The drought and heat dome continues to just sit over the southern plains. Chances of rain are basically zero for the next week. Maybe a glimmer of hope showing up next Thursday with some ridge breakdown.


https://i.imgur.com/zYLOvj9.png

Anon or anyone with better meteorology knowledge - why are the rain chances so low with the tropical low moving north into Oklahoma this weekend? Dry air aloft due to the high pressure? It was crazy last weekend watching a decent line of storms in Kansas basically fall apart as it headed south, are the same dynamics in place for the next several days?

https://apps.sfwmd.gov/sfwmd/common/images/weather/plots/storm_95.gif

Absolutely the dry air. If you notice lately we have barely even had clouds.

The dry air aloft coming out of NM/TX is wreaking havoc across the Plains. The drought has this area in a chokehold with it just compounding on itself. Much of C TX is in the highest categories of drought possible. We got super lucky here in OK in early June when we got that rain from the NW flow storm systems.

At this point, C and W TX need a tropical storm to save them. Austin and San Antonio are drying up with massive population increases.

Absolutely the dry air. If you notice lately we have barely even had clouds.

The dry air aloft coming out of NM/TX is wreaking havoc across the Plains. The drought has this area in a chokehold with it just compounding on itself. Much of C TX is in the highest categories of drought possible. We got super lucky here in OK in early June when we got that rain from the NW flow storm systems.

At this point, C and W TX need a tropical storm to save them. Austin and San Antonio are drying up with massive population increases.

For now. Eventually, rain will return and break the drought. Remember how people were saying the 2010-2014 drought would last forever? Within a few weeks in 2015, the drought across the southern plains was wiped out. We have yet go back into a long term drought. One of the drivers of the drought in the plains has been a couple year long La Nina. When we go back into an El Nino, we'll in all likelihood see a lot more rain.

Frustrating to see heavy rain and cool temps just to our north in Kansas this morning. Slight chance of storms in the northern counties today and better chance in the far southeast. Hot and dry everywhere else

So these hundreds next week could be slightly more bearable based on the fact that the heat is drier than usual for this part of the year?

So these hundreds next week could be slightly more bearable based on the fact that the heat is drier than usual for this part of the year?

Well once you get into the 100s it's pretty much all miserable.

Enid and parts of north-central OK picked up over half an inch from morning storms that have since evaporated. Slight chance of storms in northern OK again today. Extremely hot and dry next week, better rain chances coming next weekend into the following week

Anyone get rain just west of Downtown with this shower at 4pm on Sunday? From the airport doesn't even look like it's raining from the cloud.

Shows up pretty nice on radar though. Little popup thunderstorm that came out of nowhere at about 3:35, quickly intensified but has been weakening as it slowly drifts off to the NW.

Yep, got rain downtown. Cooled it off some.

High pressure done over the southern Plains this week. This long stretch of 100+ temperatures has not been seen since 2018. Models hinting at a pattern change and better rain chances starting late next weekend into next week, keep your fingers crossed.

Is there another city that sees near-zero temps in the winter (with the associated snow and ice) and then a long string of 100+ summer days?

I sure don't think so. For better or worse, this seems to be unique to OKC.

Is there another city that sees near-zero temps in the winter (with the associated snow and ice) and then a long string of 100+ summer days?

I sure don't think so. For better or worse, this seems to be unique to OKC.I don't know of any. And in my humble opinion it's for the worse. But I've stayed here my whole 63 years so I must not mind it all that much.

I don't know of any. And in my humble opinion it's for the worse. But I've stayed here my whole 63 years so I must not mind it all that much.

Culturally, Oklahomans spend a lot more time inside than many places.

There are too many days out of the year when it is completely miserable to be outdoors. This has been by far the biggest adjustment I've had to make from California. And the Oklahoma summers are the one thing I dreaded most upon returning.

Dallas? Tulsa?

Dallas? Tulsa?

Tulsa maybe, but Dallas usually doesn't get nearly as cold or for sustained periods like we sometimes see.

To be fair this is unusually hot for this time of year. We could be looking at a record-breaking stretch of heat this week. Time will tell if this will be an overall hot summer or something more like the summer of 2020 when there wasn’t a single 100 degree temp.

