Empire, OK climate
Empire has mild winters and hot summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 95°, a January night drops to 29°, and about 2 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Empire feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Empire weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 53° | 29° | 1.4" | 0.8" | 4 | 0 | 37° – 49° |
| February | 57° | 33° | 1.7" | 0.2" | 4 | 0 | 38° – 53° |
| March | 66° | 42° | 2.7" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 48° – 61° |
| April | 74° | 49° | 3.2" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 56° – 68° |
| May | 82° | 59° | 4.9" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 67° – 76° |
| June | 90° | 68° | 4.0" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 75° – 87° |
| July | 95° | 72° | 2.5" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 79° – 92° |
| August | 95° | 71° | 2.8" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 76° – 92° |
| September | 86° | 63° | 3.5" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 70° – 82° |
| October | 75° | 51° | 3.4" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 57° – 68° |
| November | 63° | 40° | 2.2" | 0.3" | 5 | 0 | 45° – 57° |
| December | 54° | 31° | 2.0" | 1.0" | 4 | 0 | 35° – 47° |
| Year | 74° | 51° | 34.1" | 2.3" | 63 | 1 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in Empire
Empire gets 34 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 63 days a year.
About 225 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 25 and the first one by November 7. That leaves about 225 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 84% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Empire
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Empire, 60% of that work is heating and 40% is cooling.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
Empire and its neighbors
Empire borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.5°. Central High has both the coldest January nights (29°) and the hottest July afternoons (95°). Empire’s January low is 29° and its July high 95°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Empire compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Empire averaged 0.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+1.9°). The shift is smaller than in 93% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Empire’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. August swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 76° to 92°. May is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Empire’s climate
What is the coldest month in Empire?
January, with a typical high of 53° and a low of 29°.
What is the hottest month in Empire?
July, with a typical high of 95° and a low of 72°. About 76 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Empire get?
About 2 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Empire?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 7, and the last spring frost by March 25.
What is the rainiest month in Empire?
May, with 4.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 34 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Empire itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Duncan 10 W, OK (5 mi, snow) and Duncan, OK (6 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.