April’s weather was exceptionally aggressive this year in Oklahoma, reports KGOU. Despite early fears of a growing drought, the state saw the seventh-wettest April on record. Statewide, Oklahoma received more than six inches of precipitation during the month.
Alongside the rain, the month began and ended with violent weather. Beginning on April 5, hundreds of thousands of acres in Northwest Oklahoma were destroyed by a massive wildfire, a result of the previous early drought conditions anda proliferation of red cedar.The fire burned 90 square miles in Woodward and Harper counties, and damages are estimated at well over two million dollars.
Then, at month’s end, severe thunderstorms brought at least 11 confirmed tornadoes to the state. That number could rise as more investigations are conducted. Most of the twisters were weak, with an intensity of EF1 or lower.