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March
Traditionally, March is the fifth coolest and fifth driest month in Oklahoma. Weather patterns can change very quickly.
Temperatures in the teens may warm to the 80’s after only a few days. These extreme conditions many times are responsible
for several inches of snowfall or warm windy days with a high risk for grass fires. March typically marks the start of
Oklahoma’s “tornado season,” the three months of peak tornadic activity in the state. On average, 3.6 tornadoes occur
this month, with as many as 17 occurring in 1991. |
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Daily
Facts |
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March 1, 2008 |
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Temperatures were in the 70s and 80s across the state, 15-25 degrees above normal. |
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March 1, 2006 |
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Highs were in the 80s and 90s, with Oklahoma City setting a record daily high of 92 degrees (previous record was 85 degrees, set in 1976). |
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March
1, 2001 |
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Winter precipitation, including snow, sleet, and freezing rain, was reported in far northwestern Oklahoma. Accumulations were slight, led by a 2-inch snowfall accumulation recorded at Hammon (Roger Mills). Texas County Mesonet sites at Goodwell and Hooker recorded daily minimum temperatures of 7 and 9 degrees, respectively. Broken Bow (McCurtain) reported 1.43 inches of rain and Coleman (Johnston) recorded 1.10 inches. |
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March 2, 2008 |
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Softball-sized hail (4.25 inches) fell over Buffalo, while a weak tornado touched down in Blaine County (between Canton and Eagle City). 70 mile per hour winds were reported near Canton and Fort Cobb. |
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March
2, 2000 |
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Kenton and Regnier in northern Cimarron County reported 6.6- and 3-inch snowfalls, respectively. |
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March 3, 2008 |
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Heavy rain that led to flooding in east central Oklahoma turned to snow in southeastern Oklahoma when a cold front dropped temperatures into the 30s. Up to 6 inches of snow fell over Octavia (LeFlore) and Morris (Okmulgee). |
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March 4-5, 2004 |
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Oklahoma’s longest recorded period between tornadoes (292 days starting on May 17, 2003) ended on the 4th with the touchdown of an F0 tornado near Muldrow, which destroyed a barn and a carport in its brief lifespan. More than 8 inches of rain fell on and near Kingfisher, causing the Kingfisher and Uncle John’s creeks to overflow their banks early on the 5th. An 86 mile per hour gust was recorded by the Medicine Park Mesonet station, while an 80 mile per hour gust was reported at Waurika, which removed the roof of a barn and caused extensive tree damage.
Damage from early morning flooding on the 5th in Kingfisher included 99 dwellings, 37 businesses, 3 churches, and 4 apartments. A train that traveled through the area derailed after some of the track was eroded by flooding, causing vehicles on the train to catch fire and to burn out of control, since firefighters could not reach the site. |
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March 5, 2009 |
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Altus and Fairview both recorded a high of 92 degrees on this day, which was during an extremely warm two-day period (4th-5th). Winds gusted to 40 mph at times. |
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March
5, 1998 |
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A thunderstorm produced 1.75-inch diameter hailstones at Tom (McCurtain). |
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March
5, 1989 |
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A strong cold front produced snowfall statewide. The greatest accumulations ranged from 8 inches at Stilwell, Tahlequah, and Eufaula to 16 inches at Pauls Valley. |
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March 6, 2008 |
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Some areas in the southeast received 4-8 inches of snow, with some areas near Arkansas receiving more than a foot of snow. 14 inches fell in Hodgen, while no snow fell over areas northwest of 1-44. |
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March
6, 1995 |
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Isolated thunderstorms produced large hail and heavy rainfall. Bengal reported 3.90 inches of rain and Fanshawe reported 3.15 inches. |
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March
7, 1998 |
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The Pryor Mesonet site recorded 3.82 inches of rain and Coleman reported 3.55 inches. The heavy rainfall was produced by thunderstorms that moved across the area. While some stations reported heavy rainfall, others reported snow. 6 inches of snow fell at Boise City and 5 inches fell at Buffalo. |
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March 8-9, 2002 |
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Severe weather made its presence known with three separate bouts of storminess. The first round struck on the evening of the 8th and the early-morning hours of the 9th, associated with a dryline in western Oklahoma. High winds were the dominant severe indicator, with some tree and minor structural damage reported in the northeast. |
