Drought in Oklahoma

Events

6,658

Deaths

0

Injuries

4

Damage

$1.7 billion

• Heat and Drought in Oklahoma, July 4 to 31, 20018 deaths · 96 eventsAn extended period of excessive heat affected all of western and central Oklahoma in July. Daily mean temperatures ranged from the mid 80s to near 90 degrees, which is four to five degrees above normal.
• Drought in Oklahoma, August 1 to 31, 2000$400 million · 48 eventsAn extended period of unusually dry weather began in early August and lasted for 2 months. Many parts of the state did not receive rain in August, with portions of southwest and south central Oklahoma remaining dry for almost 90 days, starting in June.
• Drought in Oklahoma, June 1 to 30, 2006$151 million · 48 eventsThe drought continued to affect the region during June. The drought remained at severe to extreme (D2-D3) levels throughout the area during the month with the worst conditions occurring in western Oklahoma.
• Drought in Oklahoma, July 6 to 31, 1998$500 million · 9 eventsA devastating drought and heat wave affected southeastern Oklahoma farmers during the month of July. At McAlester, the only rainfall during July was 0.19" on the first two days of the month.
• High Wind and Drought in Oklahoma, January 1 to 31, 2006$16 million · 56 kt wind · 50 eventsDrought conditions persisted and expanded across the area into the first month of the new year. Drought levels ranged from severe to exceptional (D2-D4), with the driest conditions in southeast Oklahoma.
• Drought in Oklahoma, August 1 to 31, 20064 injured · $2.1 million · 48 eventsThe drought conditions continued across parts of Oklahoma through the month of August. However, a few areas did show some improvement by the end of the month.
• Drought in Oklahoma, November 1 to 30, 2012$80 million · 3 eventsA dry November caused the ongoing drought conditions to worsen across the Oklahoma Panhandle. Exceptional (D4) drought affects all of Beaver County and most of Texas County.
• Drought in Oklahoma, January 1 to 31, 2013$79 million · 3 eventsThe month of January showed little to no improvement in drought conditions despite a few chances for precipitation throughout the month. Exceptional (D4) drought affects all of Beaver County and most of Texas County.
• Drought in Oklahoma, May 1 to 31, 2013$75 million · 3 eventsDrought conditions across the Oklahoma Panhandle worsened due to limited precipitation during the month of May. The entire Oklahoma Panhandle now falls with Exceptional (D4) drought.
• Drought in Oklahoma, March 1 to 31, 2013$65 million · 3 eventsThe slight relief brought by a late February blizzard got very little help during the month of March.
• Drought in Oklahoma, June 1 to 30, 2013$60 million · 3 eventsMultiple widespread precipitation events during the month of June provided some short term relief across the Oklahoma Panhandle. The U.S. Drought Monitor showed slight improvement across half of the Oklahoma Panhandle for the month.
• Drought in Oklahoma, April 1 to 30, 2013$60 million · 3 eventsThe temporary relief brought by a late February blizzard continued to diminish due to limited precipitation during the month of April. Exceptional (D4) drought affects all of Cimarron and Texas County, and Beaver County remains in extreme (D3) drought.
• Drought in Oklahoma, December 1 to 31, 2012$55 million · 3 eventsThe month of December provided a few opportunities for improvement in drought conditions across the Oklahoma Panhandle, but fell short of showing significant improvement. Exceptional (D4) drought affects all of Beaver County and most of Texas County.
• Drought in Oklahoma, February 1 to 28, 2013$50 million · 3 eventsThe late February blizzard brought some much needed relief for Beaver County, but the remainder of the Oklahoma Panhandle saw drought conditions worsen. Exceptional (D4) drought affects all of Cimarron and Texas County.
• Drought in Oklahoma, March 1 to 31, 2006$5.5 million · 48 eventsDrought conditions were alleviated somewhat due to several rain events and some snowfall during the month. However, conditions still continued in the severe (D2) category across the majority of the area.
• Drought in Oklahoma, December 1 to 31, 2005$11 million · 29 eventsWith below normal precipitation for several months, drought conditions continued to increase across the area ending as D2 and D3 across much of the area.
• Drought in Oklahoma, July 1 to 31, 2013$36 million · 3 eventsThe month of July brought multiple chances for precipitation, but the scattered nature of storms kept drought relief limited. Guymon recorded 1.07 inches of precipitation (1.59 inch below normal) for the month of July.
• Drought in Oklahoma, August 28, 2005 to August 13, 2006$35 million · 3 eventsA severe drought caused damage to crops and livestock across the Oklahoma panhandle and lasted for nearly a year.
• Drought in Oklahoma, August 1 to 31, 2013$27 million · 3 eventsSeveral widespread precipitation events during the month of August provided continued relief in drought conditions across the Oklahoma Panhandle. Guymon recorded near average precipitation for the month of August with 2.77 inches of precipitation (0.98 inch above normal).
• Drought in Oklahoma, April 1 to 30, 2006$2.3 million · 48 eventsDespite some rainfall across portions of Oklahoma, the drought across the area persisted and actually worsened from a severe (D2) drought to an extreme (D3) drought across most of the area by the end of the month.
• Drought in Oklahoma, November 1 to 30, 2006$2.0 million · 42 eventsSevere to extreme (D2-D3) drought conditions were seen across much of Oklahoma during the month of November despite some precipitation.
• Drought in Oklahoma, October 1 to 31, 2012$10 million · 3 eventsPersistent drought conditions has affected the Oklahoma Panhandles through October. Exceptional (D4) drought affected most of the central and western Oklahoma Panhandle. Extreme (D3) drought affected almost all of Cimarron County.
• Drought in Oklahoma, September 1 to 30, 2013$8.0 million · 3 eventsThe month of September brought periods of monsoonal flow and as a result saw several precipitation events across the Oklahoma Panhandle. Guymon recorded 2.77 inches of precipitation (0.98 inch above normal) for the month of September.
• Drought in Oklahoma, October 1 to 31, 2013$8.0 million · 3 eventsThe month of October saw few precipitation events and the precipitation coverage was much more isolated than September. This led to near steady state of drought conditions across the Oklahoma Panhandle.
• Drought in Oklahoma, July 1 to 31, 2006$800,000 · 48 eventsThe drought continued through the month of July across the area despite rainfall in some places. The drought conditions actually worsened across the area by the end of the month.

Drought everywhereEvery kind of event in Oklahoma

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.