Drought in Oklahoma, February 1 to 28, 2018

Name: Drought in Oklahoma, February 1 to 28, 2018
Start: 2018-02-01T00:00
End: 2018-02-28T23:59
Location: Oklahoma

February 1 to 28, 2018 · NWS OUN · 48 events in 48 counties and zones

Extreme and severe drought spread further through Oklahoma through the first half of the month. Toward the last week of February, rainfall brought some relief to the central third of Oklahoma, confining the severe and extreme drought areas to western Oklahoma.

Where it happened

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.

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: 48

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, 10:52 PM CST, 1 hour 8 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 31, 10:52 PM CST, 1 hour 8 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Norman OK
1052 PM CST Wed Jan 31 2018

.DISCUSSION...

&&

.AVIATION...
North winds will increase Friday over much of Oklahoma in the
wake of a cold front. The gusts over central Oklahoma will
decrease later in the afternoon. VFR conditions are expected.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 521 PM CST Wed Jan 31 2018/

DISCUSSION...
00Z TAFs.

AVIATION...
Cold front continues to move southeast through the area. At the
moment, it is approaching KOKC and KLAW. Have started TAFs at
these sites with north post-frontal winds. If the front is not
quite through these sites by 00Z, but it should only be a few
minutes after 00Z before the front and northerly winds move in.
Winds will increase in some areas later this evening, and in most
areas mid morning on Thursday. VFR conditions are expected with
only high cirrus clouds expected.

PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 357 PM CST Wed Jan 31 2018/

DISCUSSION...
The cold front that moved across northwestern and west central
Oklahoma this morning has become nearly stationary this
afternoon. Ahead of the front, very warm, dry and breezy
conditions prevail. The front will push more rapidly to the south
by early this evening and this will help with humidity recovery
across southern Oklahoma and north Texas.

Cold surface high pressure over southern Canada/northern Plains
will build southeast into the mid Mississippi Valley through
Friday. This will result in northerly surface winds through early
Friday with near to slightly below average high temperatures.

A shortwave trough will move from the Pacific Northwest on Friday
then across the southern Plains by late Saturday/early Sunday.
Modest moisture return ahead of this feature and weak forcing may
result in a few showers across southeastern Oklahoma late Saturday
into early Sunday.

Models differ on the amount of cooling/timing with a cold front on
Sunday with the ECMWF colder then the GFS. For now, have blended
higher with high temperatures for Sunday and Monday, especially
across the southern half of the forecast area.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Oklahoma City OK  38  52  23  47 /   0   0   0   0
Hobart OK         36  53  23  49 /   0   0   0   0
Wichita Falls TX  40  58  27  52 /   0   0   0   0
Gage OK           30  47  20  48 /   0   0   0   0
Ponca City OK     34  46  17  44 /   0   0   0   0
Durant OK         44  59  31  50 /   0   0   0   0

&&

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

09/09/09

Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 31, 10:55 PM CST, 1 hour 5 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED
National Weather Service Norman OK
1055 PM CST Wed Jan 31 2018

OKZ004>048-050>052-TXZ083>090-020500-
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-
1055 PM CST Wed Jan 31 2018

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...Thursday through Tuesday...

.Fire Weather...
Elevated wildfire concerns may return on Monday across Oklahoma
and north Texas due to dry and breezy conditions.

Get graphics and more details at weather.gov/norman...and follow
our weather forecast office on Twitter and Facebook.

MBS

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

48 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Alfalfa

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 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, 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, Beckham

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Beckham forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.269, -99.682 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Blaine

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 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, 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, Caddo

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Caddo forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.174, -98.375 (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, Carter

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Carter forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.251, -97.286 (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, 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)

Drought, Comanche

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Comanche forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.662, -98.472 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Cotton

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Cotton forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.290, -98.372 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Custer

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Custer forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.639, -99.001 (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, 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, 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, Garvin

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 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, 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, Grant

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Grant forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 36.796, -97.786 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Greer

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Greer forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.936, -99.561 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Harmon

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Harmon forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.744, -99.846 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Harper

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 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, Hughes

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 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, Jackson

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Jackson forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.588, -99.415 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Jefferson

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Jefferson forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.111, -97.836 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Johnston

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 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, 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, 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, Kiowa

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Kiowa forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.916, -98.981 (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, 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, Love

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Love forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 33.950, -97.244 (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, Marshall

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Marshall forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.025, -96.769 (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, Murray

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 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, 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, 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, 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, Pontotoc

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 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, 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, 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, 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, Stephens

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Stephens forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.486, -97.851 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Tillman

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Tillman forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.373, -98.924 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Washita

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Washita forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.290, -98.992 (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)

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 2018 Every state in 2018 This day in weather history Warnings in Oklahoma, February 2018

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: 737154, 737155, 737156, 737157, 737158, 737159, 737160, 737161, 737162, 737164, 737165, 737166, 737167, 737168, 737169, 737170, 737171, 737172, 737173, 737175, 737176, 737178, 737180, 737182, 737183, 737184, 737185, 737186, 737187, 737188, 737189, 737190, 737191, 737192, 737193, 737194, 737195, 737196, 737197, 737198, and more.