August 2012 rainfall was above average across most of Texoma, helping to ease the drought conditions a bit as summer began to wind down.

The average August precipitation is about 2 inches; quite a few locations had over 4 inches with only a few places like Madill and Paris receiving less than the monthly average (discussion continues below maps):

The abundant rainfall was not enough to erase the drought, but it did improve soil moisture conditions in many areas. However, the drought is still classified as “moderate” on the Texas side of the river and “severe to “extreme” for much of southern Oklahoma.

The September outlook is for rather dry weather, but the longer-range outlook calls for drought conditions gradually easing as an El Nino develops. October/November normally ushers in the wetter pattern during El Nino years.

Take Care,

Steve LaNore

Chief Meteorologist

KXII-TV