Rainy stretch not enough to pull Oklahoma out of drought

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- Despite rainfall that neared records for frequency in the state, climate experts say Oklahoma is still lagging behind in its need for precipitation.<br/><br/>Tulsa tied its record

Thursday, July 1st 2004, 5:41 am

By: News On 6

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- Despite rainfall that neared records for frequency in the state, climate experts say Oklahoma is still lagging behind in its need for precipitation.

Tulsa tied its record with 15 days of rainfall in June, and Oklahoma City recorded 13 rainy days.

But Derek Arndt of the Oklahoma Climatological Survey says the June rainfall was only helpful in catching up for dry months in April and May.

Arndt says portions of Oklahoma are still nearly a foot below normal rainfall for the last 12 months.

He says the state needs several months in a row of above-normal rainfall before talk of a drought will stop.