Drought in Oklahoma, August 1 to 31, 2020

Name: Drought in Oklahoma, August 1 to 31, 2020
Start: 2020-08-01T00:00
End: 2020-08-31T00:00
Location: Oklahoma

August 1 to 31, 2020 · NWS OUN · 10 events in 10 counties and zones

A relative lack of rainfall led to an intensification of drought across western Oklahoma, with some locations experiencing extreme drought conditions by the end of the month.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 10 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

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 10

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.

A relative lack of rainfall led to an intensification of drought across western Oklahoma, with some locations experiencing extreme drought conditions by the end of the month.

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 Jul 31, 10:44 PM CST, 1 hour 16 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 31, 10:44 PM CST, 1 hour 16 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Norman OK
1144 PM CDT Fri Jul 31 2020

...New AVIATION...

.SHORT TERM...
(This evening through Saturday)
Issued at 140 PM CDT Fri Jul 31 2020

Mid-level low is currently situated over Missouri, placing much of
our CWA under scattered clouds and breezy northwesterly flow.
Current observations show temperatures 5 to 10 degrees cooler
than this time yesterday with temperatures mostly in the low/mid
80's with upper 80's observed near Hollis (SW OK) and Vernon
(TX). Lower dewpoint temperatures are seen as well, with
mid/upper 50's across western OK, mid 60s over central OK, and
lower 70's over eastern Oklahoma. Tonight will be unusually
pleasant for the end of July, with much of the fa dropping down
into the low to mid 60's.

As high pressure continues to move in behind the trough, winds
will become light with mostly sunny skies tomorrow and highs in
the mid to upper 80s. Portions of SW OK and western north TX will
be closer to 90 deg F.

Thompson

&&

.LONG TERM...
(Saturday night through next Thursday)
Issued at 203 PM CDT Fri Jul 31 2020

The overall pattern for the long term will be northwest flow with
low rain chances most days and a weak ridge building back allowing
temperatures to slowly come back up to near normal.

Saturday night is starting to come within range of the CAMs, which
offer additional support for the low PoPs across northern Oklahoma
(identified by the previous shift) related to the possibility of
convection rolling south from the central plains. Will adjust the
timing somewhat earlier based on the latest guidance.

Little change to Sunday night as models continue to hint at a
convective system coming down through the panhandles, potentially
affecting parts of western Oklahoma and north Texas.

Northwest flow pattern continues with signals for MCSs Monday
night through Wednesday night, with a gradual eastward shift as
the upper level high starts to move in.

Later in the week, we start to move into more of a zonal pattern
with a low amplitude ridge centered over Texas. This will be enough
to allow temperatures to start warming again back to near normal,
but not enough to keep precipitation chances out of the area. Low
chances will continue, mainly over northern Oklahoma through the end
of next week.

Day

&&

.AVIATION...
(06Z TAFS)
Issued at 1144 PM CDT Fri Jul 31 2020

VFR conditions are expected to prevail with light north winds
trending southeasterly toward the latter portion of the forecast
period.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Oklahoma City OK  85  65  87  67 /  10   0   0  10
Hobart OK         88  65  92  67 /   0   0   0  10
Wichita Falls TX  89  66  91  68 /  10   0   0  10
Gage OK           86  61  91  64 /   0   0   0  10
Ponca City OK     84  64  85  65 /  20   0   0  20
Durant OK         88  67  89  68 /  30   0   0  10

&&

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

SHORT TERM...01
LONG TERM....14
AVIATION...09

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 31, 9:47 AM CST, 14 hours 13 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED
National Weather Service Norman OK
1047 AM CDT Fri Jul 31 2020

OKZ004>048-050>052-TXZ083>090-011600-
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-
1047 AM CDT Fri Jul 31 2020

This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of northern...
western...central...and southern Oklahoma...and western north
Texas.

.DAY ONE...Through Tonight...

No hazardous weather is expected.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday...

.Thunderstorms...
Periodic low thunderstorm chances are expected through starting
Sunday through much of next week. The greatest chances currently
appear to be Sunday night and Tuesday night.

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

10 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Roger Mills

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 31, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Roger Mills forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service
Coordinates: 35.688, -99.696 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Beckham

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 31, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Beckham forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service
Coordinates: 35.269, -99.682 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Greer

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 31, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Greer forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service
Coordinates: 34.936, -99.561 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Harmon

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 31, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Harmon forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service
Coordinates: 34.744, -99.846 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Jackson

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 31, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Jackson forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service
Coordinates: 34.588, -99.415 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Dewey

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 31, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Dewey forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service
Coordinates: 35.988, -99.008 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Custer

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 31, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Custer forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service
Coordinates: 35.639, -99.001 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Washita

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 31, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Washita forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service
Coordinates: 35.290, -98.992 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Kiowa

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 31, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Kiowa forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service
Coordinates: 34.916, -98.981 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Caddo

When: August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 31, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Caddo forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service
Coordinates: 35.174, -98.375 (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 2020 Every state in 2020 This day in weather history Warnings in Oklahoma, August 2020

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: 918993, 918994, 918996, 918997, 918998, 918999, 919000, 919001, 919002, 919005.