Oklahoma
The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) is updated each Thursday to show the location and intensity of drought across the country. This map shows drought conditions across Oklahoma using a five-category system, from Abnormally Dry (D0) conditions to Exceptional Drought (D4). The USDM is a joint effort of the National Drought Mitigation Center, USDA, and NOAA. Learn more.
The following state-specific drought impacts were compiled by the National Drought Mitigation Center. While these impacts are not exhaustive, they can help provide a clearer picture of drought in Oklahoma.
- Crops are stressed (wheat, canola, alfalfa, pecans); winter wheat germination is delayed
- Stock pond levels decline
- Summer crop and forage yields are reduced
- Wildfire risk increases
- Lake recreation activities are affected; deer reproduction is poor
- Dryland crops are severely reduced; pasture growth is stunted
- Cattle are stressed
- Burn bans begin
- Grasses are dormant and hay is nonexistent; planting is delayed; fields are spotty; emergency CRP grazing is authorized
- Cattle have little water and feed
- Wildfires are increasing in number and severity
- Ground is cracking; farmers are bailing failed crops or abandoning fields; pastures are bare; land is abandoned
- Cost of hay and water is high and supplies are scarce; producers are liquidating herds
- Burn restrictions increase
- Crops are stressed (wheat, canola, alfalfa, pecans); winter wheat germination is delayed
- Stock pond levels decline
- Summer crop and forage yields are reduced
- Wildfire risk increases
- Lake recreation activities are affected; deer reproduction is poor
- Dryland crops are severely reduced; pasture growth is stunted
- Cattle are stressed
- Burn bans begin
- Grasses are dormant and hay is nonexistent; planting is delayed; fields are spotty; emergency CRP grazing is authorized
- Cattle have little water and feed
- Wildfires are increasing in number and severity
- Ground is cracking; farmers are bailing failed crops or abandoning fields; pastures are bare; land is abandoned
- Cost of hay and water is high and supplies are scarce; producers are liquidating herds
- Burn restrictions increase
- Crops are stressed (wheat, canola, alfalfa, pecans); winter wheat germination is delayed
- Stock pond levels decline
- Summer crop and forage yields are reduced
- Wildfire risk increases
- Lake recreation activities are affected; deer reproduction is poor
- Dryland crops are severely reduced; pasture growth is stunted
- Cattle are stressed
- Burn bans begin
- Grasses are dormant and hay is nonexistent; planting is delayed; fields are spotty; emergency CRP grazing is authorized
- Cattle have little water and feed
- Wildfires are increasing in number and severity
- Ground is cracking; farmers are bailing failed crops or abandoning fields; pastures are bare; land is abandoned
- Cost of hay and water is high and supplies are scarce; producers are liquidating herds
- Burn restrictions increase
Explore Drought Conditions by City and County
View up-to-date drought conditions down to the city and county level, including temperature, and precipitation conditions, key drought indicators, outlooks, historical conditions, and water supply, agriculture, and public health maps.
Drought in Oklahoma from 2000–Present
The U.S. Drought Monitor started in 2000. Since 2000, the longest duration of drought (D1–D4) in Oklahoma lasted 239 weeks beginning on November 2, 2010, and ending on May 26, 2015. The most intense period of drought occurred the week of October 4, 2011, where D4 affected 69.82% of Oklahoma land.
The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) is a national map released every Thursday, showing parts of the U.S. that are currently in drought. The USDM relies on drought experts to synthesize the best available data and work with local observers to interpret the information. The USDM also incorporates ground truthing and information about how drought is affecting people, via a network of more than 450 observers across the country, including state climatologists, National Weather Service staff, Extension agents, and hydrologists. Learn more.
The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) is an index to characterize meteorological drought on a range of timescales, ranging from 1 to 72 months. The SPI is the number of standard deviations that observed cumulative precipitation deviates from the climatological average. NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information produce the 9-month SPI values below on a monthly basis, going back to 1895. Learn more.
Tree rings are used to extend the instrumental record of drought to over 2,000 years. The Living Blended Drought Product (LBDP) is a recalibrated data series of June-July-August Palmer Modified Drought Index (PMDI) values in the lower 48 U.S. states. This dataset blends tree-ring reconstructions and instrumental data to estimate the average summer PMDI values, which extend over 2,000 years in some parts of the U.S. Learn more.
Web Resources for Oklahoma
Oklahoma Climatological Survey | Drought and Wildfire Monitoring Tools
Oklahoma Water Resources Board | Drought Monitoring
2012 Oklahoma Comprehensive Water Plan
Oklahoma Climatological Survey | State Climatologist
Oklahoma Mesonet Weather and Climate Conditions
Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension
NDMC | Oklahoma Drought Planning Resources
USDA Farm Service Agency | Oklahoma
National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office | OUN - Norman, OK
National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office | TSA - Tulsa, OK
Southern Regional Climate Center
USDA | Southern Plains Climate Hub
South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center
Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program (SCIPP, a NOAA RISA team)
National Weather Service | Southern Region
National Weather Service River Forecast Center | Arkansas-Red Basin (ABRFC)
Tell us how drought is impacting your community by submitting a condition monitoring report. Your submissions help us better understand how drought is affecting local conditions.