Oklahoma City has witnessed a series of slow-moving thunderstorms over recent weeks, bringing unprecedented rainfall records throughout the state and alleviating drought conditions. Nonetheless, the heavy rains and saturated ground have had dire consequences, including the tragic loss of lives as several individuals were caught in rising floodwaters while in their vehicles.
A significant incident occurred Thursday when a road in a rural community south of Oklahoma City washed away, isolating around ten families. They now have no access to their community other than walking a mile and a half around a pond that gave way through its retaining wall. John Teas, one of those affected in Blanchard, 30 miles south of Oklahoma City, noted how much he now longs for basic indulgences like a Sonic cheeseburger, simply because they have no way to retrieve one. With his wife and son, he remains at home, considering how he might pass the time, possibly by working in his woodshop.
The road washout was first reported early Thursday morning by neighbors of Teas to the Blanchard Fire Department, after some had experienced rising waters infiltrating their homes. In warning the residents, fire department crews had to navigate fields since the only road available had been completely eroded. According to Dale Thompson, the Grady County Emergency Management Director, emergency responders had to physically move through the fields, going door-to-door to inform the residents.
Jennifer Thompson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, explained that the thunderstorms had a distinctive circular pattern which led to prolonged, intense periods of rainfall across Oklahoma. She mentioned on Thursday that there were concerns for more severe weather conditions and potential floods expected later in the day and into Friday morning.
Oklahoma has seen at least seven cities, including its capital, achieve new April rainfall records, shared by Oklahoma State Climatologist Gary McManus. The state recorded an average of 8.74 inches of rainfall, outstripping the past record of 8.32 inches from 1942, with climate data dating back to 1895. Strikingly, this deluge follows another record-breaking event just four months prior, in November.
This heavy deluge does come with a silver lining: drought conditions have significantly improved. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, the extent of drought across Oklahoma has dramatically reduced from covering 48% of the state to just more than 14% in April. Remaining drought conditions are only observed in parts of the Oklahoma Panhandle and the far northwestern areas of the state, as noted on Thursday.