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The Tulsa Beacon

 

Gary McManus

February’s Rollercoaster: Record Heat to Deep Freeze

Tulsa Beacon

Oklahoma Climatological Survey February started off with a warm and pleasant stretch, reaching a summery 89 degrees in several locations on Feb. 3, breaking the all-time high temperature record for that date—87 degrees, set in Erick back in 1934. However, it was all downhill from there, as winter quickly reclaimed its grip on the calendar…

Weather strikes back in January

Tulsa Beacon

Like the villain in a ‘90s action movie, winter struck back with a vengeance in January following the unusual warmth that closed out 2024. Several strong cold fronts delivered blustery winds, snow, ice, and some of the coldest air the state had seen since the generational freeze of January 2021. The first major bout of…

Oklahoma weather records fall

Tulsa Beacon

It seems every year is a momentous one for weather in Oklahoma, and 2024 was no exception, with two all-time records either tied or broken during the year. The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed at least 152 tornadoes touched down in Oklahoma, surpassing the previous record of 149 set in 2019. This year’s total was…

A November for OK weather record books

Tulsa Beacon

November 2024 will enter Oklahoma’s vast and storied weather lore as one of the most extreme months in state history, shattering records for both the highest statewide average rainfall and the most tornadoes ever recorded in November. This unprecedented combination of rain and storms has left an indelible mark on the state’s already dynamic weather…

October Avoids Record Dry Mark

Tulsa Beacon

As October drew to a close, much of Oklahoma had gone over a month without significant moisture—and for some areas, over two months. A new record for the all-time driest October seemed inevitable. However, a remarkable storm on October 30 changed that trajectory, bringing much-needed rain and a severe weather threat. A confirmed EF1 tornado…

July provides summer weather roller coaster of temperatures

Tulsa Beacon

Oklahomans enjoyed two stretches of mild weather during July, providing brief respites from the otherwise hot conditions and a tantalizing taste of fall weather to come. Two substantial cold fronts brought cooler temperatures and moisture, keeping high temperatures 10-15 degrees below normal during these periods. Oklahoma City experienced seven consecutive days with highs below 90…

Severe weather continued in May

Tulsa Beacon

Oklahoma continued to suffer from severe weather in May, marking an exceptionally active spring storm season. The state recorded four more storm-related fatalities in May, bringing the total to eight in 2024, along with hundreds of injuries. At least 43 tornadoes touched down in May, following a record-breaking 55 tornadoes in April, surpassing the previous…

Tornado records topped during May

Tulsa Beacon

Central Oklahoma has often been characterized as a haven for tornadoes, with some of that perception based in reality – and myth. There has been nothing mythical about that reputation in 2023, however. At least 11 tornadoes touched down in central Oklahoma on May 11, adding to persistent tornadic activity in that region during the…

April brings tornados and drought relief

Tulsa Beacon

Drought relief and severe weather topped April’s weather headlines with a parched northwest Oklahoma seeing its first significant moisture in months and central Oklahoma enduring a tornado outbreak. Eighteen tornadoes touched down on April 19, a day when severe weather was thought to be limited by a warm atmospheric lid above the surface. High temperatures…

OK Rainfall Divide

Tulsa Beacon

Oklahoma’s oddly persistent caste-like rainfall pattern—with those to the north and west of Interstate 44 seeing near-record dryness and those to the south and east experiencing abundance—continued during March. Rainfall totals to the northwest of I-44 were generally a half-inch or less, while amounts of 5-8 inches were quite common to the southeast. Ten Oklahoma…