To be fair this is unusually hot for this time of year. We could be looking at a record-breaking stretch of heat this week. Time will tell if this will be an overall hot summer or something more like the summer of 2020 when there wasn’t a single 100 degree temp.

Right, but my point is that in typical years, we still hit 100 many times and also get to near zero multiple times.

I looked it up, and it looks like on average we hit the century mark 13 times a summer.

Culturally, Oklahomans spend a lot more time inside than many places.

There are too many days out of the year when it is completely miserable to be outdoors. This has been by far the biggest adjustment I've had to make from California. And the Oklahoma summers are the one thing I dreaded most upon returning.

Meh, in 10 years, 2/3rds of California will be on wholesale water bans. Like, it is insane how little water they have, and how few places they have to pull from. California has awesome weather (well, most of it). But LA is a desert, and it is only getting worse.

I do wish Oklahoma could lose some of the humidity, though. That's what I hate the most.

^

There were severe water issues before I left, and I had a house with a yard and most people there do not.

You merely move away from grass (which is silly anyway if you think about it) and towards native plantings or artificial grass, which I had in my backyard and was fantastic. They even gave you financial incentives to do so.

Meh, in 10 years, 2/3rds of California will be on wholesale water bans. Like, it is insane how little water they have, and how few places they have to pull from. California has awesome weather (well, most of it). But LA is a desert, and it is only getting worse.

I do wish Oklahoma could lose some of the humidity, though. That's what I hate the most.

I don’t mind the humidity but wish the rainfall was more consistent (I don’t like watering my lawn/plants).

I don’t mind the humidity but wish the rainfall was more consistent (I don’t like watering my lawn/plants).For the last few years that would describe probably 50% or more of the US.

Is there another city that sees near-zero temps in the winter (with the associated snow and ice) and then a long string of 100+ summer days?

I sure don't think so. For better or worse, this seems to be unique to OKC.

No many. Nashville, Memphis, Atlanta get hot but not sure about the cold and snow. Denver has wild temperatures. Wichita Ks averages 1 less day of 100 degrees than OKC but they get colder and tend to have more snow so probably Wichita.

No many. Nashville, Memphis, Atlanta get hot but not sure about the cold and snow. Denver has wild temperatures. Wichita Ks averages 1 less day of 100 degrees than OKC but they get colder and tend to have more snow so probably Wichita.

The Mid-South, which Oklahoma is on the west end, generally has a pretty similar climate. Throw North Carolina in there as well though the Atlantic coast usually moderates the Carolinas in the winter.

Loving this hot weather! My grass finally looks awesome because we are getting some good heat. Bermuda loves the heat as long as you water it about an inch a week.

Is there another city that sees near-zero temps in the winter (with the associated snow and ice) and then a long string of 100+ summer days?

I sure don't think so. For better or worse, this seems to be unique to OKC.
Memphis, Little Rock, Nashville, Tulsa, Atlanta, To name a few.

Memphis, Little Rock, Nashville, Tulsa, Atlanta, To name a few.
How often does Atlanta see near zero temps?

How often does Atlanta see near zero temps?

Coldest average low for OKC is 27 degrees in January. Average in Atlanta in January is 35.6. The record low for OKC is -17 and for Atlanta it’s -9. Near zero temps are rare but can happen in both places, slightly more common in OK due to the polar cold fronts coming down the Plains.

Models are hinting that the ridge will shift early next week which could bring better rain chances across OK from the northwest.

Models are hinting that the ridge will shift early next week which could bring better rain chances across OK from the northwest.

Bless us with rain models.

(Very small) silver linings - with southwest winds and virtually zero precip in the Metro for nearly a month and counting, the humidity isn’t terrible. In some ways I prefer this over the lower 90’s and miserable humidity we got for most of last summer, although it’s mostly splitting hairs lol.

(Very small) silver linings - with southwest winds and virtually zero precip in the Metro for nearly a month and counting, the humidity isn’t terrible. In some ways I prefer this over the lower 90’s and miserable humidity we got for most of last summer, although it’s mostly splitting hairs lol.

I go out walking every morning and as long as you get up early enough, it's really quite pleasant, especially with the breeze.

I try to be out the door no later than 6:30 AM rather than go at night, because it just never cools off until the sun has long been done.

