Drought in Oklahoma, January 1 to 31, 2017

Name: Drought in Oklahoma, January 1 to 31, 2017
Start: 2017-01-01T00:00
End: 2017-01-31T23:59
Location: Oklahoma

January 1 to 31, 2017 · NWS OUN · 30 events in 30 counties and zones

With a lack of significant rainfall, severe drought conditions persisted over central Oklahoma and northwest Oklahoma through the month of January. Extreme drought retreated out of Coal county, but persisted in Atoka and Bryan counties.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 30 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: 30

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 Dec 31, 10:55 PM CST, 1 hour 5 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 31, 10:55 PM CST, 1 hour 5 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Norman OK
1055 PM CST Sat Dec 31 2016

.AVIATION...
Light winds overnight with a possibility of a few light rain showers
near Red River. Have kept a mention of -ra at SPS, but have removed
rain/snow at GAG/WWR. Still appears that some lower MVFR ceilings
will develop across areas along and east of I-35 late tonight and
linger at least through midday Sunday, impacting OUN/OKC/PNC. Will
keep these lower ceilings throughout the day at PNC. Will also intro
some mention of fog very late in the forecast along I-35 corridor.

30

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 603 PM CST Sat Dec 31 2016/

.UPDATE...

&&

.DISCUSSION...
We made some minor adjustments to the overnight forecast based on
observation trends and latest short term model guidance. The first
adjustment was precipitation type in the northwest. Bufkit
soundings are marginal for exclusively snow with the wet bulb
temperature near or just above 0C through a fairly deep layer, so
we went with rain and snow. The second was to add slight chance
probabilities of rain showers in western north Texas and a portion
of southwest and south central Oklahoma later tonight. Ascent from
approaching shortwave trough and moistening, albeit meager but
probably sufficient, may result in some brief showers there. The
third was to try and convey a little more certainty in
occurrence/coverage with fog in the southeast portion of the area
later tonight and so we transitioned wording from "patchy" to
"areas". Locally dense fog seems possible and mentioned of this
was added to the Hazardous Weather Outlook.

Minor adjustments may be needed to tomorrow's forecast,
specifically with spatial coverage of fog/drizzle (may need to
expand further westward and northward). We will also need to
reevaluate for the possibility of light precipitation early in the
morning across the northeast and east central portion of the area.
Right now we have snow flurries mentioned, but NAM thermal
profiles show a warm advection regime probably favoring more
light drizzle or sprinkles. NAM and RAP differ in the amount of
low level moistening/saturation so confidence is low now but we
will monitor trends.

BRB

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 515 PM CST Sat Dec 31 2016/

AVIATION...
Light north/northeast winds this evening will gradually shift to
the east and then to the south during the day on Sunday. Mid
clouds will increase overnight with an outside possibility of some
light rain showers near the Red River and far northwest Oklahoma.
Some light snow may mix in at times in the northwest. Otherwise,
lower level moisture will result in development of MVFR ceilings
across southeast into central Oklahoma toward morning, impacting
OUN/OKC and eventually PNC. MVFR conditions then are expected to
linger through much of the day at those sites.

30

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 237 PM CST Sat Dec 31 2016/

DISCUSSION...
A cold front continues to slowly progress southward across western
and central OK this afternoon. SE OK will not be influenced by
this front through tonight with a sfc low remaining near this
region/front stalling. As a result, expect some fog to develop late
tonight thru tomorrow morning over SE OK within easterly moist
flow. A mid level vort max, currently moving into northern NM, is
still expected to lift over the panhandles late tonight through
early morning. Some brief, light snow will be possible with this
feature though moisture appears limited. Do not expect any
accumulation at the current time, but can't rule out a dusting
across NW OK. Light rain/showers will then be possible by mid day
across SE OK.

Expect more widespread fog late Sun thru early Mon east of I35 as
southerly flow returns and dewpoints climb back into the 50s ahead
of a deeper mid to upper low moving over west TX. This feature is
expected to pass over central TX Sun night and Mon morning.
Widespread showers and isolated storms will be possible with it,
especially along and south of the Red River. A few strong to
severe storms could develop initially over portions of western
north TX late Mon, and then across extreme S/SE OK thru the early
morning hours as mid level lapse rates steepen with the mid to
upper trough. As the trough passes overhead mid day Mon and winds
veer, cloud cover will diminish and temps will climb well above
average Mon afternoon.

