The feel that spring has arrived comes differently to different people. To a gardener, spring is the blooming of garden flowers.
To a forester, spring is when tree canopies have filled with new green leaves. Continue reading
soil temperature
October Warm Temps and Lack of Rain
October followed a warm September with above average temperatures. Unfortunately, what was below average in October were our rainfall totals.
Looking back at October, our average air temperatures for the month were 4 to 7 degrees above average. Northern and central sections of the state, the yellow-orange areas, had the largest departure from the Oklahoma Mesonet Long-term 15-year average (2001-2015).
Soil Cooling Rain
When the rain arrives, it comes with refreshing, rain-cooled air.
What we don’t give much thought to is the bonus of the cooling effect of rain on soil temperatures. Wednesday, October 5, 2016 gave us a good example of how rain cools the soil.
