Oklahoma, 2023

Heat in Oklahoma, August 13, 2023

August 13, 2023 · NWS OUN · 10 events in 10 counties and zones

Heat and humidity combined to yield 105 110-degree heat indices across portions of the area during the afternoon/evening of the 13th.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

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.

Heat and humidity combined to yield 105 110-degree heat indices across portions of the area during the afternoon/evening of the 13th.

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 Aug 13, 11:00 AM CST, 1 hour earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 13, 11:00 AM CST, 1 hour before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Norman OK
1200 PM CDT Sun Aug 13 2023

...New AVIATION...

.SHORT TERM...
(Today and tonight)
Issued at 315 AM CDT Sun Aug 13 2023

Monsoonal moisture plume from western Mexico up into the Southern
Plains (via moisture channel imagery) will continue to provide an
environment conducive to efficient convective initiation/maintenance
that the models will have difficulty depicting. Mid level cloud
cover, along with potential for isolated showers and thunderstorms
cannot be ruled out through the morning from southwest Oklahoma,
northeastward through central and north central Oklahoma. We will
keep the forecast with decreasing rain and clouds through the
morning but confidence is not high. This would have large impact
on portions of the heat and fire weather headlines we have in
place. The heat advisory was expanded a bit westward to account
for similar or even higher heat index forecasts than those farther
east.

Strong cold front is still forecast to move into northwest
Oklahoma late this afternoon as upper trough progresses over the
northern and central Plains. Scattered thunderstorms will be
possible mid-afternoon on ahead of the front, likely developing
first over the Texas Panhandle and spreading northeast into the
body of Oklahoma. Storms should be more numerous along and north
of the front this evening and overnight. Deep layer shear and
instability are expected to be sufficient to support severe hail
and wind across the northern half of Oklahoma where the highest
PoPs will be confined tonight. Farther south, there is more
influence from mid level ridge and warmer temperatures aloft.

&&

.LONG TERM...
(Monday through Saturday)
Issued at 315 AM CDT Sun Aug 13 2023

Some lingering showers, with isolated non-severe storms, will be
possible Monday morning well behind the front. Much cooler
temperatures are still expected through at least Tuesday, with
temperatures moderating and beginning to climb from Wednesday
through the end of the week. Trend of longer range model guidance
supports a return to above average temperatures and rain-free end
to the week through next weekend.

&&

.AVIATION...
(18Z TAFS)
Issued at 1152 AM CDT Sun Aug 13 2023

Gusty south-southwesterly winds will continue this afternoon into
the evening ahead of a cold front that will begin to move into
the area around 22-23Z. This front will affect all TAF sites,
where winds will shift to northerly behind the front.
Thunderstorms are possible to move into western Oklahoma as 4 PM,
but may may move near KCSM until 00Z. As the frontal boundary
moves southward, showers and thunderstorms are likely along this
boundary and will affect most TAF sites. Some MVFR ceilings are
possible as well.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Oklahoma City OK  70  83  61  84 /  50  10   0   0
Hobart OK         70  85  61  90 /  50  20   0   0
Wichita Falls TX  75  91  67  94 /  10  10   0   0
Gage OK           65  82  59  86 /  80  10   0   0
Ponca City OK     68  83  60  83 /  70   0   0   0
Durant OK         78  91  67  90 /  10   0   0   0

&&

.OUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OK...Heat Advisory until 9 PM CDT this evening for OKZ007-008-012-013-
     018>020-023>032-035>038-040-041-044.

     Red Flag Warning until 9 PM CDT this evening for OKZ036>039-044-
     045.

     Excessive Heat Warning until 9 PM CDT this evening for OKZ039-
     042-043-045>048-050>052.

TX...Heat Advisory until 9 PM CDT this evening for TXZ083>090.

     Red Flag Warning until 9 PM CDT this evening for TXZ083>090.

&&

SHORT TERM...11
LONG TERM....11
AVIATION...13
Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 13, 11:42 AM CST, 18 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED
National Weather Service Norman OK
1242 PM CDT Sun Aug 13 2023

OKZ004>048-050>052-TXZ083>090-141745-
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-
1242 PM CDT Sun Aug 13 2023

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

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight...

.Thunderstorms...
Thunderstorms, some severe with damaging winds and large hail,
are expected late today and tonight, across the northern half of
Oklahoma. Storms are forecast to develop over the eastern Texas
Panhandle and western Oklahoma, then move northeast ahead of a
cold front. As this front moves south over the region,
thunderstorm activity is expected to increase in coverage along
and behind the front.

.Dangerous Heat...
Excessive heat and humidity will continue over much of the region
today.

.Fire Weather...
Elevated fire weather conditions will be seen across western
north Texas and southwest Oklahoma this afternoon and evening.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday...

.Thunderstorms...
Isolated non-severe thunderstorms will be possible early Monday
morning across northern and central Oklahoma.

.Dangerous Heat...
Excessive heat and humidity are expected to return over the
latter part of the week into next weekend.

.Fire Weather...
Elevated fire weather conditions are expected to return late in
the week across western north Texas and southwest Oklahoma.

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

In the hours before

Local storm report, Aug 13, 7:30 AM CST, 4 hours 30 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Norman OK
830 AM CDT Sun Aug 13 2023

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0633 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     Sentinel                35.16N 99.17W
08/12/2023                   Washita            OK   Emergency Mngr

            Pictures from email of thunderstorm damage.
            Business/home roofs damaged, shingles blown
            off. Time estimated from radar.

&&

Bunker

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

10 heat. Local standard time, as filed.

Heat, Caddo

When
August 13, 12:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Caddo forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
35.174, -98.375 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Canadian

When
August 13, 12:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Canadian forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
35.542, -97.982 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Cotton

When
August 13, 12:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Cotton forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
34.290, -98.372 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Greer

When
August 13, 12:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Greer forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
34.936, -99.561 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Harmon

When
August 13, 12:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Harmon forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
34.744, -99.846 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Kay

When
August 13, 12:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Kay forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
36.818, -97.144 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Kingfisher

When
August 13, 12:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Kingfisher forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
35.945, -97.942 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Logan

When
August 13, 12:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Logan forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
35.919, -97.443 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Tillman

When
August 13, 12:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Tillman forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
34.373, -98.924 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Noble

When
August 13, 12:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Noble forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
36.389, -97.230 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heat
Heat below excessive heat criteria that still caused deaths, injuries or significant impacts.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Oklahoma in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Oklahoma, August 2023

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: 1132227, 1132228, 1132229, 1132230, 1132231, 1132232, 1132233, 1132234, 1132236, 1132237.