This is a phenomenon known as a thunderstorm. It's been a while, I know.
A severe storm grows over north Tulsa with the University of Tulsa in the foreground, taken in Tulsa, Okla. on April 7. JAMES GIBBARD/Tulsa World
Here is a number that would be chilling if it weren’t so hot outside: 0.15.
That’s the total amount of rain that has fallen at Tulsa International Airport this month. Guess what the normal amount should be. Well, you don’t have to guess. It’s over there on the right side of this page.
That is way down. Like, if we don’t get 0.65 inches of rain in the next week, it will be the
driest May on record. Combine the drastically low rainfall total with the warm temperatures we’ve had all spring (average temperature between March and now is 65.9, 5.5 degrees above normal and the warmest spring by a full degree) and the windy conditions, especially lately, and we have a flash drought, which sounds more exciting than it is.
A flash drought is to flash flood what a seasonal drought is to river flooding. It’s about the timing. Flash droughts spring up in a month while seasonal droughts take seasons to develop and persist.
Here are some maps to illustrate this point. Both are from the U.S. Drought Monitor. The first map is where the drought was in the state a week ago. The second map is the most recent drought map, released today. I’ll give you a piece of candy if you can spot what changed in that week.
This is as of May 15.
And this is May 22.
OK, that was an easy one. You get, like a peppermint or something. Follow me on
Twitter to claim your prize.
The drought that peaked last September began to diminish after heavy rain in the fall to a point that was looking pretty good for the state. Heck, last month we were right on par almost with rainfall averages and March had a higher rainfall total than the May normal.
Then, the bottom dropped out (or, a summer-like high pressure system set in) and the tap ran dry.
But, there is a
chance of rain Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. At this point, whatever we can get will be nice because this summer may not be that fantastic.
The
Climate Prediction Center’s 3-month outlook gives us equal chances of above, below or normal precipitation amounts. The temperature outlook map is a little redder: much of the south and southwest has above-normal chances of above average temperatures.
With the end of La Nina, one of the main culprits responsible for last summer's hellscape, I was looking forward to a more normal year. But this is Oklahoma. Shoulda known better.
--Jerry Wofford