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March 8, 1999 |
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A small, but spectacular, tornado destroyed a home in the Tiger Mountain community east of Henryetta and then moved erratically eastward, generally along I-40 to near Checotah where it dissipated. Small tornadoes were also noted near Claremore and Broken Arrow. |
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March
8, 1994 |
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A major late winter snowstorm moved across western and northern Oklahoma, leaving as much as 15 inches of snow in its path. The National Weather Service in Tulsa reported 12.1 inches of snow, breaking that city’s all time record for snow in a 24-hour period. Guymon, Okeene, Mulhall and Cleveland each reported 14 inches of snow. The 13 inches reported at Stillwater was a one-day snowfall record for that station. |
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March 9, 2009 |
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Showers and thunderstorms kicked up along a warm front in the evening hours, with some storms becoming severe. Hail to the size of golf balls fell in central Oklahoma near El Reno, and wind gusts of 60 mph were scattered across the northwestern sections of the state. |
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March 9, 2006 |
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In south central and eastern Oklahoma, storms fired just after midnight on the 9th, causing golfball-sized hail and severe winds. Many trees were downed and roofs were blown off of buildings in Latimer County. After a cold front moved through the state later in the day, light snow fell over the northwest and storms fired in the east. |
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March
9, 1992 |
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The first tornadoes of the 1992 spring season were reported near Ratliff City and Union Valley and were accompanied by baseball-sized hail. |
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March 10-12, 2009 |
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A strong cold front passed through the state, bringing temperatures well below seasonal normals. A very cold rain fell across most portions of the state on the 11th, with heavier showers falling in the extreme southeast. The rain turned to snow in the northwest on the 12th as an upper-level system moved closer to Oklahoma. Freezing drizzle fell further to the south, with a cold rain over southern Oklahoma. |
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March 10, 2007 |
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The Walters Mesonet site recorded more than 2 inches of rain overnight, while Altus experienced winds of more than 70 miles per hour. |
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March
10, 2000 |
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An overnight snowstorm produced 8 inches of snow at Hardy, 6 inches at Burbank and 5 to 6 inches at Braman, Newkirk, Pawhuska, Wynona, and Hollow. |
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March 10, 1999 |
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Outdoor burning restrictions that were in place since the beginning of the month were dropped statewide when widespread rains provided much-needed moisture. Even with the restrictions, an estimated 33 wildfires were reported in Pushmataha, Choctaw and Atoka counties from the 3rd through the 10th. |
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March
11-12, 2001 |
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Thunderstorms produced high winds and spotty precipitation. Mesonet sites near Bristow (Creek) and Vinita (Craig) reported winds gusting to 53 miles per hour. Idabel (McCurtain) reported 2.18 inches of precipitation on the 12th. Carter Tower, Broken Bow, and Carnasaw Tower in McCurtain and Wann in Nowata county each reported 1.70 inches or more. |
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March 11, 2006 |
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In the early morning, an F1 tornado briefly touched down in LeFlore County, with little damage reported. |
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March 12, 2006 |
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Supercells (rotating thunderstorms) fired along the dryline later in the day. An F3 tornado wreaked havoc in Cherokee and Delaware counties, causing the heaviest damage from Twin Oaks to Colcord in a 27 mile-long trek to Bentonville, Arkansas. It was the first significant tornado (F2 or greater) since May 29, 2004. |
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March
12, 2003 |
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Over 4000 customers were left without power as a line of severe thunderstorms passed through central Oklahoma. Lightning from the storms ignited the roof of a residence, and golfball-sized hail fell in Logan County. As the storms moved east, strong winds blew the roof partially off at Frink-Chambers Elementary School in McAlester. |
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March
12, 1999 |
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A late-season winter storm moved through the state, producing substantial snow across northern and most of central Oklahoma. Medford was the hardest hit community, receiving 19 inches of snow. Many other sites across northern Oklahoma reported well over 12 inches of accumulated snow. |
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March 12, 1991 |
