Even with plentiful rain, western Oklahoma swath remains dry

TULSA, Okla. (AP) – The recent storms that dumped inches of rain across most of Oklahoma last week helped stave off drought-like conditions, but one swath in the western part of the state is still considered abnormally dry.

Figures released last week by the U.S. Drought Monitor show counties in the Oklahoma Panhandle are either experiencing moderate drought conditions or are abnormally dry.

And there are at least two-dozen counties in Oklahoma with similar conditions. They span from Greer County in the far southwestern part of Oklahoma to Osage County in the far north.

The report says last week’s rainfall amounts dropped off the further west one went in the region, and there was virtually no rain measured in the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles, southeast Colorado, southwest Kansas and across most of Nebraska.