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Do not fill this in! ==Geography== {{Main|Geography of Oklahoma}} {{see also|List of Oklahoma tri-points}} [[File:Oklahoma Köppen.svg|upright=1.35|thumb|Köppen climate types of Oklahoma]] Oklahoma is the 20th-largest state in the United States, covering an area of {{Convert|69895|sqmi}}, with {{Convert|68591|sqmi}} of land and {{Convert|1304|sqmi}} of water.<ref name=2010census>{{cite web | url=https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/cph-2-1.pdf | title=United States Summary: 2010, Population and Housing Unit Counts, 2010 Census of Population and Housing | publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] | pages=V–2, 1 & 41 (Tables 1 & 18) | date=September 2012 | access-date=October 11, 2018}}</ref> It lies partly in the [[Great Plains]] near the geographical center of the 48 [[Contiguous United States|contiguous states]]. It is bordered on the east by [[Arkansas]] and [[Missouri]], on the north by [[Kansas]], on the northwest by [[Colorado]], on the far west by [[New Mexico]], and on the south and near-west by [[Texas]]. === Borders === Oklahoma's border with Kansas was defined as the 37th Parallel in the 1854 [[Kansas–Nebraska Act|Kansas-Nebraska Act]]. This was disputed with the Cherokee and Osage Nations, which claimed their border extended North of this line and could not be part of the [[Kansas Territory]]. This was resolved in 1870 with the [[Drum Creek Treaty]], which reestablished Kansas's southern border as the 37th parallel. This also applied to the then No-Man's Land that became the [[Oklahoma Panhandle]]. The Oklahoma-Texas border consists of the [[Red River of the South]] in the south and the 100th meridian west as the western border between Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle. These were first established in the 1819 [[Adams–Onís Treaty]] between the United States and Spain. The Oklahoma panhandle was originally part of the Panhandle of the Republic of Texas, but when Texas joined the Union as a slave state, it could not retain any lands north of 36 degrees 30 minutes, as specified in the [[Missouri Compromise]]. The Panhandle existed as a no-man's land until 1907 when Oklahoma acquired the territory upon gaining statehood. Oklahoma's Eastern border is divided between Missouri and Arkansas. The Missouri-Oklahoma border is defined as the Meridian passing through the Kawsmouth,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hoffhaus |first=Charles E. |title=Chez les Canses: three centuries at Kawsmouth: the French foundations of metropolitan Kansas City |date=1984 |publisher=Lowell Press |isbn=0-913504-91-2 |location=Kansas City |oclc=12314083}}</ref> where the Kansas River meets the Missouri River. This is the same Meridian as the Kansas-Missouri border. The Oklahoma-Arkansas border was originally defined by two lines: the borders between Arkansas and the Cherokee and Choctaw Reservations. This formed two diagonal lines meeting at the western edge of Fort Smith Arkansas, with one line running northeast from the Red River and the other running southeast from the Oklahoma-Arkansas-Missouri border. The Choctaw-Arkansas border was established in the 1820 [[Treaty of Doak's Stand|Treaty of Doak's Sand]], and later refined in the 1830 [[Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek]]. These treaties left a 57-acre [[Enclave and exclave|exclave]] of the Choctaw reservation bounded by Arkansas, the Arkansas River and the Poteau River. This became the site of a smuggling camp called "Coke Hill", noted mostly for its importance in cocaine smuggling.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Curry |first=Bill |date=1978-12-07 |title=Arkansas, Oklahoma Fighting Border War Over 57 Acres |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1978/12/07/arkansas-oklahoma-fighting-border-war-over-57-acres/af020620-9c70-4305-83f6-dc185fc50b46/ |access-date=2022-11-19 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> After Petitioning congress to hand over jurisdiction, the 57 acres was given to Arkansas in 1905. The 1985 US Supreme Court Case Oklahoma v. Arkansas decided the land would remain Arkansas, even though the Choctaw had not been notified or asked about the territory being handed over.