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A cold front passing through the state brought strong winds and dust from Kansas. The high winds helped spread a fire across 2,000 acres in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. The entire state was placed under an outdoor burning ban. |
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March
13-14, 2001 |
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A winter storm crossed the state, producing 7 inches of snow at Boise City (Cimarron) and 3 inches at Beaver (Beaver). Otherwise, precipitation was less than an inch, but the system produced very strong wind. Southerly winds in the west on the 14th produced gusts to 62 miles per hour at Boise City and Seiling (Dewey), according to Mesonet reports. Strong wind blew the roof off a theater in Woodward (Woodward). |
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March
13, 1990 |
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Strong upper-level winds, very unstable air, and abundant moisture combined to unleash at least 10 tornadoes over central Oklahoma. Baseball-sized hail was reported in Jefferson County and nickel- to golf-ball-sized hail accompanied severe storms in central, southwestern, and northeastern Oklahoma. |
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March
14, 1997 |
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Peak winds in excess of 50 miles per hour were recorded at Mesonet stations near Hinton, Medicine Park and Minco. The average wind speed at those sites was approximately 24 miles per hour. |
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March
14, 1996 |
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Thunderstorms erupted in north-central and northeastern Oklahoma, producing baseball-sized hail near Glenpool, although rainfall amounts were generally one inch or less. Tornadoes were reported near Kellyville and Haskell. |
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March 15, 2005 |
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More than 6 inches of snow fell in Roger Mills County with a snowstorm that hit far western Oklahoma. Ground temperatures were above 50 degrees before the snow fell, so travel problems were minimal. |
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March
15, 2001 |
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With prevailing winds turned northerly, high winds persisted throughout the day. Forty-nine Mesonet sites in the western half of the state recorded daily average wind speeds over 20 miles per hour. Winds at Alva (Woods) and Cheyenne (Roger Mills) averaged over 30 miles per hour over the full 24-hour period. Wind damage was reported in Stephens, Kiowa, Woodward, Custer, Jackson, Dewey, and Bryan counties. |
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March
16, 1992 |
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Thunderstorm-related winds as strong as 69 miles per hour damaged property in Altus. |
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March 17, 2004 |
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A weak cold front triggered storms in the northeast, which dropped hail up to 2 inches near Oneta in Wagoner County and spawned strong winds up to 70 miles per hour. |
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March
17, 2003 |
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The first twister of the new year touched down five miles southwest of Gotebo in Kiowa County on the 17th, damaging a house before dissipating. A second tornado dropped from the same thunderstorm minutes later and traveled 3 miles before lifting back into the sky. Another minor tornado was reported by spotters near Pumpkin Center (Comanche), with no reported damage. |
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March 18, 2007 |
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Slapout reported a high temperature of 90 degrees. |
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March
18, 1999 |
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A winter storm produced 12 inches of snow at Regnier and 11 inches at Boise City. The effects were hardly felt east of the central Panhandle. |
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March
18, 1998 |
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A passing cold front produced damaging winds in south-central Oklahoma. Mesonet sites near Ninnekah and Pauls Valley reported 74 and 73 mile per hour winds, respectively, and wind damage was reported in Pauls Valley, Chickasha, and Blanchard. |
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March 19, 2006 |
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Over 4 inches of rain fell in McCurtain County. |
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March 19, 2004 |
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The Hollis Mesonet site reported a high temperature of 88 degrees. |
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March
19, 2002 |
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Flooding associated with the heavy rainfall in southeastern Oklahoma on the 19th closed numerous roads, particularly in Choctaw, LeFlore, Pittsburg, and Pushmataha counties. State highways were reported under water near Ord and Frogville (both in McCurtain County), and a bridge was washed out seven miles north of Soper (Choctaw). |
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March 20, 2007 |
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The Foraker Mesonet site recorded more than 5 inches of rain; Kay County experienced widespread flash flooding. |
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March 20, 2006 |
