Drought in Cimarron, Oklahoma

All of Cimarron County and western Texas County started the month of May in Extreme Drought (D3). Outside of the northwest corner of Beaver County the entire county in the eastern Oklahoma Panhandle started the month of May in D3 as well. The eastern third of Texas County and the northwest corner of Beaver County started the month in Severe Drought (D2). What beneficial rain that did fall in the month fell outside of this area of D2 with D3 taking its place by month's end. With the exception of central to southwestern Beaver County that degraded all the way to Exceptional Drought (D4), the rest of the Oklahoma Panhandle ended the month in D3 as isolated areas that did see above monthly average rain, were still in a 120 day deficit of 3 to 6.

A very dry spring led to the development of Extreme (D3) to Exceptional (D4) drought in the combined Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles. With an extra prolonged period of dryness and abnormally warm temperatures both in May and leading up to May, drought impacts were felt quite a bit. Not only were crops not surviving spring planting, but grasses remained abnormally dry and dormant for this time of year. This lead to extreme wildfire conditions as temperatures reached the upper 90s.