Drought in Oklahoma, February 1 to 28, 2017

Name: Drought in Oklahoma, February 1 to 28, 2017
Start: 2017-02-01T00:00
End: 2017-02-28T23:59
Location: Oklahoma

February 1 to 28, 2017 · NWS OUN · 23 events in 23 counties and zones

With a lack of significant rainfall, severe drought conditions persisted over central Oklahoma and northwest Oklahoma through the month of February. Southeast Oklahoma saw some improvement as severe drought retreated and extreme drought was eliminated.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 23 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 23

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS OUN wrote it up.

What forecasters said that day

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 Jan 31, 11:36 PM CST, 24 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 31, 11:36 PM CST, 24 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Norman OK
1136 PM CST Tue Jan 31 2017

.AVIATION...01/06z TAF Issuance...
A weak surface front remains stretched across the body of Oklahoma
this evening. Along the boundary, winds have become near calm,
with easterly winds across northern Oklahoma and southerly winds
persisting across southern Oklahoma into north Texas. Scattered to
broken high ceilings will remain across the region for the better
part of the TAF period. As the surface boundary moves southward
overnight, winds will become more east and northeasterly at all
sites, especially by Wednesday morning and midday. Winds will
increase in the mid to late morning into the afternoon, with
breezy northeasterly winds developing.

Kurtz

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 848 PM CST Tue Jan 31 2017/

UPDATE...
Only minor changes to tonights grids. Have increased cloud cover
to account for more abundant cirrus. In addition, have increased
wind speeds a bit across areas to the north of the advancing cold
front later tonight.

30

PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 548 PM CST Tue Jan 31 2017/

AVIATION...01/00z TAF Issuance...
VFR conditions will prevail through the period. Scattered to
broken high ceilings will continue to build southward across the
region through the overnight. A weak surface front will continue
to promote a wind shift through the period, with easterly winds
already occuring across northern Oklahoma. Ahead of this weak
boundary, south winds will continue before shifting to the east
and northeast into Wednesday.

Kurtz

PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 330 PM CST Tue Jan 31 2017/

DISCUSSION...
A stationary front across northern Oklahoma separates warm weather
(by January standards) to the north from very warm weather to the
south. A much stronger surge of cooler air will arrive overnight
into Wednesday morning, shoving the front well south into Texas by
evening, and bringing temperatures across Oklahoma and western
north Texas back down closer to the seasonal average. There does
not appear to be enough moisture for any precipitation with this
system.

Zonal flow aloft will continue the rest of this week, as low level
winds above the cool airmass turn more southerly. This will bring
several rounds of moisture into Oklahoma/north Texas into
Saturday. Each wad of moisture will bring low chances of light
precipitation...either light rain or drizzle...in the widespread
areas of isentropic lift.

A wave in the zonal flow will support a relatively disorganized
surface storm system for Saturday night. This will bring a period
of clearing, along with mild temperatures, for the remainder of
the weekend...and into Monday.

A large surface storm is forecast to form over the central Plains
by early Tuesday. There are important differences between the
ECMWF and GFS, but both generate a large and strong storm.
Oklahoma/north Texas will initially have windy and warm weather,
followed by a very noticeable drop in temperatures. The rapidity
of the drop is quite different between the two models. The ECMWF
is more abrupt, but not quite as cold in the longer run (beyond
the range of this forecast). It is possible that there could be
some snow (or some form of freezing/frozen precipitation) across
northern Oklahoma behind the strong cold front. At this point, it
does not look like anything significant, but we will need to keep
an eye on it.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Oklahoma City OK  37  54  32  41 /   0   0   0   0
Hobart OK         36  54  30  43 /   0   0   0   0
Wichita Falls TX  39  62  35  48 /   0   0   0  10
Gage OK           30  47  23  38 /   0   0   0   0
Ponca City OK     34  50  28  41 /   0   0   0   0
Durant OK         46  67  43  50 /   0   0  10  20

&&

.OUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OK...None.
TX...None.
&&

09/04/04

Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 31, 6:27 PM CST, 5 hours 33 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
627 PM CST TUE JAN 31 2017

OKZ004>048-050>052-TXZ083>090-020030-
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-
627 PM CST TUE JAN 31 2017

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN...
WESTERN...CENTRAL...AND SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA...AND WESTERN
NORTH TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT...

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY...

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

GET GRAPHICS AND MORE DETAILS AT WEATHER.GOV/NORMAN...AND FOLLOW
OUR WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

23 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Ellis

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Ellis forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 36.218, -99.755 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Roger Mills

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Roger Mills forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.688, -99.696 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Major

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Major forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 36.312, -98.536 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Woods

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Woods forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 36.767, -98.865 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Woodward

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Woodward forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 36.423, -99.265 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Dewey

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Dewey forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.988, -99.008 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Garfield

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Garfield forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 36.379, -97.783 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Kingfisher

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Kingfisher forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.945, -97.942 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Canadian

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Canadian forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.542, -97.982 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Grady

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Grady forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.017, -97.884 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Kay

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Kay forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 36.818, -97.144 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Noble

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Noble forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 36.389, -97.230 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Logan

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Logan forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.919, -97.443 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Payne

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Payne forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 36.077, -96.976 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Oklahoma

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Oklahoma forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.552, -97.407 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Lincoln

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Lincoln forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.703, -96.881 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Cleveland

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Cleveland forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.203, -97.326 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, McClain

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: McClain forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.009, -97.444 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Pottawatomie

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Pottawatomie forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.207, -96.948 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Seminole

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Seminole forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.168, -96.615 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Atoka

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Atoka forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.374, -96.038 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Bryan

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Bryan forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 33.962, -96.260 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Coal

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Coal forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.588, -96.298 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Drought: A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Oklahoma in 2017 Every state in 2017 This day in weather history Warnings in Oklahoma, February 2017

Sources

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: 680550, 680551, 680552, 680553, 680554, 680555, 680556, 680557, 680558, 680559, 680560, 680561, 680562, 680563, 680564, 680565, 680566, 680567, 680568, 680569, 680570, 680571, 680572.