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Two brief tornadoes (F0) touched down in Marshall County, with no known damage, while a small tornado (F0) touched down in Dewey County near Putnam. The Putnam tornado caused minor damage to a barn, rolled a semi-trailer upside down, and wrapped a boat around a tree. |
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March
21-26, 2001 |
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A period of mild temperatures that ensued shortly after mid-month, including 85 degree temperatures recorded at the Beaver and Slapout (Beaver) Mesonet sites, was terminated by a cold front and a less intense winter storm system from the 23rd through the 26th. |
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March 21, 2007 |
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Woodward reported a high temperature of 90 degrees. |
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March 21, 2005 |
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A strong upper-level system triggered storms that dumped heavy rain, dropped hail up to 1.75 inches in Checotah and Ft. Towson, and spawned weak tornadoes (F0) in Seminole, Hughes, Haskell, Okfuskee, and Alfalfa counties. The Bowlegs Mesonet site reported nearly 3 inches of rain. |
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March
21, 1991 |
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The first full day of spring certainly exhibited spring-like weather. Several damaging tornadoes ripped across southern Oklahoma, including one that caused extensive damage in Ada. Other tornadoes were reported near Ardmore and Atoka. |
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March 22-23, 2006 |
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Snow fell over west central and central Oklahoma from the 22nd to the 23rd, dumping a 4-inch band. Most of the snow was melted by the afternoon. |
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March 23-24, 2009 |
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An upper-level storm moved toward Oklahoma, kicking up winds from the south that gusted to 45 mph at times. Gulf moisture streamed northward into the state and a dryline in western Oklahoma started a round of storms on the 23rd that quickly became severe. Several large hail reports came in from across the state, including a 2.75-inch report near Stillwater. Early on the 24th, an EF-0 tornado touched down near Pawnee. The tornado destroyed a barn and significantly damaged a nursery and trees. |
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March
23, 2000 |
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Heavy rainfall amounts in excess of 3 inches were reported at several locations across the state. The heaviest rains fell at Headrick with a reported total of 4.01 inches. |
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March
23, 1996 |
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A tornado was reported west of Lone Grove, and hail as large as golf balls fell in many areas. |
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March
23, 1995 |
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Bixby reported a high temperature of 95 degrees, the highest March temperature reported there since at least 1948. |
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March 24, 2007 |
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The Freedom Mesonet (Woodward) site reported a wind gust of 82 miles per hour. Power lines and roofs were damaged by strong winds from overnight thunderstorms. |
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March 24, 2005 |
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Hail up to 1.75 inches fell over Collinsville and Sand Springs in Tulsa County. |
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March
24, 1997 |
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Strong thunderstorms that formed over central Oklahoma moved across the eastern half of the state overnight, producing hail, high winds, and sufficient moisture to end the fire danger. Eyewitnesses reported a small tornado near Terlton that destroyed a mobile home. The Mesonet site at Pawnee recorded a peak wind of 73 miles per hour. |
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March
25, 1998 |
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Strong winds and warm weather provided enough drying to spark grass fires near Tahlequah. |
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March 26-29, 2009 |
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Thundersnow began on the evening of the 26th along a very strong cold front in the Oklahoma Panhandle. Around 5 am on the 27th, snow began in the northwest and started spreading to the east, while freezing rain and sleet occurred out ahead of the snow. Parts of north central Oklahoma lost power due to ice accumulating on lines blown by strong winds. By afternoon on the 27th, temperatures ranged from the 20s in the northwest to the 60s in the southeast. A blizzard warning issued for the northwestern parts of the state verified easily as the heavy snow and strong winds gusting to over 40 mph caused white-out conditions. Heavy snow and strong winds continued through the 28th, eventually resulting in more than 2 feet of snow in the Panhandle and northwestern Oklahoma, with drifts at times higher than 5 feet. Northeastern Oklahoma also received up to 10 inches of snow, breaking Tulsa’s record for Daily Maximum Snowfall on the 29th (9.9 inches broke the previous 1931 record of 1 inch). This storm brought travel to a standstill over much of northwestern Oklahoma. Preliminary reports indicate that the state’s 24-hour snowfall record (23 inches from the Buffalo blizzard in February 1971) may have been broken in several locations during this event (24+ inches). |
