View source for Climate of Oklahoma City

{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
{{climate chart
| Oklahoma City
|28.8|49.7|1.39
|32.8|54.6|1.58
|41  |63.4|3.06
|49.7|72.3|3.07
|59.6|80.2|4.65
|67.8|88.1|4.93
|72.2|93.9|2.93
|71.3|93.4|3.28
|63.2|84.7|4.06
|51.6|73.4|3.71
|40  |61.5|1.98
|30.6|50.6|1.88
|units = imperial
|float = right
|clear = none
|source = NOAA<ref name = NOAA/>}}

[[Oklahoma City]] lies in a temperate [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen-Geiger climate classification system|Köppen]]: Cfa), with frequent variations in weather daily and seasonally, except during the consistently hot and humid summer months. Consistent winds, usually from the south or south-southeast during the summer, help temper the hotter weather. Consistent northerly winds during the winter can intensify cold periods. The normal annual mean temperature is {{convert|61.4|°F}}; the coolest year was 1895 with a mean of {{convert|57.9|°F|1}}, while the warmest 2012 at {{convert|64.1|°F|1}}. Precipitation averages {{convert|36.52|in|mm|0}} annually, falling on an average 84 days, with the warmer months receiving more; annual precipitation has historically ranged from {{convert|15.74|in|mm|0|abbr=on}} in 1901 to {{convert|56.95|in|mm|0|abbr=on}} in 2007.<ref name = NOAA/> The sun shines about 69% of the time, with monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 60% in December to 80% in July.<ref name= noaasun/>

==Winter==
Winters are typically cool, relatively dry, and somewhat brief, albeit highly variable. January has a normal mean temperature of {{convert|39.2|°F|1}}, but temperatures ''reach'' freezing on an average 71 days and ''fail to rise above freezing'' on an average 8.3 days, and, with an average in December through February of 6.3 days reaching {{convert|70|°F|0}}, warm spells are common and most winters see the thermometer rise that high. The last reading {{convert|0|°F|0}} or colder occurred on February 18, 2021. The official record low is {{convert|-17|F|0}} on [[Great Blizzard of 1899|February 12, 1899]], while the lowest daily maximum is {{convert|2|F|0}} on February 12, 1905 and January 11, 1918; the coldest month on record was January 1930 with a mean temperature of {{convert|23.1|°F|1}}. Snow occurs in almost every winter, with the normal seasonal snowfall being {{convert|7.6|in|cm|1}}; winter accumulation has ranged from trace amounts in 1931−32 and 1934−35 to {{convert|25.2|in|cm|1|abbr=on}} in 1947−48. The most snow in one day was {{convert|13.5|in|cm|1}} on December 24, 2009.

==Spring==
In spring (March to early June), Oklahoma City lies in a zone of frequent conflict between warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and cold, dry air from Canada.  Furthermore, the "dryline," separating hot, dry air from Mexico and the southwestern U.S. from warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico, often spawns strong to severe thunderstorms across central Oklahoma.  Accordingly, precipitation sees a marked uptick in spring, not uncommonly accompanied by severe weather, including severe thunderstorms, large hail, and tornadoes, especially from mid-April to early June, with May the highest-risk month.  Oklahoma City, and central Oklahoma generally, is one of the most tornado-prone places in the world.

The average date of the last spring freeze is March 29, while the first {{convert|90|°F|0}} of summer can be expected on May 6.

==Summer==
Summers are very hot and rather humid, but from mid-June onward, are relatively dry, with less-severe and less-frequent showers and thunderstorms compared to the late-April to early-June period.  In many years, long stretches of hot, dry weather, punctuated by occasional shower/thunderstorm activity, predominate.  July has a normal mean temperature of {{convert|83.0|°F|1}}. On average, temperatures reach {{convert|90|°F|0}} on 70 days per year and {{convert|100|°F|0}} on 10.4, and in the worst heat waves may reach the former mark on every day of a month.{{efn|The annual number of {{convert|90|°F|0}}+ days has ranged from 19 in 1906 to 113 in 1998; the corresponding range for {{convert|100|°F|0}} is 0 as recently as 2004 to 63 in 2011.}} The official record high is {{convert|113|F|0}} on August 11, 1936 and [[Summer 2012 North American heat wave|August 3, 2012]],<ref>[http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/?n=climate-records "Climatological averages and records"] [[National Weather Service]] Norman, Oklahoma. Retrieved August 22, 2012.</ref> while the highest daily minimum is {{convert|84|F|0}} on August 3, 2012; the hottest month on record was July 2011 with a mean temperature of {{convert|89.2|°F|1}}, followed closely by August 2011.

==Autumn==
On average, Oklahoma City experiences a secondary peak in precipitation in September and October, compared to the heat and dryness of July and August.  Temperatures cool off quickly in the autumn, especially in November, but daytime temperatures can be warm (80s to low 90s) into mid-October. A testament to the high variability of conditions in autumn is the extreme temperature drop of [[Great Blue Norther of November 11, 1911|November 11, 1911]], with a daily high and low of {{convert|83|and|17|°F|°C|0}}, both of which still hold as the record high and low for the date. The last {{convert|90|°F|0}} of the warm season can be expected on September 26, and the average date of the first freeze in autumn is November 6.

