Oklahoma, 2020Drought in Oklahoma, October 1 to 31, 2020
October 1 to 31, 2020 · NWS AMA · 2 events in 2 counties and zones
Areas across the Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles saw drought conditions worsening going into the month of October as September was very dry. These conditions continued to degrade across the combined Panhandles going into late October with no new rainfall during the first three weeks of the month.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 2
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.
Areas across the Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles saw drought conditions worsening going into the month of October as September was very dry. These conditions continued to degrade across the combined Panhandles going into late October with no new rainfall during the first three weeks of the month. Soil conditions were very poor to poor. Some farmers were waiting for some rain to plant winter wheat while others planted hoping for the moisture to come eventually. The Panhandles needed some soil moisture badly in order for winter crops to emerge and grow. The saving grace for these crops were a late month early winter event that provided moisture in the form of sleet, freezing rain, and snow. This late month event did help some areas see a one category improvement in the US Drought Monitor by the end of the month. Ranchers were still being impacted by very poor to poor pasture and rangeland conditions.
Drought, Beaver
- When
- October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
- Where
- Beaver forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 36.750, -100.477 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Beaver County started out with a small area of extreme drought (D3). With no precipitation until the end of the month with an early winter storm came, severe drought (D2) conditions expand through the majority of the county before a winter storm late in the month improved conditions, leaving just a small area of D2 around the city of Beaver as the month closed.
Drought, Cimarron
- When
- October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
- Where
- Cimarron forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 36.748, -102.518 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A dry period through the month continued to make drought conditions worse. A good portion of the county started the month in severe drought (D2) and ended up in extreme drought (D3) by the end of the month. The southeast third of the county saw a little bit of an improvement from an early winter storm during the last few days of October. This improved the southeast from moderate drought (D1) to abnormally dry (D0).
- 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.
- Heat in Arizona, October 1 to 6, 20202 deaths · 2 events
- Wildfire in Colorado, October 1 to 31, 2020$92 million · 1 event
- Rip Current in Puerto Rico, October 1, 20201 death · 2 injured · 1 event
- Drought in Maine, October 1 to 31, 2020$9.0 million · 18 events
- Drought in New Hampshire, October 1 to 31, 2020$9.0 million · 15 events
- Drought in Iowa, October 1 to 31, 2020$747,000 · 10 events
- Drought in South Dakota, October 1 to 31, 2020$143,000 · 5 events
- Drought in Minnesota, October 1 to 31, 2020$100,000 · 1 event
- Drought in New Mexico, October 1 to 31, 202040 events
- Drought in Colorado, October 1 to 31, 202021 events
- Drought in Texas, October 1 to 31, 202016 events
- Drought in New Mexico, October 1 to 31, 202015 events
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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 925495, 925497.