Drought in Oklahoma, October 1 to 16, 2021

Name: Drought in Oklahoma, October 1 to 16, 2021
Start: 2021-10-01T00:00
End: 2021-10-16T00:00
Location: Oklahoma

October 1 to 16, 2021 · NWS OUN · 12 events in 12 counties and zones

An active period led to multiple rounds of storms for the region, with drought improving for portions of central Oklahoma.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 12 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: 12

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.

An active period led to multiple rounds of storms for the region, with drought improving for portions of central Oklahoma.

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 Sep 30, 11:34 PM CST, 26 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 30, 11:34 PM CST, 26 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Norman OK
1234 AM CDT Fri Oct 1 2021

...New UPDATE...

.UPDATE...
Issued at 1229 AM CDT Fri Oct 1 2021

Visibilities starting to go down east of the current stratus where
much of todays rainfall has occurred, as temperatures are right at
the dewpoint under some higher clouds. Added patchy fog across
much of central and southeast Oklahoma through 7 AM.

&&

.SHORT TERM...
(This evening through Friday)
Issued at 219 PM CDT Thu Sep 30 2021

A cold front + storm outflow has passed through all but the
southeast quarter or so of our forecast area. Numerous showers
and thunderstorms have developed along, and behind, the front.
While the coverage and intensity of precipitation should diminish
substantially overnight, scattered showers and isolated
thunderstorms will probably continue through the night. The rain
is expected to increase again Friday morning as daytime heating
occurs underneath a heavily saturated airmass.

&&

.LONG TERM...
(Friday night through next Wednesday)
Issued at 219 PM CDT Thu Sep 30 2021

By late Friday and early Saturday, available instability is
expected to be very limited, so thunderstorms will begum less
common among the more widespread showers and areas of rain. As
the main system aloft moves east on Saturday, rain will diminish,
then end, from west to east. The remainder of the forecast looks
dry, as the southern Plains remains in generally dry northwest
flow. The upper low is forecast to meander around the Midwest and
northern Gulf States region for several days, but is not currently
expected to bring rain this far west.

Cooler air will be drawn into the southern Plains through the
coming week. This will result in temperatures generally being
slightly below average for early October.

&&

.AVIATION...
(06Z TAFS)
Issued at 1042 PM CDT Thu Sep 30 2021

Showers continue to diminish in western Oklahoma and will remain
mostly dry through Friday afternoon into the evening. Ceilings
will continue to improve and will be VFR at most locations with
isolated areas of MVFR. Nighttime cooling will result in areas of
fog developing across Oklahoma and western north Texas. Chances of
rain start increasing late Friday night across portions of western
Oklahoma and western north Texas.

&&

.UPPER AIR...
Issued at 1235 PM CDT Thu Sep 30 2021

Upper air flights are not currently planned.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Oklahoma City OK  76  65  78  60 /  50  80  50  10
Hobart OK         78  61  80  57 /  70  60  20  10
Wichita Falls TX  78  65  80  59 /  70  80  40  10
Gage OK           73  55  75  51 /  60  80  20  10
Ponca City OK     78  63  77  58 /  40  80  60  10
Durant OK         82  66  80  63 /  60  70  80  20

&&

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

SHORT TERM...68
LONG TERM....23
AVIATION...50

Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 30, 6:15 PM CST, 5 hours 45 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED
National Weather Service Norman OK
715 PM CDT Thu Sep 30 2021

OKZ004>048-050>052-TXZ083>090-011000-
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-
715 PM CDT Thu Sep 30 2021

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

.DAY ONE...Tonight...

.Thunderstorms...
Scattered thunderstorms will be possible this evening and
overnight, mainly across southern and western Oklahoma, and
western north Texas. No severe storms are expected.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday...

.Thunderstorms...
There is a chance for thunderstorms on Friday and Saturday.
Organized severe weather is not expected.

Get graphics and more details at weather.gov/norman...and follow
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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Harper

When: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 16, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Harper forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 36.789, -99.667 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Woods

When: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 16, 12:00 AM 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: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 16, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Woodward forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 36.423, -99.265 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, McClain

When: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 16, 12:00 AM 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: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 16, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Cleveland forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.203, -97.326 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Pottawatomie

When: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 16, 12:00 AM 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: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 16, 12:00 AM 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: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 16, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Hughes forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.048, -96.250 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Beckham

When: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 16, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Beckham forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.269, -99.682 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Greer

When: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 16, 12:00 AM 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: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 16, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Harmon forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.744, -99.846 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Kiowa

When: October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 16, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Kiowa forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.916, -98.981 (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 2021 Every state in 2021 This day in weather history Warnings in Oklahoma, October 2021

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: 989076, 989077, 989078, 989079, 989080, 989081, 989082, 989083, 989084, 989085, 989086, 989087.