I go out walking every morning and as long as you get up early enough, it's really quite pleasant, especially with the breeze.[


Agreed... I'm usually out between 5:30 to 6:30 in the morning for my walk..... But I do my lawn work in the evening.... I am lucky in that my front and back yard are mostly shaded by 6 PM and that makes a huge difference.

Models are hinting that the ridge will shift early next week which could bring better rain chances across OK from the northwest.

Is this still the case? Not seeing any mention of precipitation chances on the forecast sites I follow yet, at least for either the Tulsa area or OKC. I see that the heat index is 126 at Mesta Park down in OKC right now. I'm already over summer.

Tomorrow and Friday will be dangerous days across the state. Can't hardly go outside all day while the sun is up.

Is this still the case? Not seeing any mention of precipitation chances on the forecast sites I follow yet, at least for either the Tulsa area or OKC. I see that the heat index is 126 at Mesta Park down in OKC right now. I'm already over summer.

Tomorrow and Friday will be dangerous days across the state. Can't hardly go outside all day while the sun is up.

Yes weak front coming through over the weekend will knock down the temps some with a stronger front coming through next week around Tuesday with better rain chances. There is even a possibility of getting some NW flow which would be awesome for bringing rain/storms this way.

I know we’re right smack in the middle of summer still, but this has been one of the more hotter summers I can remember. June had a lot of triple digit temps and July doesn’t seem to be letting up either. Og&e bills are gonna be kicking everyone’s ass here for a while.

I know we’re right smack in the middle of summer still, but this has been one of the more hotter summers I can remember. June had a lot of triple digit temps and July doesn’t seem to be letting up either. Og&e bills are gonna be kicking everyone’s ass here for a while.

My electric bill is about 25% more than last year at the same time. Not too bad considering the wonderful weather we are having! I would rather pay a little more in electricity and have nice weather than pay less and it be cold and rainy.

I know we’re right smack in the middle of summer still, but this has been one of the more hotter summers I can remember. June had a lot of triple digit temps and July doesn’t seem to be letting up either. Og&e bills are gonna be kicking everyone’s ass here for a while.

Officially, Oklahoma City didn't hit triple digits until this week... It's definitely our hottest summer overall since 2012, possibly 2011. That summer was brutal.

This will probably end up as our hottest summer since 2012. Outside chance it tops 2012 and is the hottest since 2011. Don’t think there’s any way we top 2011 (not that we’d want to) as we were getting fairly consistent triple-digit heat by mid-June that year.

Average high between 6/1 and 8/31 for the last 15 years:
2021 - 89.5
2020 - 90.6
2019 - 90.4
2018 - 90.8
2017 - 90.3
2016 - 92.5
2015 - 90.6
2014 - 90.5
2013 - 90.9
2012 - 95.5
2011 - 100.7 (!!!)
2010 - 93.4
2009 - 91.8
2008 - 92.4
2007 - 90.2

Overall average - 92.0

It's Oklahoma, it's summer, it's gonna be hot AF

Officially, Oklahoma City didn't hit triple digits until this week... It's definitely our hottest summer overall since 2012, possibly 2011. That summer was brutal.

I moved to OKC July 2011 and was like WTF I had no clue OKC got this hot!!!! I grew up in San Antonio and never had a summer like that it was gnarly

It's Oklahoma, it's summer, it's gonna be hot AF

This is pretty much the bottom line. Right now we are torching because we’ve got southwest winds bringing in air straight out of the desert. But even during our “cooler” summers, it’s usually because we have a consistent southeast wind which keeps temperatures somewhat lower, but also brings in a direct feed of Gulf moisture which tends to result in extremely high dewpoints and heat indices anyways. Very difficult not to have miserably hot and/or humid weather here between mid June and early September or so. If we get any sort of respite, it’s usually because we’re occasionally far enough north to get in on some periods of NW flow from the Rockies. Either that or there’s a hurricane in the Gulf which allows for NE flow (as an example, the last week of August 2017 was very nice here while Harvey was bearing down on Houston).

Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio have weather way worse than here in the summer. It is horridly hot down there, and more humid. Kinda crazy.

