Altus —- Area residents will learn about the Exceptional Drought and its impacts in Southwest Oklahoma during a free briefing, according to area emergency management professionals. Gary McManus, serves as the Associate State Climatologist for Oklahoma’s Climatological Survey. A graduate of the University of Oklahoma School of Meteorology, he provides the citizens and decision-makers of Oklahoma with vital and timely climate and weather information, as well as assessing the past weather conditions for the state.

McManus will be at the Southwest Technology Center, 711 W Tamarack at 7 p.m. on Nov. 27. The meeting is free.

During the briefing McManus will paint some of the reasons why the drought is bad, what the area resident needs to know about the short term impacts of the drought, and the long term forecast for droughts.

Persons who require additional information may contact Jackson County Emergency Management at 580-482-0229 or City of Altus Emergency Management at 580-481-2260 while http://climate.ok.gov/ serves as the portal for the Oklahoma Climate Survey.