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Oklahoma Gardening

U S Drought Monitor, June 19, 2012

Okiedawn OK Zone 7

11 years ago

I've linked the latest U. S. Drought Monitor map, which was released today and which includes rainfall data submitted as of 7 a.m. Tuesday. It looks like drought is beginning to spread again.

This time I linked the whole U. S. Map so that anyone in any state can see their state. Just click on your state if you want more specific info for your region or state. That will bring up your regional map. On your regional map, click on your state again and it will pull up your state map.

Sometimes I think it is good to look at the whole country's map and not just our state's because it helps put the current drought conditions (or lack of such) in perspective.

Summer is here, and the heat and drought are coming after us and our gardens, y'all.

Dawn

Here is a link that might be useful: U S Drought Monitor Map, June 19, 2012

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Comments (5)

scottokla
11 years ago
My weather station at the farm reports 14.26 inches of rain thus far this year. Unfortunately we have not had a storm give us an inch or more in one day since March and we are the driest I have seen in the last 11 years for this time of the year. (Actually that big rain in March is the only day all YEAR with more than an inch.) The quarter-of-an-inch rains help the grass for a few days, but none of it gets to the tree roots.

At home we are very dry, but we had a lot more rain through April than the farm did. The ponds here are in good shape.
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Okiedawn OK Zone 7
Original Author
11 years ago
Scott, You have my rainfall, which means you also have my sympathy. I would think this is harder on your trees than similar rainfall would be on my trees because my trees aren't used to the kind of moisture your trees get most years. I hope you get enough rain that you get a good pecan harvest. When we have as little rain as you've had so far, the pecan crop usually fails.

Dawn
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Carol, Lucky you! We had rain earlier in the week and it was such a relief to see it fall. I haven't had to water this week, except for the containers. I think maybe a lot of us have a chance of rain over the next 3 days. I hope some rains falls on everyone here who needs it. I bet the poor, drenched gardeners in the northeastern states would trade us some rain for a few days of sunlight and heat. The abnormally dry conditions haven't reached y'all or us yet, although it is very dry here. Dawn
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Since rain is falling, I'm going to link Saturday's KBDI here. Hopefully when we look at Sunday's KBDI map, we'll see some lower KBDI numbers. Remember that drought ends bit by bit over a sustained period of time. Let's hope that today's rainfall is the beginning of prolonged rainfall that will get us back out of drought by Christmas, or at least well on our way out of drought and back to more normal conditions by then. Here is a link that might be useful: Today's KBDI
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In the below link, you can see the map dated 8-21-2012 and to its right is the map dated 8-14-2012. There's not a huge difference between the two. Maybe with all the rain hitting the country, we'll start to see the drought areas shrinking in the next few weeks. Here is a link that might be useful: Archive Last Week Vs This Week
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scottokla
11 years ago
I'm hoping for the best.

The pecan trees like the dry weather as long as they get water during Aug/Sept when the nuts fill because usually there is enough moisture from May rain to get them that far. Right now the lack of May and June rain has just caused the nuts to not grow as much, but my crop could still be as high as 45k (down from 50k) if we get good rain in July. If we get no July rain then half the crop would be lost. The trees in the good bottom-land soil could go till August.

I didn't make it to the pecan field day in Pauls Valley today, but from my trip to that part of the state in April, and with the rainfall there, it looks to be a great year for them.
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elkwc
11 years ago
Dawn I posted my views on another thread about the map. It is already hot here this morning and looks to be that way through next week. Which will diminish conditions some. The trend shows chances of moisture picking up the 1st of July and through July. I'm just over 8 inches of moisture currently. Which isn't far off normal. Had around 7 inches for all of last year. The wheat on average is around 20-25 bushels per acre. Last year was zero except in a few cases. I have been training to line locate the last few weeks. Have performed locating from the OK Panhandle to Pueblo,CO. I will say placing markers, driving ground rods and removing them and digging a few holes that the Pueblo CO and SE CO areas of CO are drier than we are. They are where we were the 3 previous years. I feel for them. I saw several fields of sweet corn that was burning up. They don't have enough water to get to all of it with no help from mother nature. Just like we were last year.

Scott I hope you get some rain. I know the feeling all too well. I'm thankful we have received some relief and hope it is a sign of continued improvement. I don't expect a sudden change but a steady gradual change is better than none at all. Jay
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scottokla
11 years ago
Our forecast is 100-105 for highs every day next week according to one station, but "only" 98-101 each day according to another.

I'm optimistic that we will have a couple of huge rains in July. If so it could be a near-perfect pecan season.

By the way, I don't think most of my blueberries can survive another year like last, even with all I have learned.

Jay, I will be through Guymon again in July. Any new Mexican food places?
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