Tue, Jan 03, 2023
December Caps 2022 Rain Record December provided a fitting end to Oklahoma’s tumultuous 2022 weather story. This final chapter came complete with a half-dozen tornadoes,… Read More »
Tue, Nov 01, 2022
October Drought Relief Mixed Drought held on through October in Oklahoma for the fifteenth consecutive month, its roots dating back to August 2021 and… Read More »
Tue, Oct 11, 2022
Winter/Spring 2023 Mesonet OK-First Classes Winter/Spring 2023 Mesonet OK-First classes for public safety officials are now open for enrollment! We will be offering a mix… Read More »
Mon, Oct 03, 2022
September Continues Dry Dusty Weather Drought surged across Oklahoma as the driest September since 1956 took its toll on the state’s landscape. The amount of… Read More »
Wed, Aug 17, 2022
Fall 2022 OK-FIRE Classes Free training workshops will be offered this fall for both new and experienced users of OK-FIRE, the statewide weather-based decision support system… Read More »
Mon, Aug 01, 2022
July Heat Punishes Oklahoma The seemingly impenetrable heat wave and dry spell that had punished Oklahoma since early June continued through nearly all of… Read More »
Fri, Jul 01, 2022
June Teases Several Seasons June managed to pack pieces of three seasons into a single month. The first 10 days were quite springlike, with… Read More »
Wed, Jun 01, 2022
May Rains Dent Drought May’s reputation as Oklahoma’s most prolific severe weather month was confirmed within the first week with as many as… Read More »
Mon, May 02, 2022
April Winds Highest in Mesonet Era Opinions on Oklahoma’s weather are often more variable than the weather itself. Some Oklahomans will look back on April… Read More »
Wed, Apr 13, 2022
Summer/Fall 2022 Mesonet OK-First Classes Summer/Fall 2022 Mesonet OK-First classes for public safety officials are now open for enrollment! We will be offering a mix… Read More »
Fri, Apr 01, 2022
Variety Describes March Weather March’s weather ran the gamut of nearly all the hazards Oklahoma has to offer, befitting a seasonal transition month in… Read More »
Tue, Mar 01, 2022
Wintry Weather Rules February Three impactful winter storms struck Oklahoma during February, snarling traffic on state highways, bringing down power lines, and forcing… Read More »
Tue, Feb 01, 2022
Winter Arrives In January Winter arrived with conviction at the dawn of the new year in Oklahoma and delivered a startling counterpunch to the… Read More »
Tue, Jan 04, 2022
December Shatters Temperature Record In what could best be described as a climatological anomaly on steroids, Oklahoma soared to its warmest December on… Read More »
Wed, Dec 01, 2021
November Caps Off Warm, Dry Fall An extended pattern of warm, dry weather exacerbated drought conditions during November. Drought impacts, including fire danger and soil… Read More »
Thu, Nov 18, 2021
Spring 2022 Mesonet OK-First Classes Spring 2022 OK-First classes for public safety officials are now open for enrollment! We will be offering a mix of… Read More »
Mon, Nov 01, 2021
October Sets Tornado Record Oklahomans are growing accustomed to Mother Nature’s October weather shenanigans following a snowstorm of up to 13 inches in… Read More »
Tue, Oct 05, 2021
Fall 2021 OK-FIRE Classes Free training workshops will be offered this fall for both new and experienced users of OK-FIRE, the statewide weather-based decision… Read More »
Fri, Oct 01, 2021
Drought Makes September Push The 17th warmest and driest September in Oklahoma since records began in 1895 allowed drought to flourish during the month.… Read More »
Wed, Sep 01, 2021
Drought Returns During Arid August A run of hot, dry weather finished off climatological summer in true Oklahoma fashion following a delightfully mild first two… Read More »
Fri, Oct 01, 2021
The 17th warmest and driest September in Oklahoma since records began in 1895 allowed drought to flourish during the month. Categorized as “flash drought,” its rapid onset and intensification occur when abnormally high temperatures and below normal precipitation persist for an extended period. Most often a warm season phenomenon, abundant sunshine and strong winds can also aid in its progression. Those are precisely the conditions Oklahoma experienced when previously abundant rains tapered off during early August and sweltering heat returned shortly thereafter. That weather pattern continued until relief finally arrived on the month’s final two days, bringing widespread rains and more seasonable temperatures.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, more than 73% of Oklahoma was experiencing drought conditions by the end of September, a 67% increase since the end of August and the state’s highest percentage since Feb. 20, 2018. Of that 73%, 49% was considered moderate drought, 21% severe, and 3% extreme. The Drought Monitor’s intensity scale slides from moderate-severe-extreme-exceptional, with exceptional being the worst classification. Several Mesonet sites had only received a hundredth of an inch of rain for the month before relief arrived on the 29th. Tulsa had gone 80 consecutive days without at least a quarter-inch of moisture before its streak was interrupted on that same date. Reports received by the Oklahoma Climatological Survey from across the state detailed dry stock ponds, cattle receiving supplemental feed months earlier than normal, and flagging crops due to the arid conditions. The USDA reported 79% of the state’s topsoils were “short to very short” of moisture on Sept. 26, a 52% increase since the beginning of August. The late-month relief was expected to reduce Oklahoma’s drought footprint on the first U.S. Drought Monitor report of October.
According to preliminary data from the Oklahoma Mesonet, the statewide average temperature finished at 76.3 degrees, 3.4 degrees above normal. Triple-digit temperatures were more common early in the month, although they occurred as late as the 20th. Buffalo’s 107 degrees on Sept. 11 led the Mesonet’s high temperature readings, with Eva and Boise City’s 38 degrees capturing the lowest temperature prize. Heat index values amongst the Mesonet’s 120 sites rose to 105 degrees or above 228 times during September, topped by Idabel’s 111 degrees on Sept. 1. The statewide average January-September temperature remained on the cool side at 62.8 degrees, 1 degree below normal and ranked as the 51st coolest on record.
The statewide average rainfall total was 1.37 inches as measured by the Mesonet, 1.95 inches below normal. Despite the late-month moisture, nearly the entire state suffered deficits of 1-3 inches during September. Fifty-two Mesonet sites failed to record at least an inch of rainfall, and only 29 reported at least 2 inches. The May Ranch Mesonet site in far northern Woods County recorded the highest total at 4.58 inches. Goodwell had the month’s lowest total with 0.05 inches. The January-September statewide average remained below normal by 0.68 inches at 27.92 inches, the 54th wettest such period on record.
Hope for further drought relief could arrive in October according to the outlooks from the Climate Prediction Center with increased odds of above normal temperatures and precipitation for much of the United States, including Oklahoma. The odds for a wetter October are a bit lower for the Panhandle. CPC’s October drought outlook indicates many of the areas impacted by dry conditions during September will see improvement or removal of drought by the end of October, save for the western Panhandle where drought is expected to persist or intensify.
