This map by the U.S. Drought Monitor shows areas under drought classification. Dark red is exceptional drought, bright red is extreme drought, bright orange is severe drought, beige is moderate drought and yellow is abnormally dry. Courtesy
I really don't like to be Debbie Downer about our recent sunny days in the 70s.
As Jerry noted yesterday (read it
here), sunlight can actually be healthy (even if my red-blonde hair and light skin say differently).
But, sunny skies, combined with high winds, combined with a relatively dry month that is typical February in Oklahoma means that we are going to see more days of red flag warnings and high fire danger should this weather continue.
Normally, this is about the time of week that I give the weekly drought update. It is less than 1 percent changed from last week, so here's the important thing to know: More than 75 percent of the state is under some form of drought classification right now. So, things are relatively dry in the vast majority of the state.
Now, this isn't middle-of-the-summer low-rain high-heat temperatures that would make the drought situation worse. Rather, it poses a different type of problem involving hotness and dryness related to weather: fire weather danger.
Gary McManus, Oklahoma Climatological Survey associate state climatologist, explains:
"That period in February and March before the vegetation comes alive and starts to green up again is Oklahoma's most important fire danger alert time.
"Climatologically speaking, it's the time of the year when the temperatures are starting to head into the 60s and 70s a bit more
often, the air is still relatively dry quite often with relative humidity at
times less than 20 percent and the wind speeds are on the up-tick."
To check out fire danger via the Oklahoma Mesonet,
click here.
Be safe!
--Althea Peterson