The next modified arctic cold front will move into OK early Tue
AM, and then dive southward during the day into TX. Precipitation
is not expected behind the front, although some stratus may
briefly accompany it. The depth of the cold air will continue to
deepen through mid to late next week as several mid to upper
shortwave troughs move over the northern plains and upper midwest.
Expect temps to remain well below normal after Tue. In addition,
mid level moisture will increase along a baroclinic zone Thu AM
along and north of I40. A couple of mid to upper level
perturbations within WNW flow, subtle mid level WAA, and
divergence aloft associated with the RRQ of an upper jet may
support light snow across the northern half of OK by Thu. Better
lift will likely accompany a mid level shortwave trough Fri, and
based on fairly decent moisture agreement between the ECMWF and
GFS decided to increase PoPs (snow) into low chances.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Oklahoma City OK  56  32  58  47 /   0  10  10  30
Hobart OK         51  31  57  42 /   0  10  10  30
Wichita Falls TX  61  34  63  51 /   0  20  10  50
Gage OK           47  27  57  37 /   0  20  10   0
Ponca City OK     50  27  53  45 /   0  10  10  20
Durant OK         65  43  61  56 /   0  10  30  50

&&

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

12/30

Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 31, 5:40 PM CST, 6 hours 20 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
540 PM CST SAT DEC 31 2016

OKZ004>048-050>052-TXZ083>090-011245-
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-
540 PM CST SAT DEC 31 2016

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

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT...

.FOG...
AREAS OF FOG WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN AND
SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA... MAINLY ALONG AND SOUTHEAST OF AN ARDMORE
TO ADA LINE... LATE TONIGHT. PATCHY DENSE FOG MAY ALSO
OCCUR.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...

.THUNDERSTORMS...
ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE
AREA SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING. A FEW STRONG TO SEVERE
STORMS COULD DEVELOP ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA... AND
WESTERN NORTH TEXAS. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE
PRIMARY CONCERNS.

.FIRE WEATHER...
ELEVATED WILDFIRE CONDITIONS COULD BE POSSIBLE ACROSS PARTS OF THE
AREA MONDAY DUE TO WARM TEMPERATURES... LOW HUMIDITIES... AND
BREEZY WINDS.

.WINTER WEATHER...
COLD, ARTIC AIR IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE REGION EARLY NEXT
WEEK. A STORM SYSTEM INTERACTING WITH THE COLD AIR THAT WILL BE IN
PLACE COULD BRING A CHANCE OF AT LEAST LIGHT SNOW TO PARTS OF THE
AREA TOWARDS THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. THERE IS SOME UNCERTAINTY AS
TO WHERE... WHEN... AND HOW MUCH SNOW WILL OCCUR SO CONTINUE TO
LOOK FOR THE LATEST FORECAST.

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

EM/KURTZ

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

30 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Woods

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 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: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 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, Ellis

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 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: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 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: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 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, Harper

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Harper forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 36.789, -99.667 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Alfalfa

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Alfalfa forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 36.731, -98.324 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Dewey

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 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, Blaine

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Blaine forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.875, -98.433 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Garfield

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 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, Noble

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 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, Kay

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 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, Kingfisher

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 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: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 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, Logan

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 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: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 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, Grady

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 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, McClain

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 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, Cleveland

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 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, Lincoln

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 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, Pottawatomie

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 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: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 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, Hughes

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Hughes forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.048, -96.250 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Garvin

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Garvin forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.705, -97.309 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Murray

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Murray forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.482, -97.068 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Pontotoc

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Pontotoc forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.728, -96.684 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Johnston

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Johnston forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.317, -96.661 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Coal

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 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)

Drought, Atoka

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 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: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 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)

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, January 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: 672571, 672572, 672573, 672574, 672576, 672577, 672578, 672579, 672580, 672581, 672582, 672583, 672584, 672585, 672586, 672587, 672588, 672589, 672590, 672591, 672592, 672593, 672594, 672595, 672596, 672597, 672598, 672599, 672600, 672601.