Tag: wind

June Brings Historic Straight-Line Winds and Uneven Drought Relief Across Oklahoma

An extraordinary month of severe weather and rainfall has left Oklahoma with historic wind records and complex agricultural conditions, according to State Climatologist Gary McManus. While June 2026 did not feature headline-grabbing tornado outbreaks, it delivered unprecedented straight-line winds alongside a substantial rainfall rebound that brought significant yet uneven drought relief to the state. Unprecedented …

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Destructive Winds Top 100 MPH as Intense Storm Line Rakes Central Oklahoma

A powerful, destructive line of thunderstorms ripped through western and central Oklahoma during the overnight hours of Sunday into early Monday morning, June 22, triggering rare “destructive” warnings for the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. The National Weather Service issued its highest tier of severe thunderstorm warnings just after 1 a.m. CT as the fast-moving complex …

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Renewable Energy Boom in Oklahoma: What Landowners Need to Know Before Signing Wind or Solar Leases

Shannon Ferrell, an agricultural economics professor at Oklahoma State University, joined associate farm reporter Carli Davenport to discuss the rapid expansion of renewable energy across Oklahoma and what it means for landowners. Ferrell explained that the biggest driver behind the surge is economics, noting that “first and foremost, it’s price.” He added that advances in …

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Essential Needs: How to Help Oklahoma Volunteer Fire Departments

Call for Support: Oklahoma Volunteer Fire Departments As the fire season continues amid wildfires across Oklahoma, Oklahoma’s Volunteer Fire Departments (VFDs) are facing significant funding and supply shortages. These departments are the primary defense for rural communities, yet many operate with outdated gear and limited budgets. Here’s how to help: Community members can support these …

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Red Flag Warning: Shifting Winds Threaten Containment as Critical Fire Danger Expands East

Large wildfires continue to impact parts of northwestern Oklahoma and the Panhandle, with over 300,000 combined acres burned and a state of emergency in effect for Beaver, Texas, and Woodward counties. While dry and dangerous conditions persist today, February 19, 2026, fire spread potential is expected to be slightly lower than earlier in the week. …

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Slow Moving Cool Front, and Rain Chances Help with Fire Danger

Statewide Discussion: The slow-moving cold front will stall in southeastern Oklahoma holding some rain chances in place in the southeastern and east-central counties. Dry conditions are expected elsewhere across the state. OFS firefighters continue to work alongside fire departments patrolling for hotspots and increasing containment on recent significant fires with moderated fire danger over the …

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Strong low-Pressure System moving to our North will drag a dryline and a front  through Oklahoma

There’s a lot going on today on the Oklahoma Weather map! The wind will be a constant battle again today for farmers and ranchers today. According to State Climatolgist Gary McManus we have: — Strong low pressure system moving to our north will drag a dryline and a front    through Oklahoma. — The dryline …

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Gusty Winds equal Critical Fire Danger-Red Flag Warning in Effect in the Panhandle

Statewide Discussion: Temperature will again push to well-above normal Sunday afternoon accompanied by a dryline expanding into the Panhandle, northwestern and far western counties. Above-normal temperatures, low relative humidity and gusty winds will bring critical to near-critical fire weather into the area. While winds will be gusty across most of Oklahoma on Sunday, the critical …

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