==Severe weather==
Oklahoma City has a very active severe weather season from March through June, especially during April and May. Located in the center of a region colloquially known as [[Tornado Alley]], Oklahoma City is prone to especially frequent and severe tornadoes, as well as very severe [[hail]]storms and occasional [[derecho]]es. Tornadoes have occurred in every month of the year in Oklahoma City, and a secondary smaller peak also occurs during the early autumn, especially in mid-September to late-October. The Oklahoma City metropolitan area is one of the most tornado-prone major cities in the world, with about 150 tornadoes striking within the city limits since 1890. Since the time weather records have been kept, Oklahoma City has been struck by thirteen violent tornadoes, eleven F/EF4's and two F/EF5's.<ref name="OKC tors">{{cite web |title = Tornadoes Which Have Occurred in the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Area Since 1890 |publisher = National Weather Service Norman Oklahoma |year = 2013 |url = http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/?n=tornadodata-okc-table |accessdate = May 30, 2013 }}</ref> On [[1999 Bridge Creek–Moore tornado|May 3, 1999]] parts of southern Oklahoma City and nearby suburbs suffered one of the most powerful tornadoes on record, an F5 on the [[Fujita scale]], with wind speeds estimated by radar at {{convert|318|mi/h|km/h|-1|abbr=on}}.<ref name="3may99">{{cite web|title = The Great Plains Tornado Outbreak of May 3–4, 1999 |publisher = National Weather Service Norman Oklahoma |date = |url = http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/?n=events-19990503 |accessdate = May 30, 2013}}</ref> On May 20, 2013, far southwest Oklahoma City, along with Newcastle and [[Moore, Oklahoma|Moore]], was hit again by another [[Enhanced Fujita scale|EF5]] [[2013 Moore tornado|tornado]]; that one was {{convert|0.5|to|1.3|mi|km|}} wide and killed 23 people.<ref name="Moore">{{cite web |title = The Tornado Outbreak of May 20, 2013 |publisher = National Weather Service Norman, Oklahoma |year = 2013 |url = http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/?n=events-20130520 |accessdate = May 30, 2013 }}</ref> On May 31 of that same year, [[Tornado outbreak of May 26–31, 2013|another outbreak]] affected the Oklahoma City area, including an EF1 and an EF0 within the city and a tornado several miles west of the city that was {{convert|2.6|mi|km|}} in width, the [[2013 El Reno tornado|widest tornado]] ever recorded, and it, as was the May&nbsp;3, 1999 F5, was one of the most powerful tornadoes on record.<ref>{{cite web|title=The May 31 – June 1, 2013 Tornado and Flash Flooding Event|publisher=National Weather Service Norman, Oklahoma|year=2013|url=http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/?n=events-20130531|accessdate=June 10, 2013}}</ref>

==Statistics==
{{Oklahoma City weatherbox}}

{|style="width:100%;text-align:center;line-height:1.2em;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto" class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
!Colspan=14|Climate data for Oklahoma City
|-
!Month
!Jan
!Feb
!Mar
!Apr
!May
!Jun
!Jul
!Aug
!Sep
!Oct
!Nov
!Dec
!style="border-left-width:medium"|Year
|-
!Mean daily daylight hours
|style="background:#F0F011;color:#000000;"|10.0
|style="background:#F7F722;color:#000000;"|11.0
|style="background:#FFFF33;color:#000000;"|12.0
|style="background:#FFFF44;color:#000000;"|13.0
|style="background:#FFFF55;color:#000000;"|14.0
|style="background:#FFFF66;color:#000000;"|15.0
|style="background:#FFFF55;color:#000000;"|14.0
|style="background:#FFFF44;color:#000000;"|13.0
|style="background:#FFFF33;color:#000000;"|12.0
|style="background:#F7F722;color:#000000;"|11.0
|style="background:#F0F011;color:#000000;"|10.0
|style="background:#F0F011;color:#000000;"|10.0
|style="background:#FFFF34;color:#000000;border-left-width:medium"|12.1
|-
!Average [[Ultraviolet index]]
|style="background:#f7e400;color:#000000;"|3
|style="background:#f7e400;color:#000000;"|4
|style="background:#f85900;color:#000000;"|6
|style="background:#d8001d;color:#000000;"|8
|style="background:#d8001d;color:#000000;"|9
|style="background:#d8001d;color:#000000;"|10
|style="background:#d8001d;color:#000000;"|10
|style="background:#d8001d;color:#000000;"|9
|style="background:#d8001d;color:#000000;"|8
|style="background:#f7e400;color:#000000;"|5
|style="background:#f7e400;color:#000000;"|3
|style="background:#289500;color:#000000;"|2
|style="background:#f85900;color:#000000;border-left-width:medium"|6.4
|-
!Colspan=14 style="background:#f8f9fa;font-weight:normal;font-size:95%;"|Source: Weather Atlas <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.weather-us.com/en/oklahoma-usa/oklahoma-city-climate |title=Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA - Monthly weather forecast and Climate data |publisher=Weather Atlas |access-date=28 January 2019 }}</ref>
|}

{{Graph:Weather monthly history
| table=ncei.noaa.gov/weather/Oklahoma City.tab
| title=Oklahoma City monthly weather statistics
}}

== See also ==
* [[Climate of Oklahoma]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==

{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-South/Oklahoma-City-Geography-and-Climate.html
* http://www.rssweather.com/climate/Oklahoma/Oklahoma%20City/
* http://okc.about.com/od/forthehome/ht/oktornadotips.htm {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061108104716/http://okc.about.com/od/forthehome/ht/oktornadotips.htm |date=2006-11-08 }}
* [http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/ Website of the Weather Forecast Office responsible for Oklahoma City]

{{Oklahoma City|state=expanded}}
{{ClimateUS}}

[[Category:Oklahoma City]]
[[Category:Climate in the United States by populated place|Oklahoma City]]