Oklahoma, OK climate
Oklahoma has chilly winters and hot summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 94°, a January night drops to 28°, and about 7 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Oklahoma feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Oklahoma 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 | 50° | 28° | 1.3" | 1.8" | 5 | 2 | 34° – 48° |
| February | 54° | 32° | 1.5" | 1.8" | 6 | 1 | 36° – 52° |
| March | 63° | 40° | 2.6" | 0.8" | 7 | 1 | 45° – 61° |
| April | 72° | 48° | 3.5" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 55° – 67° |
| May | 79° | 58° | 5.1" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 65° – 75° |
| June | 88° | 67° | 4.7" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 73° – 84° |
| July | 94° | 71° | 3.4" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 79° – 90° |
| August | 93° | 70° | 3.5" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 74° – 89° |
| September | 85° | 62° | 3.5" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 69° – 81° |
| October | 74° | 50° | 3.3" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 55° – 68° |
| November | 61° | 39° | 2.0" | 0.5" | 6 | 0 | 44° – 57° |
| December | 51° | 30° | 1.8" | 1.8" | 6 | 2 | 31° – 45° |
| Year | 72° | 50° | 36.2" | 6.7" | 83 | 5 |
“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 Oklahoma
Oklahoma gets 36 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 83 days a year.
About 213 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 4 and the first one by November 2. That leaves about 213 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 79% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Oklahoma
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Oklahoma, 66% of that work is heating and 34% 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.
Oklahoma and its neighbors
Oklahoma borders 12 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.9°. Union City has the coldest January nights (27°) and Edmond the hottest July afternoons (94°). Oklahoma’s January low is 28° and its July high 94°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.2°). The shift is smaller than in 79% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Oklahoma’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. March swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 45° to 61°. May is the most reliable, staying within 11°.
Common questions about Oklahoma’s climate
What is the coldest month in Oklahoma?
January, with a typical high of 50° and a low of 28°.
What is the hottest month in Oklahoma?
July, with a typical high of 94° and a low of 71°. About 73 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Oklahoma get?
About 7 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Oklahoma?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 2, and the last spring frost by April 4.
What is the rainiest month in Oklahoma?
May, with 5.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 36 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Oklahoma itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Oklahoma City Will Rogers Airport, OK (7 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.