Agricultural News
Last Week's Snow Does Little to Ease Oklahoma Drought Conditions
Thu, 10 Feb 2022 13:37:03 CST
According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor report, a powerful winter storm, stretching from New Mexico to Maine, helped improve drought conditions in 17 states in its path. Meanwhile, in the West, another week of dry weather put a halt to drought recovery. Parts of Montana, Wyoming, Utah and Oregon saw drought expand as the recent dryness on top of long-term drought chipped away at snowpack and lowered streamflow. A wet December left most other parts at near normal for the season, but concerns are growing as dry weather remains in the forecast.
In the Southern Plains, much-needed rain brought by last week's winter storm improved drought conditions in parts of Oklahoma and Texas. Texas saw a wide band of 1-category, with isolated 2-category, improvements. In parts of South and West Texas, the excess moisture was enough to chip away at the long-term drought. Other areas seeing improvements include eastern Kansas and eastern Oklahoma. Widespread drought remains in the region though.
In the High Plains, snow brought widespread improvements to eastern Colorado including areas of severe and extreme drought. The recent event, combined with above-average January snowfall, has left a large swath of snow on the ground and improved soil moisture conditions. The remainder of the region saw another week of dry weather. Wyoming saw an expansion of severe and extreme drought in the north and west parts of the state as recent warm, dry weather chipped away at the seasonal snowpack. Nebraska and Kansas saw a broad expansion of moderate drought and abnormal dryness. Here, 30-to-90-day precipitation totals rank in the top 5 driest on record. Fires on the rise in these areas and burn bans are going to affect.
In the West, the weather across was once again dry this week. Western Oregon saw expansions to moderate and severe drought increase. The additional week of dry weather increased water-year-to-date precipitation shortfalls and lowered streamflow values. The far northern Oregon Cascades saw improvement. Snowpack here is near normal for the water year. Extreme drought was expanded in Utah as increasing precipitation deficits have dried out soils and lowered streamflow. The rest of the West remains unchanged. Several weeks of dry weather have caused high elevation snowpack in parts of the west to drift away from the above-normal values at the start of the new year.
To view the Contiguous U.S. Drought Map, click here.
Looking ahead to Feb. 11 through 15, the National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center forecast calls for relatively dry weather over much of the Lower 48. A pair of storms systems are expected to bring snow to the Upper Midwest and Northeast. Much of the continental U.S. will see above-normal temperatures through the weekend. Moving into next week, the Climate Prediction Center Outlooks favor above-normal precipitation from the Desert Southwest northeast to the Canadian border from Feb. 15 to 19. Drier weather is favored for the northern Plains and much of the west. Temperatures are expected to be higher than normal in the West Coast states, the central and northern Great Plains, and across much of the Lower Midwest and Southeast.
To view the 6 - 10 Day Precipitation Outlook, click here.
To view the 6 - 10 Day Temperature Outlook, click here.
According to the Monthly Drought Outlook map, drought conditions are expected to persist in areas adjacent to the Pacific Northwest that were seeing drought improvement or removal. Drought development is likely in the High Plains and southern Arizona. In southeastern Oklahoma, drought conditions are expected to improve.
To view the Monthly Drought Outlook map, click here.
Oklahoma
From Feb. 2 to Feb. 8, drought conditions slightly decreased in response to the major winter storm that dusted most of Oklahoma with snow.
Right now, 91% of the state is experiencing abnormally dry conditions or worse, down from 96%. Moderate drought conditions have increased as overall drought conditions eased, affecting 11% of the state. Severe drought conditions decreased, affecting 26% of the state. Extreme drought conditions decreased, affecting 45% of the state. Exceptional drought conditions did not change, affecting nearly 3% of the state.
A small pocket of eastern Oklahoma continues to fight off abnormally dry conditions or worse.
The 6-to-10-day precipitation outlook map shows Oklahoma is likely to receive above-normal precipitation levels for this time of year. The 6-to-10-day temperature outlook map shows higher-than-normal to normal temperatures are likely for most of the state.
To view the Oklahoma drought map, click here.
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