Oklahoma Drought 2011

This is not an alarmist thread, nor is it a global warming thread. I simply want to tell a story that nobody seems to be telling.
Everyone has surely heard about the Texas droughts and wildfires this summer. Oklahoma has it as bad. I live in southwest OK.
We often have droughts in the summer, it's nothing new. It's always hot, always. We usually get temperatures up to 107-110 during the summer, it's not a big deal. This summer has been different. We have barely had a drop of rain for months. We've had a couple isolated showers and one real storm. Until a couple weeks ago it was 100+ almost every day for months. We had 113 a couple times.
I've mowed my yard one time this year. Hasn't needed it again.
The cattle have no food or water. My grandfather, who raises cattle, is about to have a breakdown.Farmers have been feeding hay to cattle, something they usually only do during the winter. Some farmers have had to start hauling water just to keep their cattle alive. It's miserable. Nobody, nobody, alive has ever seen anything like it in Oklahoma. It is now officially the driest, hottest summer on record. 2/3 of the state is in exceptional drought and the rest is either in extreme or serious. Exceptional being the worst.
As far as wildfires go, we haven't had anything like they're having in Texas. We have had many though. Last week a wildfire burned up 20+ sq miles on and off the wichita mountain wildlife refuge, about 4 miles from my house. Several people lost their homes. My house was threatened almost 3 months ago, at the beginning of this thing. I was evacuated, we're fine though. My grandparent's barn burned down though.
If we don't get rain during the fall, if we have another indian summer, we're going to be very hard pressed to make it through winter. Farmers will be forced to sell their cattle at a major loss. If we can make it through the winter things will be alright, I think.
Poisonous algae has grown in many public lakes (where some get their water). Outside animals are having a tough time. I know all of my dogs are having skin problems, chewing themselves raw. It's partly fleas which are insane, and partly some sort of allergy. I think the heat has a lot to do with it. But the yard has had no rain and therefore none of the undesirable stuff has gotten washed out.
The trees, which are usually mostly green in the summer, look like fall. They've just been burnt to a crisp all over. Of course there's no grass, but that's normal for summer.

What I guess I'm trying to do is let people know that this is happening. Be ready for food prices to go up if this keeps happening. If you believe in god or whatever, send some prayers down south. Everyone needs them.
We'll live, that's not the issue, it's just not as easy as we're used to. Everything is just so dry.

www.youtube.com...=58s

ETA: Hopefully this week we see a little relief. Temperatures dropped last week and we saw a few sprinkles. This week they are supposed to drop again with some better chances for rain, we'll see how that pans out. We need about 5 straight days of rain to be ok.

It's bad here in TX too.

reply to post by thesungod


Yeah I know, by down south I meant Oklahoma and Texas.

reply to post by Mr Headshot


I had no idea that OK was in such a bad way. Hope things turn around for you guys and will do a little rain dance for you! It seems like people are either getting no rain or way to much rain wish we could send you some of ours!

You have no idea how many people I've heard wishing the same thing. lol

Its about time the Government intiated a Water Irrigation System Projects for Agriculture and residents of the state to tap the snow/rain water from the northern states.

reply to post by hp1229


Local governments, sure. Somebody should hire a contractor to do that.

Central Oregon here. We have had a wonderful water year. Plenty of snow in the mountains, mild spring and mid summer (a little warm now though).

Move to Oregon, get out of that hell hole.

reply to post by Cryptonomicon


I'll actually be in Portland next month on my honeymoon. I have roots here though, 4 generations.

reply to post by Mr Headshot


I have spent many "wonderful" days at Ft Sill and yes it gets hot in the summer. I agree this year is different. I am not going to go into the "why" because I do not know. However, it only takes a little change in weather to make a big change on us.

I am hoping you get some rain soon. I am currently in Virginia and wish some of the monsoons we have been having were down your way.

reply to post by ABNARTY


Thanks man, I have a bud in Virginia. It doesn't weird me out or anything that the weather is like this, I mean, it happens. It just feels hopeless. Driving around and seeing ponds that have never dried up and now look like craters is just depressing.