July 2016 Climate and Hydrology Summary

July 2016

Tulsa: July 2016 was the 21st warmest (85.2°F, tied 1956; since 1905) and the 46th wettest (3.76"; since 1888) July on record.

Fort Smith: July 2016 was the 25th warmest (84.3°F, tied 1955; since 1882) and the 41st wettest (3.65"; since 1882) July on record.

Fayetteville: July 2016 was the 27th warmest (78.8°F, tied 1982; since 1950) and the 12th wettest (6.88"; since 1950) July on record.

Fayetteville: Daily records set or tied this month include a record warm minimum temperature.

Using the radar-derived estimated observed precipitation from the RFCs, rainfall totals for July 2016 ranged from around 0.50” to around 10”. A large portion of the HSA received 4”-8” of rain this month, with the greatest deficits over Choctaw and southern Pushmataha Counties. This corresponds to 90% to near 300% of the normal July rain for most of eastern OK and northwest AR, but only 25%-90% across Choctaw and Pushmataha Counties

Thunderstorms moved out of KS and MO and into northeast OK and northwest AR during the afternoon of the 30th. These storms moved south and dissipated in the early evening before reaching I-40 in eastern OK. However, the showers and thunderstorms lingered later into the evening hours over northwest and west central AR. Additional activity developed along and north of a diffuse boundary in northeast OK during the early morning hours of July 1st. Training storms with heavy rain produced 5”-8” of rain over Pawnee and southern Osage through the morning. The Oklahoma Mesonet site in Pawnee measured 5.78”. This resulted in high water over roadways and flooding a portion of the Pawnee Public Library. The Pawnee rainfall occurred after midnight, but mostly before 7am on July 1st. Prior to this rainfall, the Pawnee Mesonet station had only recorded 0.53” for the month of June, ranking as the second driest Mesonet station this month.

Shortly after midnight on the 3rd, a line of thunderstorms moved southeast out of KS into northeast OK in response to the low-level jet. This line of storms swept through the entire area except Choctaw County and was east of the region by early afternoon. The heaviest rain affected northeast OK and northwest AR. By mid-afternoon, showers and thunderstorms redeveloped over northeast OK, between the KS state line and I-44, along a frontal zone. The line of storms then began to move southeast during the evening, bringing rain to the remainder of eastern OK and northwest AR through the evening and overnight hours. However, Choctaw County once again missed out on the rain. Most of the activity had moved east of the area by sunrise on the 4th, though a few showers lingered over northwest AR through mid-morning. The rest of the July 4th holiday was dry. Rainfall totals were heavy from the two rounds of rain, with several areas receiving a total of 3”-7” of rainfall. Most locations saw around 0.75” to around 1.5” of rain, except Choctaw County, which had little to no rain from these storms.

According to the Drought Monitor from August 2, 2016, D2 (Severe Drought) had developed over southern Choctaw County. D1 (Moderate Drought) conditions existed over portions of Tulsa, Rogers, Wagoner, Muskogee, and Pushmataha Counties in northeast OK. D0 (abnormally dry conditions but not in drought) were present across portions of Osage, Pawnee, Creek, Tulsa, Rogers, Mayes, Muskogee, Okmulgee, McIntosh, Pittsburg, Haskell, Latimer Delaware, Cherokee, Adair, Sequoyah, Pushmataha, and Le Flore Counties in OK, and Sebastian County in AR.

According to the Oklahoma Climatological Survey, July 2016 was the 19th wettest for northeast Oklahoma, the 15th wettest for east central Oklahoma, and the 44th wettest for southeast Oklahoma. Records go back to 1921. For the Year-to-Date period Jan. 1-July 31, 2016, northeast Oklahoma ranked as the 28th driest, east central Oklahoma was the 41st driest, and southeast Oklahoma was the 44th wettest period. For the last 365 days (Aug 2, 2015-Jul 31, 2016), northeast Oklahoma was the 21st wettest, east central Oklahoma was the 9th wettest, and southeast Oklahoma was the 5th wettest.