Hot and dry conditions continued for much of the month beneath a persistent upper-level ridge over the southern Plains. This led to worsening of the already-severe drought.
Every event with a place to put it; 48 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS OUN wrote it up.
Hot and dry conditions continued for much of the month beneath a persistent upper-level ridge over the southern Plains. This led to worsening of the already-severe drought.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Norman, OK wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 31, 1:52 PM CST, 10 hours 8 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK 252 PM CDT TUE JUL 31 2012 .DISCUSSION... A VERY HOT AND STAGNANT WEATHER PATTERN WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK AS AN IMPRESSIVE UPPER RIDGE REMAINS PARKED OVER OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS. AT THE SURFACE...A WEAK FRONT WILL REMAIN STALLED NEAR THE KANSAS OKLAHOMA BORDER. SLIGHT COOLING MAY OCCUR BEHIND THE FRONT...BUT LOW TO MID 100S ARE STILL EXPECTED. ELSEWHERE...TEMPERATURES WILL RANGE FROM 105 TO 110 WITH THE HOTTEST DAY EXPECTED TOMORROW. THE HEAT ADVISORY WILL CONTINUE THROUGH AT LEAST FRIDAY NIGHT AND MAY BE EXTENDED INTO THE WEEKEND IN FUTURE FORECASTS. NOCTURNAL CONVECTION MAY DRIVE THE FRONT INTO OKLAHOMA EARLY EACH DAY THROUGH FRIDAY...WITH A GRADUAL RETURN TO THE NORTH EACH AFTERNOON. GIVEN LACK OF UPPER SUPPORT FOR CONVECTION...RAINFALL CHANCES WOULD BE ZERO...BUT GIVEN PRESENCE OF FRONTAL BOUNDARY AND ITS PRESENCE ALONG THE NORTHERN PERIPHERY OF THE RIDGE...VERY ISOLATED SHOWERS/STORMS MAY DEVELOP OVER KANSAS AND MAKE THEIR WAY INTO FAR NRN OKLAHOMA EACH EVENING. FOR NOW WILL STICK WITH THE DRY TREND AS ANYTHING THAT MANAGES TO DEVELOP WILL LIKELY BE BRIEF AND ISOLATED. BY FRIDAY NIGHT...MODELS BRING A STRONG STORM SYSTEM INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND UPPER MIDWEST. THIS WILL RESULT IN WEAK HEIGHT FALLS. GIVEN PRESENCE OF WEAK BOUNDARY...AT LEAST ISOLATED CONVECTION IS EXPECTED FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT. WILL KEEP SLIGHT CHANCE POPS IN THE FORECAST DURING THIS TIMEFRAME GIVEN DECENT MODEL AGREEMENT. A COLD FRONT WILL ALSO APPROACH OKLAHOMA THROUGH THE WEEKEND...BUT MODELS AGREEMENT IS STILL RELATIVELY POOR REGARDING MOVEMENT OF UPPER RIDGE. WILL KEEP CURRENT FORECAST INTACT WITH VERY LOW RAIN CHANCES AND HIGHS REMAINING IN THE 100S THROUGH THE EXTENDED PERIOD. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... OKLAHOMA CITY OK 80 110 80 107 / 0 0 10 10 HOBART OK 77 109 77 109 / 0 0 0 0 WICHITA FALLS TX 79 110 80 110 / 0 0 0 0 GAGE OK 74 108 77 106 / 0 10 10 10 PONCA CITY OK 79 106 78 107 / 10 10 10 10 DURANT OK 78 106 77 106 / 0 0 0 10 && .OUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OK...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM CDT FRIDAY FOR OKZ004>048-050>052. TX...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM CDT FRIDAY FOR TXZ083>090. && 11/AUSTIN
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
1155 AM CDT TUE JUL 31 2012
OKZ004>048-050>052-TXZ083>090-011000-
HARPER-WOODS-ALFALFA-GRANT-KAY-ELLIS-WOODWARD-MAJOR-GARFIELD-
NOBLE-ROGER MILLS-DEWEY-CUSTER-BLAINE-KINGFISHER-LOGAN-PAYNE-
BECKHAM-WASHITA-CADDO-CANADIAN-OKLAHOMA-LINCOLN-GRADY-MCCLAIN-
CLEVELAND-POTTAWATOMIE-SEMINOLE-HUGHES-HARMON-GREER-KIOWA-JACKSON-
TILLMAN-COMANCHE-STEPHENS-GARVIN-MURRAY-PONTOTOC-COAL-COTTON-
JEFFERSON-CARTER-JOHNSTON-ATOKA-LOVE-MARSHALL-BRYAN-HARDEMAN-
FOARD-WILBARGER-WICHITA-KNOX-BAYLOR-ARCHER-CLAY-
1155 AM CDT TUE JUL 31 2012
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK COVERS NORTHERN...WESTERN...
CENTRAL...AND SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA...AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS.
.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...
THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK...
STORM CHANCES WILL REMAIN VERY LOW.
DISCUSSION...
