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 »
Tue, Mar 01, 2022
Three impactful winter storms struck Oklahoma during February, snarling traffic on state highways, bringing down power lines, and forcing widespread closures of businesses and schools. The first storm struck Feb. 1-3 and dumped 4-6 inches of snow over a significant portion of the state. Larger totals were scattered about, with nearly a foot of snow reported in both Hooker and Seminole. That same system covered parts of southeastern Oklahoma with up to a half-inch of freezing rain, damaging trees and power infrastructure in the area. The second storm produced near blizzard conditions across far northern Oklahoma on Feb. 16-17. Another swath of 4-6 inches was observed across those counties, with a volunteer observer at Helena in Alfalfa County reporting 8 inches. Winds gusting to over 40 mph produced snow drifts in that area of more than 5 feet. The third storm dumped 1-2 inches of sleet across the southeastern half of Oklahoma on Feb. 23-24, encasing a significant portion of the state in an icy shell that would take days to melt. Thunder was heard during the sleet, signaling enhanced convective precipitation rates. Much of the state received 6-8 inches of snow for the month. Helena led all totals at 17 inches with Seminole in second at 12 inches. Severe weather was nearly nonexistent for the month, but wildfires were a consistent hazard throughout February.
According to preliminary data from the Oklahoma Mesonet, the statewide average precipitation total was 1.6 inches, 0.09 inches below normal and ranked as the 54th wettest February since records began in 1895. Totals for the month ranged from 5.29 inches at Broken Bow to a meager 0.06 inches at Camargo. Forty-one of the Mesonet’s 120 sites ended up with an inch or less for the month, while 28 sites managed at least 2 inches. Even with February’s modest moisture totals, the climatological winter—December through January—ended as the 23rd driest on record at 3.08 inches, 2.29 inches below normal. Winter totals ranged from 9.84 inches at the Mesonet site at Mt. Herman in McCurtain County to 0.18 inches at the May Ranch site in far northern Woods County.
February ranked as the 38th coolest on record with a statewide average of 38.6 degrees, 3.8 degrees below normal. There was still plenty of pleasant weather in between the bouts of winter chill. Highs often rose into the 60s and 70s in advance of each winter storm system, culminating with a high of 82 degrees at Altus, Hollis, and Tipton on the 16th and again at Mangum on the 21st. Cold weather still dominated the month, however. Kenton dropped to minus 12 degrees on the 4th, and temperatures fell below zero a total of 20 times across the Mesonet’s 120 sites during February, nearly all in the Panhandle region. The Mesonet recorded 243 wind chills of minus 5 degrees or less throughout the month, topped by Hooker’s -27 degrees on Feb. 4. Buoyed by December 2021’s remarkable warmth, the climatological winter finished 2.6 degrees above normal to rank as the 16th warmest December through February on record with a statewide average temperature of 42.1 degrees.
The February moisture provided significant drought relief across far eastern Oklahoma, but merely staved off intensification in the western half of the state. Drought coverage decreased from 88.2% at the end of January to 86.7% at the end of February according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The Climate Prediction Center’s March outlooks for temperature and precipitation paint a picture of a warm month ahead for the entire state, and wet as well for eastern Oklahoma. All of Oklahoma has increased odds of above normal temperatures for March, with the eastern half of the state seeing those same increased odds for above normal precipitation as well. CPC’s March drought outlook calls for improvements across far southeastern Oklahoma, but to persist elsewhere through the month.
