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 »
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 »
Mon, Dec 02, 2019
November’s weather was somewhat tame by Oklahoma’s standards, with cold weather dominating the headlines. Several intrusions of arctic air blasted the country during November, and Oklahoma caught the edges of the frigid weather each time. Along with that cold came a mostly dry month across a droughty western Oklahoma. Heavy rains fell across the eastern half. There was a bit of snow across far northern Oklahoma – totals of 2-4 inches were observed in the Panhandle. A couple of thunderstorms in the east managed to exceed severe limits during the month’s final two days; wind and hail being the main threats.
An outbreak of wildfires occurred on Nov. 26 when a strong storm system moved through the state, kicking winds up to over 60mph. Interacting with low humidity and temperatures in the 70s and 80s, those winds allowed fires to spread rapidly, prompting evacuations and widescale emergency response efforts. In addition, more than 15,000 residences and businesses were without power due to the high winds.
According to preliminary data from the Oklahoma Mesonet, the statewide average temperature was 46.4 degrees, the 38th coolest November since records began in 1895. The highest recorded temperature of 81 degrees occurred twice – at Buffalo on the ninth and Waurika on the 19th. The Mesonet site at Eva fell to minus 4 degrees on the 12th for the lowest temperature of the month. The wind chill dropped below zero 39 times at the Mesonet’s 120 sites, with Eva’s minus 17 degrees on the 12th setting the low mark. The climatological fall (September-November) ended as the 53rd warmest on record, 0.4 degrees above normal. The first 11 months of the year were 0.3 degrees below normal, the 57th coolest January-November on record.
As has been the case in recent months, the heaviest precipitation fell across eastern portions of the state while the western half was left mostly dry. Totals ranged from 4-6 inches across the east. The western half received 1-2 inches in general, but north central and northwestern sections saw less than an inch. The statewide average was 2.55 inches, 0.04 inches above normal to rank as the 45th wettest November on record. Mt. Herman led all Mesonet sites with 7.79 inches. Eva received 0.36 inches for the lowest total. The fall season matched November’s pattern; it was generally dry across western Oklahoma and exceedingly wet across the east. The September-November statewide average was 10.04 inches, 0.46 inches above normal to rank the 41st wettest fall on record. The year continues on pace to be one of the top 10 wettest in state history. The January-November statewide average of 43.84 inches ranked as the seventh wettest on record with a surplus of 9.4 inches, and is already the eighth wettest calendar year on record. Northeastern Oklahoma shattered its annual record total with a month to spare. That area’s average January-November total was 61.65 inches, 21.33 inches above normal. The previous record annual total was 57.82 inches from 1973.
Given the ongoing dry weather across western Oklahoma, drought managed to increase and intensify during November. Drought coverage increased from 8% at the end of October to 13% at the end of November according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The area in severe drought increased from 1% to 4%, predominantly in the western Panhandle. The main feature of the December temperature and precipitation outlooks from the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) was greatly increased odds of above normal temperatures across the Southern Plains – including Oklahoma. The precipitation outlook called for equal chances of above-, below- and near-normal moisture in the state. CPC’s December drought outlook indicated persistence of drought in those areas where it was noted in November’s final Drought Monitor map.