The combination of warm, dry and breezy conditions created favorable conditions for fire starts and spread.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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.
The combination of warm, dry and breezy conditions created favorable conditions for fire starts and spread.
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 Mar 20, 11:32 AM CST, 2 hours 5 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Norman OK 1232 PM CDT Wed Mar 20 2024 ...New AVIATION... .SHORT TERM... (Today and tonight) Issued at 337 AM CDT Wed Mar 20 2024 Moisture advection continues throughout northern Texas and into Oklahoma, with current surface dewpoints gradually increasing into the low 40s across most of the region. Clouds have been increasing from south to north, which will continue across the region throughout Wednesday. Afternoon high temperatures will increase back into the mid to upper 70s. The main concern continues to be the potential for showers and storms, in particular a marginal chance for severe weather in western north Texas, western Oklahoma, and extending into northern Oklahoma. As the upper level cyclone continues to shift eastward through Arizona/New Mexico into the Texas panhandle, upper level support and cooling will continue to increase for the development of showers and storms. Instability from the cooling aloft (MUCAPE ~1000 J/kg) and some moderate deep level wind shear (~40kts of 0-6km shear) will help with the development of any storms and increase the severe potential of these initial storms. The main limiting factor of these storms will continue to be the availability of enough moisture to produce storms, with recent CAMs indicating the best chance for any precipitation in northern Oklahoma. The main concern with any severe storms that develop will be some areas of large hail and damaging winds, with the best chance for any severe occurring in the late afternoon/early evening. Zwink && .LONG TERM... (Thursday through Tuesday) Issued at 337 AM CDT Wed Mar 20 2024 As more widespread upper air support for showers and storms extends over the region Wednesday night into Thursday, coverage of these showers and storms will increase across northern Texas and into Oklahoma. While lingering increased instability from the cooling mid to upper levels will keep storms possible overnight, severe potential will decrease as precipitation shifts eastward. This precipitation is expected to continue through Thursday and into Friday morning as the upper level trough exits the region, a cold front finally moves through the region, and upper level ridging increases. Late Friday and through Saturday looks to be calm, as clear skies and slightly cooler post frontal temperatures keep things near average for temperatures. Late Saturday night into Sunday winds will shift out of the south, promoting a brief warming trend and moisture advection back into the area. While there is currently high variability in the models as far as timing and exact locations, there tends to be an agreement that the next chance of widespread precipitation will come with a large amplitude trough that will shift through the region at some point early next week, with models/ensembles ranging from late Sunday through early Tuesday. This trough will bring precipitation chances as well as a cooler airmass with a potential return to below average temperatures. Zwink && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 1227 PM CDT Wed Mar 20 2024 Isolated/scattered showers will continue to affect parts of northern and central OK early this afternoon. Chances are too low at most sites for a mention at this time. Showers/storms with strong, gusty winds will be possible later this afternoon and evening across mainly northern and western parts of OK. Rain chances will then increase overnight and continue into Thursday with showers/storms expected to become more widespread. Winds in northern OK will be from the NE this afternoon as a weak boundary moves south across parts of the area. These winds will then shift towards the SE tonight. VFR and MVFR ceilings are expected this TAF period. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Oklahoma City OK 76 51 67 51 / 20 60 80 40 Hobart OK 76 51 68 50 / 20 60 70 30 Wichita Falls TX 75 54 68 53 / 0 60 70 40 Gage OK 76 45 70 45 / 30 40 50 10 Ponca City OK 74 46 69 48 / 20 40 60 30 Durant OK 72 53 65 51 / 0 40 80 60 && .OUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OK...None. TX...None. && SHORT TERM...50 LONG TERM....50 AVIATION...25
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Norman OK 403 AM CDT Wed Mar 20 2024 OKZ004>048-050>052-TXZ083>090-210915- 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- 403 AM CDT Wed Mar 20 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... Chances for thunderstorms will increase by Wednesday afternoon and evening, mainly across northern Oklahoma, western Oklahoma, and western-north Texas. Damaging wind gusts look to be the primary hazard, with a secondary risk for large hail. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday... .Thunderstorms... Thunderstorm chances continue for much of the area by early Thursday morning and into the afternoon. At this time, severe weather is not expected on Thursday, though a few strong storms are possible across western-north Texas during the afternoon. .Fire Weather... Elevated fire weather conditions are possible across western Oklahoma on Sunday afternoon into early evening. Get graphics and more details at weather.gov/norman...and follow our weather forecast office on Twitter and Facebook.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Norman OK
234 PM CDT Wed Mar 20 2024
OKZ009>011-015-202000-
Major OK-Woodward OK-Dewey OK-Ellis OK-
234 PM CDT Wed Mar 20 2024
...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of east central Ellis,
northwestern Dewey, southwestern Major and southeastern Woodward
Counties through 300 PM CDT
...
At 233 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from near Harmon to near Orion. These storms were
nearly stationary.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Seiling, Vici, Sharon, Mutual, Chester, Harmon, Orion, and Cestos.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3624 9952 3631 9913 3631 9865 3612 9881
3608 9961
TIME...MOT...LOC 1933Z 232DEG 2KT 3614 9953 3619 9879
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
MahaleThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
The 'Cimarron Bluff Fire' spread over 4,113 acres across eastern Harper County.
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, March 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: 1166128.