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Oklahoma Drought Conditions Increasing According To Latest Drought Monitor Report

A map showing drought severity across Oklahoma.
U.S. Drought Monitor
A map indicating drought severity across Oklahoma.

Drought had been spotty in Oklahoma through most of the year so far, but this is on track to be one of the driest Septembers on record, and drought is rushing back into the state.

Just one month ago, only about 12% percent of Oklahoma was experiencing any kind of drought. Now that number is at 80%.

Tulsa recorded less than a quarter of an inch of rainfall in the past 30 days, and Norman just 7 hundredths of an inch.

The High Plains Journal reports the situation is especially troubling for northwest Oklahoma, where the winter wheat crop is starting to go into the ground. Those new crops will need rain soon for germination.

While the rest of the state generally avoided consistent drought to this point, the northwest has been drier than normal since the spring.

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Logan Layden is a reporter and managing editor for StateImpact Oklahoma. Logan spent six years as a reporter with StateImpact from 2011 to 2017.
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