Oklahoma, 2024

Drought in Oklahoma, April 30, 2024

April 30, 2024 · NWS OUN · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

Despite heavy rain/storms across portions of the WFO Norman forecast area, below normal monthly precipitation across far northwest Oklahoma fostered the emerge of severe drought by the middle to end of the month.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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
4

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.

Despite heavy rain/storms across portions of the WFO Norman forecast area, below normal monthly precipitation across far northwest Oklahoma fostered the emerge of severe drought by the middle to 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 Apr 30, 5:09 AM CST, 1 hour 51 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 30, 5:09 AM CST, 1 hour 51 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Norman OK
609 AM CDT Tue Apr 30 2024

...New AVIATION...

.SHORT TERM...
(Today and tonight)
Issued at 246 AM CDT Tue Apr 30 2024

Mostly clear skies are in place across the area early this morning,
with the exception of some patchy fog across southern Oklahoma where
moisture return has already begun. Moisture will continue to surge
northward through the day as southerly flow increases. A dryline
will setup from northwest Oklahoma into far southwest Oklahoma by
this afternoon. Ahead of the dryline, moderate to strong instability
will be in place with relatively low CIN by mid to late afternoon.
Isolated to scattered convection is expected to initiate ahead of
the dryline, with greatest coverage likely to be across northern
Oklahoma close to a stalling frontal boundary, with a secondary area
of development across southwest OK and western north TX where
capping is a bit weaker. Wind shear will be rather modest with the
stronger mid-level flow remaining well to our north, but with
strong instability in place and bulk shear on the order of 30-35
knots, multicell to transient supercell storm modes could lead to
large to very large hail. Damaging wind gusts will also be a
possibility with fairly large T/Td spreads. The tornado threat
appears very low with fairly weak low-level shear, but could not
be completely ruled out as a modest LLJ increases towards early
evening, especially toward the Kansas border near the front.
Convection will tend to wane by late evening, with some potential
for it to linger through the night across northern Oklahoma in the
vicinity of the frontal boundary. Flooding could also become a
concern across northern Oklahoma this evening and overnight with a
tendency for storms to train along the boundary, but confidence
in boundary location and relatively narrow axis of heaviest rain
precludes a Flood Watch at this time.

Ware

&&

.LONG TERM...
(Wednesday through Monday)
Issued at 246 AM CDT Tue Apr 30 2024

Any lingering convection across northern Oklahoma Wednesday morning
is expected to dissipate as the front returns northward into Kansas.
Mid-level flow will strengthen a bit during the day as a trough
deepens to our west, with moderate to strong instability expected
once again ahead of the dryline which will set up a bit further
west than Tuesday. Better forcing for ascent associated with the
approaching trough will likely lead to better storm coverage, with
scattered to widespread convection expected along the dryline in
western Oklahoma and western north Texas by late afternoon. With
slightly better shear in place, all severe hazards will be
possible, although large hail and damaging wind gusts appear to be
the main threats.

The main upper trough will eject into the plains on Thursday,
sending a cold front into the area during the afternoon. With an
unstable airmass in place ahead of the front, expect additional
chances for showers and storms, most probable across central and
eastern Oklahoma during the afternoon and evening. At least some
risk for severe weather appears possible given decent instability
and sufficient wind shear.

Flooding will also be a concern in areas that see multiple rounds
of heavy rainfall, but this currently appears to be more of a
localized vs. widespread flooding risk given scattered nature of
convection. Rain and storm chances will then continue Friday into
the weekend as the frontal boundary stalls in the region and
southwest flow continues aloft.

Ware

&&

.AVIATION...
(12Z TAFS)
Issued at 541 AM CDT Tue Apr 30 2024

Stratus and associated MVFR and some IFR ceilings are developing
across portions of north Texas into western Oklahoma. Will include
some lower ceilings through mid-morning before a return of VFR
conditions. South winds will increase over the next 2/3 hours with
gusts of 25 to 30kts across the area. There is a chance of
showers/storms late this afternoon and tonight and will include
either PROB30/TEMPO at many sites. MVFR ceilings are expected to
redevelop after midnight across the area.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Oklahoma City OK  86  64  81  65 /  10  20  50  40
Hobart OK         90  62  83  63 /  20  20  50  60
Wichita Falls TX  87  66  83  65 /  10  30  40  60
Gage OK           94  58  88  59 /  10  10  40  30
Ponca City OK     88  62  81  65 /  20  70  60  50
Durant OK         84  66  83  66 /   0  10  30  50

&&

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

SHORT TERM...08
LONG TERM....08
AVIATION...30
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 30, 2:13 AM CST, 4 hours 47 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED
National Weather Service Norman OK
313 AM CDT Tue Apr 30 2024

OKZ004>048-050>052-TXZ083>090-010815-
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-
313 AM CDT Tue Apr 30 2024

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

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

.Thunderstorms...
Isolated to widely scattered thunderstorms are possible this
afternoon and evening across northern and western Oklahoma and
western north Texas. A few could become strong to severe with hail
up to the size of quarters and wind gusts up to 60 mph possible.

.Heavy rainfall...
Heavy rainfall could lead to localized flooding this evening and
overnight across northern Oklahoma.

.Fire Weather...
Elevated to near critical fire weather conditions are possible
over a small portion of northwest Oklahoma this afternoon due to
warm temperatures, breezy southwest winds, and low RH values as
the dryline advances across the area.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday...

.Thunderstorms...
Thunderstorm chances increase Wednesday and Thursday with severe
weather possible both days. Thunderstorms are also possible
Friday and over the weekend.

.Heavy rainfall...
Repeated rounds of thunderstorms with heavy rainfall could lead to
localized flooding in some areas Wednesday and Thursday and again
this weekend.

.Fire Weather...
Elevated fire weather conditions are possible on Wednesday across
far northwestern Oklahoma.

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

4 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Alfalfa

When
April 30, 7:00 AM CST to 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, Grant

When
April 30, 7:00 AM CST to 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, Harper

When
April 30, 7:00 AM CST to 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, Woods

When
April 30, 7:00 AM CST to 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)

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

More

Every storm in Oklahoma in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Oklahoma, April 2024

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: 1170047, 1170048, 1170049, 1170050.