The tornado frenzy that plagued Oklahoma in April and May completely subsided in June. After 102 tornadoes during the previous two months, including a record 55 in April, there were no tornado reports in June.
However, the month didn’t lack dangerous weather, with twisters being replaced by historic rainfall, extreme heat and drought, and severe thunderstorms that left tens of thousands without power.
On the night of June 25, storms plowed their way south through the state from the Kansas border in north-central Oklahoma into central Oklahoma, with winds up to 90 mph.
These storms brought down power poles and trees, flipped vehicles, and tore off roofs. Some estimates place the number of Oklahomans left without power at nearly 100,000.
The power outages created a dangerous situation in the following days, with extreme heat continuing across the state. The Oklahoma Mesonet site at Centrahoma recorded a heat index of 118 degrees on June 26, as did the Tulsa International Airport on June 29.
Heat index values of at least 115 degrees were recorded 40 times by Mesonet sites during June, and at least 110 degrees another 235 times. The 118 degrees at Centrahoma is the sixth-highest heat index recorded by an Oklahoma Mesonet site during June in the network’s 30-year history. Grandfield holds the top June spot with 120 degrees on June 19, 2023.
A 1,000-year rainfall event occurred in the Panhandle on June 1819, causing catastrophic flooding on the flat terrain of the region. Widespread totals of 6-9 inches were reported from the event that began late on the 18th and lasted through the morning of the 19th.
The Goodwell Mesonet site recorded 7.67 inches of rain, with 7 inches falling in just over seven hours. A federal site near Goodwell recorded 8.64 inches, and an NWS cooperative site in Hooker measured 7.99 inches. The flooding led to road closures and impacted several homes and businesses, with some residents evacuated due to rising water levels.
The magnitude of the rainfall event was also reflected in the June monthly rainfall totals, with the Guymon Municipal Airport leading the state at 10.3 inches, a rare feat for a semi-arid Panhandle station. The federal sites at Hooker and Goodwell came in second and third with 10.13 and 9.52 inches, respectively.