My electric bill is about 25% more than last year at the same time. Not too bad considering the wonderful weather we are having! I would rather pay a little more in electricity and have nice weather than pay less and it be cold and rainy.

Yeah I guess I would consider 70's to be "nice weather" but that's just me. I also don't mind hopping in the pool with a beer this time of year either though.

Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio have weather way worse than here in the summer. It is horridly hot down there, and more humid. Kinda crazy.

summer 2011 in OKC was insanely hot, hotter than any summer that I remember growing up in SA. Granted that as a kid/teenager I didn't pay much attention to how hot summers were I was outside all the time during that period of my life.

OKC summers are pretty similar to SA summers

I've also lived in NC, Seattle, and Las Vegas as an adult

Dallas, Austin, San Antonio are very similar to OKC heat index wise, the difference is they don't get our more-regular terrible winter days. They also don't get the crazy Spring winds we do. Honestly OKC is likely the #1 worst populated cities for weather in terms of negative impacts from every season.

Pop up showers and storms are possible this evening and even moreso for Friday evening across the state. Chances are low, but if you happen to be under one, you could expect brief heavy rain, maybe some gusty winds with collapsing storms.

https://www.tropicaltidbits.com/analysis/models/rgem/2022070712/rgem_mslp_pcpn_frzn_scus_37.png

nm

Sky is getting dark here in Warr Acres, hope it is the same in central OKC when I get home from work.

It's Oklahoma, it's summer, it's gonna be hot AF

Most summers are hot, yes. However, I’m usually able to still get out and get chores done in the early morning or evening before it gets hot. Also, I’m usually interested in getting the boat out and hitting up the lake. However, this year is very much different. The water temps are already in the low 90’s at the lake I visit. Keep in mind, I have been boating up there for 8 years and the hottest I have seen the water is 88 deg at the end of august. Yes, summers in Oklahoma are hot, but it is dang near oppressive so far this summer and it’s zapping any energy I have to be outside…which is also unusual.

Got a good half inch in Yukon, nice rain.

OKC hit the jackpot with this one!

Hooray!

That came out of nowhere just when we needed it the most.

71 degrees outside right now. Wonderful

OKC got lucky, many places missed out on the rain/cooler temps. Typical summer storm coverage. The next chances come Tuesday-Wednesday with another frontal passage.

I know we’re right smack in the middle of summer still, but this has been one of the more hotter summers I can remember. June had a lot of triple digit temps and July doesn’t seem to be letting up either. Og&e bills are gonna be kicking everyone’s ass here for a while.
Southwest Oklahoma had a lot of 100s in June but OKC didn't make it to 100 until July 5.

I bet you're richly blessed to not be around to remember how brutally hot the summer of 2011 was day after day. OKC never had so many days with 100 or better that summer. Even Sept. had around 5 days over 100. Sept. had a high of around 105. Old timers couldn't believe how persistently crazy hot it was all summer long.

The next year, 2012 was also a hot summer better to have missed out on, but wasn't as consistent about getting to a hundred or better every day. Some days, though, got incredibly hot with highs around 110-115. Sept. 2012 also had around 5 days into the hundreds.

Southwest Oklahoma had a lot of 100s in June but OKC didn't make it to 100 until July 5.

I bet you're richly blessed to not be around to remember how brutally hot the summer of 2011 was day after day. Even Sept. had around 5 days over 100. Sept. had a high of around 105. OKC never had so many days with 100 or better that summer. Old timers couldn't believe how persistently crazy hot it was.

The next year, 2012 was also a hot summer better to have missed out on, but wasn't as consistent about getting to a hundred or better every day. Some days, though, got incredibly hot with highs around 110-115. Sept. 2012 also had around 5 days into the hundreds.

The interesting thing about 2011 is that February was one of the coldest and snowiest on record. The all-time coldest temp in Oklahoma was recorded on Feb 10, 2011: -31 in Nowata. Tulsa set an all time record for daily snowfall on Feb 1

Paseo hasn’t had power since 4 something PM

Many parts of the state going on a month without significant rainfall. Drought creeping back in and only getting worse in Texas where it has been hotter and drier (with no end in sight)

https://www.mesonet.org/data/public/mesonet/maps/daily/mesonet.rainfall.quarterinch.png