Drought Retreats, Heat Persists in October

October brought Oklahoma its first sustained, widespread drought relief since flash drought spread across the state in August. Heavy rains replenished reservoirs and improved soil moisture across western and central Oklahoma, although flooding damaged roads and forced water rescues in some of the hardest-hit areas. The rain brought little interruption to the state’s exceptionally warm year, however. Oklahoma recorded its fifth-warmest October, extending a record-warm start to 2026.

Heavy rains trigger flooding

Preliminary data from the Oklahoma Mesonet showed statewide rainfall averaged 4.42 inches, 1.06 inches above normal, making it the state’s 25th-wettest October since records began in 1895. A swath of sites from west-central into central Oklahoma received two to four times their normal October rainfall, with surpluses reaching 6 to 9 inches. Parts of eastern Oklahoma received less than half their normal rainfall, with deficits of 2 to 4 inches near the Arkansas border limiting drought relief there. Hinton led the Mesonet with 11.96 inches of rain, including 8.71 inches on Oct. 14. Other observing networks reported higher monthly totals in west-central Oklahoma, including 15.98 inches from a volunteer observer near Hydro. That observer measured 11 inches on Oct. 14, the fourth-highest one-day October rainfall total ever recorded in Oklahoma. Valliant recorded the lowest Mesonet total at 1.02 inches.

Much of that rain came from two storm systems. The first carried over from late September into Oct. 1, causing flooding across parts of south-central Oklahoma. The second struck Oct. 13-15, concentrating its heaviest rain from west-central through central Oklahoma. At Hydro, flooding washed out sections of Route 66, ruptured a waterline and flooded an agricultural barn. In Kingfisher County, flooding briefly closed U.S. 81 and State Highway 3. Crews also retrieved two motorists from trees after they escaped their vehicle.

Rain puts a dent in drought

October’s rains brought substantial drought relief to Oklahoma. Extreme and exceptional drought, the U.S. Drought Monitor’s two most intense categories, covered 26% of the state by late October, down from 55% at the end of September. Exceptional drought, the most intense category, shrank from 24% to 7%. Despite those improvements, 87% of the state remained in at least moderate drought.

The relief extended beyond the Drought Monitor map. Soil moisture improved considerably across much of western and central Oklahoma, with gains reaching two feet below the surface. Runoff also replenished several drought-depleted reservoirs. Arcadia rose approximately 6 feet between Oct. 13 and Oct. 19, while Hefner and Overholser each gained roughly 5 feet during that period. By late October, Hefner and Overholser were near their normal pool elevations. Recovery remained uneven, however. Lugert-Altus gained several feet but remained well below normal, while some eastern lakes continued to decline where the heavier rains missed. 

Heat keeps 2026 on a record pace

The rain brought drought relief, but October continued Oklahoma’s exceptionally warm year. The statewide average temperature of 67 degrees was 5.7 degrees above normal, making it the fifth-warmest October since records began in 1895. Combined with September’s record heat, October produced Oklahoma’s warmest September–October period on record. The two-month statewide average reached 74.8 degrees, a remarkable 7.8 degrees above normal. Every climate division recorded its warmest September–October period.

That prolonged warmth pushed Oklahoma’s January–October average to 68.5 degrees, a full 5 degrees above normal and 2.1 degrees above the previous record for that period, set in 2012. With two months remaining, 2026 is positioned to challenge 2012 as Oklahoma’s warmest calendar year on record. The season’s first freeze arrived Oct. 16, when temperatures dropped to freezing or below at Kenton, Eva and Hooker.

October by the numbers

• Statewide average temperature: 67°F, 5.7°F above normal — the fifth-warmest October since records began in 1895
• Temperature extremes: High of 96°F at Fairview on Oct. 13; low of 27°F at Beaver, Eva and Hooker on Oct. 17
• Highest heat index: 105°F at Broken Bow on Oct. 13
• Lowest wind chill: 19°F at Eva on Oct. 17
• Warmest and coolest locations: Highest monthly average, 70.0°F at Idabel; lowest, 60.7°F at Boise City
• Statewide average precipitation: 4.42 inches, 1.06 inches above normal — 25th-wettest October since 1895
• Rainfall extremes: High of 15.98 inches at Hydro; low of 1.02 inches at Valliant

November offers more drought relief

October’s drought relief could carry into November. The Climate Prediction Center favors above-normal rainfall across Oklahoma, with El Niño helping support an active storm track across the southern United States. The temperature outlook favors warmer-than-normal conditions across northern Oklahoma, with equal chances of above-, near- or below-normal temperatures farther south. The monthly drought outlook calls for widespread improvement across Oklahoma, including drought removal in some areas.