Mesonet connection, 05/2011, v.2 no.4

              Volume 2 — Issue 4 — May 2011 co n n e c t io n
www.mesonet.org
DROUGHT DEVELOPS SLOWLY and even once
rains return, its impact continues. The impact of a
drought builds as day after day of no rain continues.
But even once the rain starts, a drought can continue
to bring crop, pasture and livestock losses.
Droughts are long-term weather patterns. When did
Oklahoma’s drought of 2010 and 2011 begin? Gary
McManus, Oklahoma Associate State Climatologist,
began talking about warmer, dryer conditions as a
winter possibility back in May 2010. This was when
the first indications of a developing La Niña pattern
came together. A La Niña did develop! One with a
strong classic pattern of above average temperatures
and below average rainfall in the Southwest and South
Central states. Rain fell in the Northwest, North Central
and North Eastern US states, leaving Oklahoma and
other states in the southwest region warm and dry.
The drought has been devastating to Oklahoma’s
wheat crop. As it dragged on, alfalfa took it on the chin
with little growth and aphids that couldn’t be controlled
with typically effective plant protection products.
Now large patches of alfalfa are dying. With no rain,
pastures failed to grow enough for grazing. Grass hay
fields won’t produce a first cutting. Pasture grasses
produced green blades, but they can’t grow without
water.
Wheat – disaster. Alfalfa – disaster. Pasture grass –
disaster. Next to be impacted by our drought, cattle
water ponds are drying up. Cattle ranchers are facing
a summer with no water and rapidly disappearing feed
for their animals.
For those areas in Oklahoma where the drought
continues its destructive march, summer crops will be
affected. There may not be enough moisture in the soil
to plant cotton, sorghum, soybeans, or corn as dryland
crops.
Dry times are common in Oklahoma, even in a year of normal
rainfall. When the dryness becomes severe and stretches
out, like 2010-2011 winter and spring, one Oklahoma crop
after another goes from profit to loss. From profitable yield,
to financial disaster.
While the eastern part of Oklahoma has received some
welcome rain, areas in western and central Oklahoma
continue to wait for the dry pattern to break, for the end to an
already severe drought.
Drought
DISASTERS