A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL BECOME STATIONARY OVER NORTHERN
PORTIONS OF OKLAHOMA LATE TODAY. ALTHOUGH THE ATMOSPHERE IS EXPECTED
TO STAY TOO DRY AND STABLE TO SUPPORT THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE
FRONT...ANY STORMS THAT FORM NORTH OF THE FRONT TONIGHT WILL TRY
TO APPROACH EXTREME NORTHERN OKLAHOMA LATE TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY
MORNING. ANY STORMS THAT HAPPEN TO REACH NORTHERN OKLAHOMA WOULD BE
ISOLATED AND WEAK.
PROBABILITY TABLE...
VALID THROUGH 700 AM CDT WEDNESDAY AUG 1.
PROBABILITY OF THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRING IN THE
NWS NORMAN COUNTY WARNING AREA...10 PERCENT.
PROBABILITY OF SEVERE STORMS IF STORMS OCCUR...5 PERCENT.
OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER...
A HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE ENTIRE REGION. PLEASE
FOLLOW HEAT SAFETY GUIDELINES AND LIMIT STRENUOUS OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
THROUGH EARLY EVENING.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY...
THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK...
BRIEF AND ISOLATED STORMS MAY AFFECT FAR NORTHERN OKLAHOMA WEDNESDAY
THROUGH SUNDAY. IF STORMS DO OCCUR THEY ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE
SEVERE AND WILL HAVE LITTLE EFFECT ON THE ONGOING HEAT AND DROUGHT.
OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER...
VERY TO EXTREMELY HOT TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE
AREA THROUGH FRIDAY. A HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE
ENTIRE REGION. PLEASE FOLLOW HEAT SAFETY GUIDELINES AND LIMIT
STRENUOUS OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES.
THE NEXT SCHEDULED HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK WILL BE ISSUED AROUND
5 AM WEDNESDAY.The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
48 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
D3 (extreme) drought conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D4 (exceptional) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D2 (severe) drought conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D3 (extreme) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D3 (extreme) drought conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D4 (exceptional) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D3 (extreme) drought continued through the month with persistent dry conditions.
D2 (severe) drought continued through the month with persistent dry conditions.
D3 (extreme) drought continued through the month with persistent dry conditions.
D3 (extreme) drought continued through the month with persistent dry conditions.
D2 (severe) drought conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D3 (extreme) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D3 (extreme) drought continued through the month with persistent dry conditions.
D2 (severe) drought conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D3 (extreme) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D3 (extreme) drought conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D4 (exceptional) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D2 (severe) drought conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D3 (extreme) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D3 (extreme) drought conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D4 (exceptional) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D3 (extreme) drought continued through the month with persistent dry conditions.
D4 (exceptional) drought continued through the month with persistent dry conditions.
D3 (extreme) drought conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D4 (exceptional) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D2 (severe) drought conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D4 (exceptional) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D3 (extreme) drought continued through the month with persistent dry conditions.
D3 (extreme) drought conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D4 (exceptional) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D3 (extreme) drought conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D4 (exceptional) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D3 (extreme) drought continued through the month with persistent dry conditions.
D3 (extreme) drought conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D4 (exceptional) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D2 (severe) drought conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D3 (extreme) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D3 (extreme) drought conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D4 (exceptional) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D2 (severe) drought conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D3 (extreme) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D2 (severe) drought conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D3 (extreme) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D3 (extreme) drought conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D4 (exceptional) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D3 (extreme) drought continued through the month with persistent dry conditions.
D2 (severe) drought conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D4 (exceptional) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D3 (extreme) drought continued through the month with persistent dry conditions.
D3 (extreme) drought continued through the month with persistent dry conditions.
Abnormally dry conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D2 (severe) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D3 (extreme) drought conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D4 (exceptional) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D2 (severe) drought continued through the month with persistent dry conditions.
D3 (extreme) drought continued through the month with persistent dry conditions.
D2 (severe) drought conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D3 (extreme) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D3 (extreme) drought conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D4 (exceptional) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D3 (extreme) drought continued through the month with persistent dry conditions.
D3 (extreme) drought continued through the month with persistent dry conditions.
D2 (severe) drought conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D3 (extreme) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D2 (severe) drought conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D3 (extreme) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D4 (exceptional) drought continued through the month with persistent dry conditions.
D2 (severe) drought conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D3 (extreme) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D3 (extreme) drought conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D4 (exceptional) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D3 (extreme) drought conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D4 (exceptional) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D3 (extreme) drought conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D4 (exceptional) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D3 (extreme) drought conditions were present at the beginning of the month, but D4 (exceptional) drought developed by the end of the month with persistent dry conditions.
D4 (exceptional) drought continued through the month with persistent dry conditions.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oklahoma in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Oklahoma, August 2012
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 397134, 397135, 397136, 397137, 397138, 397139, 397140, 397141, 397142, 397143, 397144, 397145, 397146, 397147, 397148, 397149, 397151, 397152, 397153, 397154, 397155, 397156, 397157, 397158, 397159, 397160, 397161, 397162, 397163, 397164, 397165, 397166, 397167, 397168, 397169, 397170, 397171, 397172, 397173, 397174, and more.