Jul. 13—By Bella Casey Enid News & Eagle The Oklahoma soil that once craved moisture enjoyed rain for the majority of the summer.

Mark Fox, a meteorologist with National Weather Service, said Oklahoma has turned “180 degrees away” from last year’s conditions.

“Last year, this time we were in the extreme or exceptional drought,” Fox said. “We had already had several days of 100 degree temperatures and hardly any rain at all. So, this year, we are way above our normal rainfall for the most part across the state.”

Every Thursday, U.S. Drought Monitor releases data detailing drought conditions across the country. According to this week’s release, Garfield County and surrounding areas are ranked as abnormally dry to facing moderate drought.

“So, our drought maps have improved every week since I’d say about May,” Wes Lee, Oklahoma Mesonet ag coordinator, said. “”We’ve shown some improvement every week there. And currently, the latest drought map that came out this morning is showing we have about 43% of the state with no drought at all.”

Most of the Panhandle, traditionally one of the driest parts of the state, is drought free.

According to Lee, less than .5% of the state is considered “worst case” when it comes to drought conditions. Northern Osage County is ranked at a D4 level, which is considered exceptional drought and is the highest drought ranking assigned by U.S. Drought Monitor.

The exceptional drought conditions faced by Osage County bled down from states such as Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri, where the majority of each of the states is facing D4 conditions.

Given recent weather patterns and forecasts, Fox said he expects to see improvement regarding dry conditions for the next two weeks, and then expects the state to begin to dry out.

Lee echoed Fox’s predictions for the state’s future. According to Lee, growing plants can rob soil of up to a quarter inch of water per day through evaporation and transpiration. He said if the state fails to receive rainfall over the next two to three weeks, soil will begin to dry out.

“(Conditions) could change dramatically as we’re entering the hottest part of the summer,” Lee said.

With May and June being Oklahoma’s wettest months and rain totals tapering off toward July, Lee said the soil drying out some by the end of the summer is normal.

Lee explained Oklahoma has spent the past three years in a La Niña weather pattern, which has influenced the dry conditions observed throughout the state. Lee said warmer weather patterns along the Pacific equator indicate a transition to El Niño.

“It’s 90% or higher probabilities that we will stay in El Niño through this winter, which tends to be wetter than normal for us,” Lee said.

Although it takes only weeks for the state to revert to the sweltering heat and drought-like conditions it’s faced in the past, Fox and Lee remained optimistic.

“But the good news is the lakes are full or pretty close to being full, so something’s looking up,” Fox said.