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Oklahoma

Drought in your area? Report Impacts
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    • Current U.S. Drought Monitor Conditions for Oklahoma
    Current Last Week Last Month

    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. 

    D0 - Abnormally Dry
    • Crops are stressed (wheat, canola, alfalfa, pecans); winter wheat germination is delayed
    • Stock pond levels decline
    54.5
    of OK
    (D0–D4)
    D1 - Moderate Drought
    • Summer crop and forage yields are reduced
    • Wildfire risk increases
    • Lake recreation activities are affected; deer reproduction is poor
    11.3
    of OK
    (D1–D4)
    D2 - Severe Drought
    • Dryland crops are severely reduced; pasture growth is stunted
    • Cattle are stressed
    • Burn bans begin
    0.7
    of OK
    (D2–D4)
    D3 - Extreme Drought
    • 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; air quality is poor, with dust storms and smoke
    0.0
    of OK
    (D3–D4)
    D4 - Exceptional Drought
    • 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; fire season is long
    0
    of OK
    (D4)
    D0 - Abnormally Dry
    • Crops are stressed (wheat, canola, alfalfa, pecans); winter wheat germination is delayed
    • Stock pond levels decline
    27.8
    of OK
    (D0–D4)
    D1 - Moderate Drought
    • Summer crop and forage yields are reduced
    • Wildfire risk increases
    • Lake recreation activities are affected; deer reproduction is poor
    6.2
    of OK
    (D1–D4)
    D2 - Severe Drought
    • Dryland crops are severely reduced; pasture growth is stunted
    • Cattle are stressed
    • Burn bans begin
    0.7
    of OK
    (D2–D4)
    D3 - Extreme Drought
    • 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; air quality is poor, with dust storms and smoke
    0
    of OK
    (D3–D4)
    D4 - Exceptional Drought
    • 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; fire season is long
    0
    of OK
    (D4)
    D0 - Abnormally Dry
    • Crops are stressed (wheat, canola, alfalfa, pecans); winter wheat germination is delayed
    • Stock pond levels decline
    15.5
    of OK
    (D0–D4)
    D1 - Moderate Drought
    • Summer crop and forage yields are reduced
    • Wildfire risk increases
    • Lake recreation activities are affected; deer reproduction is poor
    2.3
    of OK
    (D1–D4)
    D2 - Severe Drought
    • Dryland crops are severely reduced; pasture growth is stunted
    • Cattle are stressed
    • Burn bans begin
    0.0
    of OK
    (D2–D4)
    D3 - Extreme Drought
    • 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; air quality is poor, with dust storms and smoke
    0
    of OK
    (D3–D4)
    D4 - Exceptional Drought
    • 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; fire season is long
    0
    of OK
    (D4)
    Source(s):

    NDMC, NOAA, USDA
    Source(s):

    NDMC, NOAA, USDA
    Source(s):

    NDMC, NOAA, USDA
    Updates Weekly  -  09/14/21
    Updates Weekly  -  09/07/21
    Updates Weekly  -  08/17/21
    299,394
    people in Oklahoma are affected by drought
    17
    counties with USDA disaster designations
    55th
    driest August was in 2021, over the past 127 years
    40th
    wettest year to date was in 2021, over the past 127 years
    Learn more about these data
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    Explore Drought Conditions by City and County

    Summary

    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.

    View Conditions by City:
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    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.

    Explore Historical Drought Maps

      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.

    Events
    Documents

    Web Resources for Oklahoma

    Report Impacts

    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. 

    Drought in your area? Report Impacts
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