Editing Pushmataha County, Oklahoma (section)

==Climate==
Pushmataha County, located at the heart of "[[Tornado Alley]]", has a sometimes turbulent and often capricious climate.

High temperatures range during summer as high as 100&nbsp;°F., often for several or more days in a row. Low temperatures during the winter can range as far as the single digits, but these "cold snaps" are rare and short-lived.

Rainfall varies across the county. Its easternmost area, in the vicinity of Honobia and north of Cloudy, receives approximately 52&nbsp;inches of rain per year. Its western portions receive approximately 46&nbsp;inches per year.<ref>Morris, ''Historical Atlas of Oklahoma'', Plate 7.</ref>

Snow is a rare event, and is almost never deeper than one inch. What snow falls generally melts within a day. Ice is a more frequent occurrence, sometimes breaking tree branches and downing power lines.<ref>Howard L. Johnson and Claude E. Duchon, ''Atlas of Oklahoma Climate''. p. 24.</ref>

[[Tornado]] season ranges from approximately April to September each year. Pushmataha County experiences powerful storms each year. A tornado striking Antlers in April 1945 devastated the town and killed 69 residents.  [[Meteorologists]] now believe it to have been the most powerful category of tornado possible, and the 32nd most devastating tornado in U.S. history. Modern-day residents are protected by a civil defense system consisting of "storm spotters" stationed throughout the populated areas during threatening weather, observing the skies for signs of rotations or funnels. In Antlers a system of three public-alert sirens sounds the alarm when a funnel is spotted, allowing residents to seek shelter.<ref>Thomas P. Grazulis.  ''Tornado—Nature's Ultimate Windstorm'', p. 292.</ref>

During recent decades the county has experienced unstable weather patterns. It is currently in the midst of a multi-year drought, at least as measured by local standards. Rainfall has been much below average during this time.