Thu, Apr 25, 2024
Summer/Fall 2024 Mesonet OK-First Classes Summer/Fall 2024 Mesonet OK-First classes for public safety officials are now open for enrollment! We will be offering a mix… Read More »
Tue, Oct 10, 2023
Winter/Spring 2024 Mesonet OK-First Classes Winter/Spring 2024 Mesonet OK-First classes for public safety officials are now open for enrollment! We will be offering a mix… Read More »
Thu, Apr 27, 2023
Summer/Fall 2023 Mesonet OK-First Classes Summer/Fall 2023 Mesonet OK-First classes for public safety officials are now open for enrollment! We will be offering a mix… Read More »
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 »
Wed, Jan 02, 2019
Three soaking storm systems brought much needed precipitation to the state, ending a run of up to 78 days without significant moisture for much of northern and western Oklahoma. Like last year at this time, the winter wheat crop was clamoring for a good drink of water, and fire danger was increasing with each dry, windy day. Between the three storms, virtually all areas of the state saw relief by the end of the month. The most significant storm struck just after Christmas Day and dumped 1-3 inches of rain across a good portion of the state. The western half of the Oklahoma Panhandle saw an old fashioned High Plains blizzard on the back end of the storm. Reports of 4-6 inches of snow were common, with localized amounts of 10 inches near Guymon. Winds of 50 mph closed roads with drifting snow and brought down frozen power lines. A powerful cold front blasted through the state on 2018’s final day, leaving revelers to deal with temperatures in the teens and 20s, and wind chills in the single digits. There was very little severe weather during the month with the storm systems, although flooding was reported with some of the heavier downpours. Preliminary totals from the National Weather Service place the year’s tornado total at 41, about 15 below the 1951-2017 average.
According to the Oklahoma Mesonet, the statewide average precipitation total was 3.54 inches, 1.48 inches above normal to rank as the 14th wettest December since records began in 1895. Southeastern Oklahoma had a surplus of 3.57 inches, the fifth wettest December for that region of the state. Broken Bow led the Mesonet’s 120 stations with 9.12 inches for the month. Thirty-one sites saw at least 5 inches of rain, and another 25 recorded at least 3 inches. Kenton brought up the rear with 0.38 inches. Eight sites reported less than an inch, all in far northwestern Oklahoma. The statewide annual average total of 40.52 inches marks 2018 as the 15th wettest year on record with a surplus of 4.02 inches. South central and southeastern Oklahoma were both 10 inches above normal. Northeastern Oklahoma finished with a deficit of 5.05 inches, the 60th driest year on record for that region. Broken Bow led the state during 2018 with a total of 73.06 inches, while Kenton had the lowest tally at 15.04 inches. Oklahoma City’s official observation site at Will Rogers Airport recorded 45.85 inches in 2018 to rank as the seventh wettest year since 1890. Tulsa finished on the dry side at 34.08 inches, their 46th driest year since 1893.
December was on the warm side with a statewide average temperature of 40.3 degrees, 1.4 degrees above normal. That ranked it as the 50th warmest December on record. Several stations logged the month’s highest reading of 69 degrees on various days. Eva recorded the only temperature below zero at minus 2 degrees on the 29th. 2018 was 0.4 degrees above normal at 60.3 degrees, the 41st warmest year on record. The year’s highest temperature of 113 degrees occurred at Grandfield on July 19, as did the highest heat index of 121 degrees at Pawnee. Miami brought in the lowest temperature on Jan. 17 at minus 8 degrees. The lowest wind chill fell on the day before with a teeth-chattering minus 22 degrees.
Drought took a small step forward during December, thanks to the long dry period across northern and western Oklahoma. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 5 percent of the state was in at least moderate drought by the end of the month, a minor increase since the end of November. Abnormally dry conditions – a drought precursor – had increased from 27 percent to 45 percent over that same period, however. Much of that dryness was alleviated by the late-month moisture. The January outlooks from the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) showed equal chances for above-, below- and near-normal temperatures and precipitation for Oklahoma. The remaining drought across northeastern Oklahoma was placed in the “removal likely” category on CPC’s January Drought Outlook.