent rains have saved us from a flash drought catastrophe.









Hey, I'm not being a drought monger, it's still significantly dry across a good
part of the state, including the wettest part of the year normally...mid-May
through mid-June.



There will be rain chances, although the best rains are pushed to our south
and east for the most part over the next week.



For those of us going to the northeast Gulf Coast next week on vacation (ME!),
there will be plenty of UNWANTED rain (this is a hint that I'll be off next
week, so I won't get to Tock to you much).

Also over the next week, we should see temperatures near or below normal, which
will keep the dampers on rapid drought development just a bit more than if it
were as hot as it had been previously this summer. Looking farther ahead, the
CPC drought outlook through October is not pretty for the southwestern quarter
of the state where drought persistence and development is expected.



This is based off of current conditions discussed above (i.e., present deficits)
and the expected dry/warm regime over the next 3 months.



As always, these are based off of what the indicators are showing now...certainly
not written in stone. I'd say the outlooks for July failed rather spectacularly
(hey, Spectacular Failure was my band's name in 10 grade!) for July, especially
for temperature (the month was expected to be warmer than normal...I suspect
we'll end up below normal thanks to our late-month summer swoon).

At any rate, there is still drought in Oklahoma, and it's in danger of
intensifying if we don't see significant rainfall soon.



Drought is not sexy, like tornadoes. Meteorologists get all the fun. I'm not
sure Hollywood will ever make a movie about drought chasers, even though we're
the more handsome and pretty division of the weather enterprise. However, if
somebody wants to attempt such an endeavor, I have a great script for you!

"The Great Oklahoma Dry Hunt"

In the sizzling plains of Oklahoma, Gary McManus is the quirky State
Climatologist known for his eccentric methods and undying obsession with
chasing droughts. While everyone else prays for rain, Gary and his team of
oddball scientists hit the road in their souped-up, drought-chasing RV,
lovingly nicknamed "The Thirst Quencher."

Gary's ragtag crew includes Dave, the bumbling hydrologist who's terrified of
water; Lucy, the tech genius who rigged the RV with a mini-bar (for "scientific
purposes"); and Frank, the retired cowboy who swears by his rain dance rituals.
Together, they crisscross the state, armed with weather balloons, moisture
detectors, and an unhealthy amount of sunscreen.

Their mission: to find and document the driest spots in Oklahoma, all while
dodging wild dust storms, unexpected cracks in the soil, and an overly
enthusiastic weather reporter named Sunny Storms who’s determined to get the
scoop on their antics.

Gary’s journey takes a hilarious turn when he uncovers a secret society of
drought enthusiasts who believe that droughts are caused by a mythical creature
called the "Dryasaurus." As he tries to debunk their wacky theories, he
accidentally becomes their reluctant leader, leading to a series of side-
splitting misadventures.

From staging a faux drought for a reality TV show to accidentally stumbling
into a rain festival, Gary and his team navigate a desert of hilarity, proving
that sometimes, the driest subject can lead to the wettest laughs.

"The Great Oklahoma Dry Hunt" is a zany, laugh-out-loud comedy that turns the
pursuit of droughts into a wild, unpredictable ride filled with quirky
characters, absurd situations, and a whole lot of dry humor.

Hmmmm...okay, maybe not.

Gary McManus
State Climatologist
Oklahoma Mesonet
Oklahoma Climate Survey
gmcmanus@ou.edu