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)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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...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 national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oklahoma in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Oklahoma, April 2024
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.