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 28, 1:45 PM CST, 2 hours 31 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Norman OK 245 PM CDT Thu Mar 28 2024 ...New SHORT TERM, LONG TERM... .SHORT TERM... (This evening through Friday) Issued at 244 PM CDT Thu Mar 28 2024 Gusty afternoon winds may relax for a short period early this evening before increasing again overnight. This will keep temperatures much milder tonight as overnight lows only drop into the upper 40s and lower 50s. These strong low level winds will bring much warmer 850mb air northward into the area tomorrow. This along with building mid-level ridge will result in much warmer temperatures on Friday as the west will be pushing 80 degrees. At the same time, low level moisture will be on the increase with perhaps far northwest Oklahoma lagging a bit as a dryline takes shape across the eastern Texas panhandle into northwest Oklahoma. This will result in an area of elevated fire weather where vegetation remains more dormant and available to burn. May see an area approach wind advisory criteria from late morning into the afternoon across west central into northern Oklahoma and would not be surprised to see some gusts to 40 mph. However with abundant high clouds which may keep things just in check, plan to hold off on any headlines at this point. && .LONG TERM... (Friday night through next Wednesday) Issued at 244 PM CDT Thu Mar 28 2024 A shortwave will move through the northern Plains on Friday into Friday night. As this occurs an associated surface boundary will drop south into the area, perhaps progressing as far south as I-44 during the day Saturday. This will aid in relaxing the surface pressure gradient and diminishing wind speeds. A thermal ridge along and south of the impinging surface boundary will push temperatures Saturday afternoon into the low to middle 80s along and south of the boundary, while to the north of the boundary locations will see temperatures a few degrees cooler. This boundary will lift back north of the area Saturday night with dryline taking shape across western parts of Oklahoma southward into west Texas. Still will watch minor shortwaves translating northeast across the area Sunday afternoon in the subtropical jet for possible convective initiation along the dryline. However, currently with upper ridging remaining in place and substantial cap, chance of storms, at least during the day Sunday, appears low. Precip chances do increase Sunday night with rather deep waa developing across Oklahoma into the mid-Mississippi valley in advance of approaching long wave trough to our west. Lead wave from the long wave trough ejects northeast out of northern Mexico into the southern Plains Monday. As this occurs a surface low develops across Kansas along frontal boundary, with a dryline trailing south across western Oklahoma and western north Texas Monday morning. The dryline is forecast to advance eastward rather quickly during the day with Pacific front entering northwest Oklahoma by late afternoon. Main question is where will the dryline be located when convection develops. Models suggest the dryline will be just west of I-35 by midday with an area in vicinity of dryline becoming uncapped. Given the environment, any storm that does develop would have a chance to become severe. Some elevated fire weather may develop further west Monday afternoon as well. This activity will quickly move east of the area Monday evening with much colder air filtering south in the wake of yet another rather strong spring cold front. So after a few days on 70s and 80s will see temperatures fall back into the 50s across much of the area Tuesday. Could also see some rain showers wrap back around into northern Oklahoma on the back side of the system Friday. This cool down will be short-lived as we begin another warming trend mid-week. && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 1203 PM CDT Thu Mar 28 2024 Gusty southwest winds across the west may diminish around sunset for a short time before increasing again overnight. Even with this expect all sites to experience LLWS by 06Z through roughly 15Z. Will see an increase in some mid and especially high clouds overnight into Friday morning. Some gusts of 30 to 35 kts expected by end of forecast period. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Oklahoma City OK 53 73 56 80 / 0 0 0 0 Hobart OK 50 75 49 80 / 0 0 0 0 Wichita Falls TX 54 78 58 85 / 0 0 0 0 Gage OK 48 81 40 78 / 0 0 0 0 Ponca City OK 51 74 50 77 / 0 0 10 0 Durant OK 52 76 57 80 / 0 0 0 0 && .OUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OK...None. TX...None. && SHORT TERM...30 LONG TERM....30 AVIATION...30
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Norman OK 313 PM CDT Thu Mar 28 2024 OKZ004>048-050>052-TXZ083>090-292015- 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 PM CDT Thu Mar 28 2024 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of northern... western...central...and southern Oklahoma...and western north Texas. .DAY ONE...Through Tonight... No hazardous weather is expected. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday... .Thunderstorms... Thunderstorm chances return to parts Oklahoma Sunday night through Tuesday. Some strong to severe storms appear possible Monday. 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.
1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
The 'Cromwell-Pittman Fire' spread over 390 acres across southwestern Garfield County. Containment/end time is estimated.
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: 1166129.