Oklahoma’s Drought is Creeping East

• Joe Wertz
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  Joe Wertz was a reporter and managing editor for StateImpact Oklahoma from 2011-2019. He reported on energy and environment issues for national NPR audiences and other national outlets. He previously worked as a managing editor, assistant editor and staff reporter at several major Oklahoma newspapers and studied journalism at the University of Central Oklahoma.

U.S. Drought Monitor

U.S. Drought Monitor for July 11, 2013.

Statewide drought conditions worsened in Oklahoma, data from the U.S. Drought Monitor show.

Nearly three-quarters of the state is experiencing some form of drought, an increase from 62 percent recorded on July 2. While regions of the state suffering from the highest drought classification — “exceptional” — haven’t changed, all other categories increased.

Spring rains and cool temperatures brought relief to much of the state in recent months, but drought has lingered in the panhandle and western Oklahoma. The most recent data update show low levels of “abnormally dry” conditions returning to the northeast, southeast and south-central regions of the state.

As Althea Peterson reports on the Tulsa World’s weather blog, the state’s rainfall numbers have barely changed in two weeks.