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March
26, 2001 |
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Heavy snow fell over the Oklahoma Panhandle, resulting in 8 inches of snow in Kenton and 4 inches in Hooker. |
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March
26, 2001 |
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Beaver reported 4 inches of snow, while snow and sleet were reported throughout the western third of the state. Allen (Pontotoc) reported 1.80 inches of rain. Mesonet sites near Ringling (Jefferson), Clayton (Pushmataha), and Talihina (LeFlore) recorded more than an inch of rain, as did conventional reporting stations at McGee Creek Dam (Atoka) and Ashland (Pittsburg). |
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March 27, 2008 |
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Severe storms fired along a strong cold front that dropped temperatures by 10-20 degrees. A weak tornado was produced over Muskogee County. |
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March 27, 2004 |
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A cold front brought stormy weather to the northern and central portions of the state, releasing heavy rain over Garfield County (up to 3 inches), with 1-3 inches falling in north central Oklahoma. Hail larger than 2.5 inches was reported in Beckham and Custer counties, while 11 weak tornadoes touched down in northwestern Oklahoma. The strongest tornado, a 250-yard wide F1, touched down near Sharon (Woodward County), blew a car off of State Highway 34, and killed a cow. |
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March
27, 1997 |
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Thunderstorms in north-central and northeastern Oklahoma produced large hail, including an oblong hailstone measuring 4.75 inches long and 2.75 inches wide that fell in Tulsa. A small tornado reportedly touched down briefly near Watonga. |
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March 28, 2007 |
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A supercell that formed in the Texas Panhandle moved north into the Oklahoma Panhandle, producing two EF-2 tornadoes in Beaver County. One of these tornadoes killed two residents of Elmwood, the first tornado deaths in Oklahoma since April 11, 2001 (2,178 daysÑthe longest interval between killer tornadoes since accurate statistics began in 1950). The Slapout Mesonet site reported nearly 3 inches of rain with these storms and river flooding occurred along the Beaver River in Harper County. |
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March 29-31, 2007 |
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Heavy rains from the 29th through the 31st led to extensive river- and flash-flooding in all but the eastern one-third of the state. Central and southern Oklahoma received 2-5 inches of rain on the 29th and 30th. |
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March 29, 2007 |
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An EF-2 that left a 6-mile long damage path along the Canadian/Oklahoma County line damaged areas of west and northwest Oklahoma City, but thankfully did not take any lives. Two other weak tornadoes touched down in Blaine and Garfield counties. |
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March
29, 1993 |
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Major thunderstorms produced softball-sized hail in Sayre and 70 to 80 mile per hour winds at Granite. A small tornado reportedly touched down just west of Elk City. The National Weather Service reported that microburst winds and a tornado combined to produce a 4 to 5 mile damage path southeast of Prague. Reported daily rainfall amounts included 4.85 inches at Comanche and 4.67 inches at Waurika. |
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March 30, 2008 |
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An EF-1 tornado damaged homes, trees, fences, and power poles near Edmond right after midnight. Hail was also associated with these storms, with reports up to 2.75 inches in Wynona and Silo. |
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March 30, 2007 |
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Oklahoma City broke its March single-day rainfall record set in 1988 (2.84 inches) with 3.50 inches of rain. |
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March 30, 2006 |
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Near Kingston in Marshall County, 2.5 inch hail fell. |
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March
30, 1993 |
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Thunderstorms that developed about mid-day produced several small tornadoes in eastern Custer County and several incidents of large hail in north central Oklahoma. An apparent downburst destroyed a mobile home, snapped a telephone pole, and broke limbs measuring up to ten inches off of trees in Dover. |
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March 31, 2008 |
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A few weak tornadoes touched down in Marshall and McCurtain counties. One EF-1 snapped and uprooted trees, but houses sustained only minor damage. Areas in eastern Oklahoma experienced flooding. |
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Thanks to Howard
Johnson, Associate State Climatologist for Service (Retired) and Gary
McManus, Climatologist, for the daily facts! |
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