Oklahoma Climate
Top 5 Cities: Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Norman, Broken Arrow, and Edmond
This month in numbers
Oklahoma experienced its warmest March on record in 2026, with an average temperature of 15.83°C, a striking 6.2°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. This also marked the warmest January–March period on record, with an average temperature of 9.87°C, an anomaly of +4.5°C. Maximum temperatures for March were also unprecedented, reaching 24.11°C, which is 7.5°C above average. Globally, April 2026 was the 2nd warmest April for land temperatures on record, and the February–April 2026 period was the 2nd warmest such period on record.
What changed
This exceptionally warm start to the year for Oklahoma stands in stark contrast to the national picture, where the US experienced a more modest +3.3°C anomaly in March. Oklahoma's March anomaly of +6.15°C placed it as the 8th warmest region globally out of 234, with all of the top 10 warmest regions being US states. For the January–March period, Oklahoma ranked 11th globally for temperature anomaly. The state's 2025 annual average temperature of 16.43°C was the 10th warmest on record.
What’s driving change?
The persistent warmth in Oklahoma is influenced by a combination of factors. The current ENSO state is Neutral, with a strong probability of transitioning to El Niño by May-July 2026, which typically brings warmer and drier conditions to the southern US. Oklahoma has also been grappling with significant drought conditions, with two drought events recorded in the past 12 months, representing 100% of the annual total. By late March, extreme drought had expanded across central Oklahoma and the Panhandle, increasing concerns for wildfires. This dry soil amplification further exacerbates warming, as the lack of moisture prevents evaporative cooling. Additionally, a flood event was recorded in April 2026, which represents 100% of the annual total for floods in the past 12 months. This flood event in late April led to a State of Emergency declaration in Garfield and Kay counties due to severe weather, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding.
Looking ahead
The Climate Prediction Center's outlook suggests that above-normal temperatures are likely to persist over the next three months, with increased odds for above-normal precipitation, particularly in the northeastern half of the state, which could bring some drought relief.
Sources:
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
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Data Sources
Data Sources for Oklahoma
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) — see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Oklahoma changing?
Oklahoma is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The trend rate is shown as °C per decade in the headline panel; you can also see the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for Oklahoma come from?
Climate data for Oklahoma comes from NOAA Climate at a Glance (temperature and precipitation), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Oklahoma climate data cover?
The Oklahoma climate profile covers Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Norman, Broken Arrow and surrounding areas. Oklahoma climate data from NOAA Climate at a Glance
How often is the Oklahoma climate update refreshed?
The Oklahoma climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.