Oklahoma Has Already Seen Multiple Derechos This Month, And That’s Not Normal

You can officially call yourself an Oklahoman when you finally learn the difference between tornado damage and straight-line wind damage.

That's not gatekeeping, it's just the way it is.

The first big wind event that rolled through the state earlier this month had a lot of us second-guessing ourselves. Reports started flying in. Trees snapped. Power poles folded over. Buildings took damage. With winds touching over 100 mph in spots, it seemed like everyone was convinced tornadoes had touched down all across the state.

If you didn't know this, Mother Nature doesn't need a funnel cloud to make a mess.

Now here we are nearing the end of June, and Oklahoma has already dealt with multiple derechos in the same month. That's not the weird part. Oklahoma gets derechos. Every now and then one of these massive thunderstorms decides to charge across the Plains. Been there, done it, have the Facebook memories to remind us...

The weird part is getting more than one derecho in a month, let alone a season.

The second round earlier this week came loaded with confirmed tornadoes across parts of northern and western Oklahoma. It even derailed a train up by Woodward, but by the time it reached Southwest Oklahoma, it had already spent a good chunk of its energy. We still got the wind, but we missed out on the bigger weather that could've come with it.

Then came yesterday.

For a while it looked like Oklahoma might be staring down derecho number three for the month... Number two for the week... These are mad times.

All of the ingredients were there. Weather warnings and watches were issued, the radar looked really impressive, but somewhere along the way the system started running out of steam. By the time it reached the I-44 corridor, it wasn't the beast everyone prepared for.

Don't get me wrong, the winds were still strong. But, whether it officially earns derecho status is something the weather experts will sort out after all the reports are collected.

Still, even a "maybe derecho" makes for an unusual June.

Weird has been the theme of 2026.

We started the year with tornadoes in January thanks to one of the strangest warm winters I can remember. February finally remembered it was supposed to be winter. March and April came roaring back with plenty of severe weather. Then May practically took the month off and left storm chasers wondering what happened.

Now we're heading toward July, and Oklahoma is approaching that part of summer where triple-digit temperatures usually start putting a lid on things.

As much as we all dread 105-degree heat, there's a reason old-timers will tell you they'd rather have 105 degrees with low humidity than 90 degrees with Gulf moisture hanging in the air. One feels hot. The other feels like you're being cremated.

With the Fourth of July a little more than a week away, the extended forecast still can't seem to make up its mind. Maybe the atmosphere finally settles down. Maybe summer slams the door on severe weather and cranks up the heat.

Or maybe 2026 decides it's not finished being weird just yet. Can't rule anything out this year.