July 2025 Southern Plains Drought Update Webinar

The Southern Plains region—encompassing Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas—is characterized by weather extremes. At any given time, part of the region may be in drought while another is experiencing flooding rains. A lack of precipitation, high temperatures, and other factors can cause drought.

Every other month, the Southern Plains Drought Update Webinar explores current drought conditions and a look ahead at precipitation and temperature outlooks for the coming season. The webinar will also feature a special presentation on the Juniper Evaluation Tool—an interactive dashboard for managing juniper vulnerability within the Chickasaw Nation Treaty Territory. Within the Southern Plains, the encroachment of juniper species disrupt the natural water balance by crowding out other native plants and using an undue share of available water. The Juniper Evaluation Tool was designed to support landowners, land managers and state agencies to evaluate, prioritize, and control the encroachment of juniper species.

Presentations

• Current Conditions and Outlook: BJ Baule, Southern Regional Climate Center 

• Juniper Evaluation Tool: Mark Micozzi, Chickasaw Nation