Thursday’s rain in the Panhandle and western part of Oklahoma might have brought some temporary relief but the drought still has its firm grasp on the state as the latest U.S. Drought Monitor report shows 40% of the state is in the next to the worse category.
An estimated 40% of Oklahoma falls under the extreme drought or D-4 category while 12% of Oklahoma falls under the worst category, “exceptional drought.”
Gary McManus, State Climatologist for the Oklahoma Mesonet says it’s the most D3-D4 since October 29, 2024. And the most D4 since April 25, 2023. The extreme dryness two years ago was finally eliminated by the wettest November in Oklahoma history, he cited in his Thursday morning Mesonet report.
“Taken as a whole, however, 100% of the state is now in at least moderate (D1) drought, which we haven’t seen in the state since Nov. 1, 2022,” he wrote.
The Climatologist further explained that the last 30 days, July 28-August 26, were the fifth driest such time period on record statewide.”
“West-central Oklahoma? Driest on record. Southwest Oklahoma? Driest on record. The maps are ugly,” he remarked.
