Oklahoma City sits on the southern Great Plains in central Oklahoma, on gently rolling prairie at approximately 35.47°N, 97.52°W. Its central plains position gives it a humid subtropical climate bordering semi-arid (Köppen Cfa) — with hot summers and cool winters — and it lies at the heart of Tornado Alley.

Summer, from June to August, is hot and humid, with July and August the hottest — average highs around 34°C — and heatwaves that can exceed 40°C, driven by hot, dry winds off the southern plains. Thunderstorms are frequent and often severe, and the persistent southerly wind makes Oklahoma City among the windiest large cities in the country.

Winter, from December to February, is cool and short, with January the coolest month — average highs around 9°C and lows near -3°C, though Arctic outbreaks can plunge temperatures below -15°C within hours. Snow is modest, around 20 cm a year, but ice storms are a serious hazard, and the wind rarely stops.

Oklahoma City receives around 900–950 mm of precipitation a year, with a strong spring maximum — May is the wettest month — from severe thunderstorms, and a drier winter; the plains grow rapidly drier westward, and drought is a recurring threat. Live rainfall, humidity, and pressure readings for the city are shown in the panels above.

Oklahoma City lies at the very heart of Tornado Alley and has been struck by more tornadoes than almost any city on earth — the Moore tornado of 1999 produced the highest wind speed ever measured, around 486 km/h. Spring is the peak season, when Gulf moisture, dry plains air and cold fronts collide overhead.

To follow any single measurement in Oklahoma City more closely, use our live instruments: the online barometer for atmospheric pressure, the thermometer for temperature, the hygrometer for humidity, the anemometer for wind speed, the wind vane for wind direction, and the rain gauge for rainfall.