The Woodward News

Local News

July 27, 2012

Drought expected to get worse

Jessica Bruha Woodward News

Woodward, Okla. — Drought conditions are expected to worsen throughout the state as hot summer weather continues through August.

"Northwest Oklahoma's conditions are actually some of the worse we've seen in the state," said Gary McManus, associate state climatologist with Oklahoma Climatological Survey.

McManus said on the latest U.S. drought monitor, the counties in the highest level of drought labeled as D4 (Exceptional) include Ellis, Roger Mills, Dewey and Woodward counties.

While the area did see a little rain Wednesday night, he said it was not enough to improve drought conditions at all. By following the normal rainfall patterns in Oklahoma, McManus doesn't expect to see more rain until the end of September.

"We normally expect this drought to taper down as we start getting into the fall months," he said.

The state is expected to head into warmer weather through the month of August and McManus said the state will be in the drought for awhile. However, he said it is possible to get a few stray rainfalls during that time.

Ryan Barnes, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Norman, also said Northwest Oklahoma currently has some of the worse drought conditions in the state. While the rest of the week doesn't show much chance of rain, Barnes said chances may increase after midweek next week.

"It's difficult to say how high those chances will be for Northwest Oklahoma but it looks like maybe Thursday or Friday rain chances may increase again through next weekend," he said.

He also said drought conditions will worsen as we move into August.

Although the Woodward area is below normal rainfall, when comparing to last year, the year-to-date rainfall totals are up, according to Woodward Emergency Manager Matt Lehenbauer.

"We've had about 10 more inches this year," Lehenbauer said.

However, for the next 60 to 90 days he said things are not looking so great regarding the amount of rainfall expected. There is hope that by mid to late fall or early winter things will return to normal, though, and temperatures will level out.

With El Niño expected to build back up and return, which typically causes normal rainfall, Lehenbauer said temperatures and precipitation levels would level out.  But until then, parts of Northwest Oklahoma will continue to be in D3 Extreme and D4 Exceptional drought conditions.

Text Only
Local News
  • More than just a car show

    This weekend's Woodward Car Show is not just a car show.
    That's because the event also includes a cruise in, burnout contest, poker run, poker walk, kids games, silent auction, and prize drawings.

    May 23, 2013

  • Additional ways to assist tornado victims

    Several organizations across Northwest Oklahoma continue to collect donations to send to assist the victims and survivors of the tornadic storms that ripped through central Oklahoma on Sunday and Monday.

    May 23, 2013

  • Tornado damage may hit $2 billion

    MOORE, Okla. (AP) — The tornado that struck an Oklahoma City suburb this week may have created $2 billion or more in damage as it tore through as many as 13,000 homes, multiple schools and a hospital, officials said Wednesday as they gave the first detailed account of the devastation.

    May 23, 2013

  • Ways to help tornado victims

    After donations of all kinds came flooding into Woodward a year ago following the April 15 tornado, it seems that local and area organizations are eager to pay it forward and show the same support to our fellow Oklahomans now suffering in Shawnee, Carney, Moore and south Oklahoma City.

    May 22, 2013

  • Area woman injured in wreck

    One-vehicle accident happened east of Mutual on Tuesday morning.

    May 22, 2013

  • Hospital hosting emergency preparedness meeting

    Various healthcare agencies across Northwest Oklahoma will meet in Woodward Thursday for a conference designed to help them advance their emergency preparedness efforts.

    May 22, 2013

  • EMS strike team.jpg Woodward County EMS helping with tornado response

    Woodward County EMS has joined in the response efforts to the devastation following the deadly EF-5 tornado in Central Oklahoma.

    May 21, 2013 1 Photo

  • Fire chief says search almost complete in Oklahoma

    MOORE, Okla. (AP) — The search for survivors and the dead is nearly complete in the Oklahoma City suburb that was smashed by a mammoth tornado, the fire chief said Tuesday.

    Gary Bird said he's "98 percent sure" there are no more survivors or bodies to recover under the rubble in Moore, a community of 56,000 people.

    May 21, 2013

  • Local church to hold prayer vigil for Moore tornado victims

    The First Christian Church in Woodward will be holding a prayer vigil tonight at 6 p.m. in support of the victims of the tornado that struck Moore on Monday.

    May 21, 2013

  • Donations being taken at armory today

    If you would like to send items to help the victims of Monday's tornado that ripped through Moore, donations are being accepted at the old armory building at Crystal Beach Park through 5 p.m. today.

    May 21, 2013