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Oklahoma v. Arkansas, 473 U.S. 610 (1985) |url=https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/473/610/ |access-date=2022-11-19 |website=Justia Law |language=en}}</ref> Therefore, the Poteau River serves as the Oklahoma-Arkansas boundary for approximately 1 mile, reducing the Choctaw Reservation and later Oklahoma by 57 acres as established in the treaties of the early 1800s. ===Topography=== {{See also|List of lakes in Oklahoma}} Oklahoma is between the [[Great Plains]] and the [[Ozarks|Ozark Plateau]] in the [[Gulf of Mexico]] watershed,<ref name="Geography Map">{{cite web|date=April 17, 2003 |publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]] |access-date=July 31, 2007 |url=http://tapestry.usgs.gov/physiogr/physio.html |title=A Tapestry of Time and Terrain |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060515044037/http://tapestry.usgs.gov/physiogr/physio.html |archive-date=May 15, 2006 }}</ref> generally sloping from the high plains of its western boundary to the low wetlands of its southeastern boundary.<ref name="The Geography of Oklahoma">{{cite web | date=July 31, 2007 | publisher=Netstate | access-date=July 31, 2007 | url=http://www.netstate.com/states/geography/ok_geography.htm| title=The Geography of Oklahoma}}</ref><ref name="Topography of Oklahoma">{{cite web | year=2006 | publisher=geology.com | access-date=August 1, 2007 | url=http://geology.com/state-map/oklahoma.shtml | title=Oklahoma State Map Collection}}</ref> Its highest and lowest points follow this trend, with its highest peak, [[Black Mesa (Oklahoma)|Black Mesa]], at {{convert|4973|ft}} above sea level, situated near its far northwest corner in the [[Oklahoma Panhandle]]. The state's lowest point is on the Little River near its far southeastern boundary near the town of [[Idabel, Oklahoma|Idabel]], which dips to {{convert|289|ft}} above sea level.<ref name="The Climate of Oklahoma">{{cite web | date=January 1, 2003 | first=Derek |last=Arndt| publisher=Oklahoma Climatological Survey| access-date=July 31, 2007 | url=http://cig.mesonet.org/climateatlas/doc60.html | title=The Climate of Oklahoma}}</ref> Among the most geographically diverse states, Oklahoma is one of four to harbor more than 10 distinct [[ecoregion|ecological regions]], with 11 in its borders—more per square mile than in any other state.<ref name="Oklahoma Terrain">{{cite web|date=January 12, 2006 |url=http://www.travelok.com/atv/index.asp |title=Oklahoma, All Terrain Vacation |website=TravelOK |publisher=TravelOK.com |access-date=July 15, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060709205916/http://travelok.com/atv/index.asp |archive-date=July 9, 2006 }}</ref> Its western and eastern halves, however, are marked by extreme differences in geographical diversity: Eastern Oklahoma touches eight ecological regions and its western half contains three. Although having fewer ecological regions Western Oklahoma contains many rare, relic species.<ref name="Oklahoma Terrain"/> Oklahoma has four primary mountain ranges: the [[Ouachita Mountains]], the [[Arbuckle Mountains]], the [[Wichita Mountains]], and the [[Ozarks|Ozark Mountains]].<ref name="The Geography of Oklahoma"/> Contained within the [[U.S. Interior Highlands]] region, the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains are the only major mountainous region between the [[Rocky Mountains]] and the [[Appalachian Mountains|Appalachians]].<ref>{{cite web | date=March 7, 2007 | url=http://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/4159/about/HotSpringsOffice.htm | title=Managing Upland Forests of the Midsouth | publisher=USD Forest Service| access-date=July 31, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080622180232/http://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/4159/about/HotSpringsOffice.htm|archive-date=June 22, 2008}}</ref> A portion of the [[Flint Hills]] stretches into north-central Oklahoma, and near the state's eastern border, The Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department regards [[Cavanal Hill]] as the world's tallest hill; at {{Convert|1999|ft|}}, it fails their definition of a mountain by one foot.<ref name="TravelOK">{{cite web | year=2007 | url=http://www.travelok.com/about/index.asp | title=About Oklahoma | publisher=TravelOK.com | access-date=July 10, 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060707070748/http://www.travelok.com/about/index.asp | archive-date=July 7, 2006 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> The [[Semi-arid climate|semi-arid]] [[High Plains (United States)|high plains]] in the state's [[northwestern Oklahoma|northwestern corner]] harbor few natural forests; the region has a rolling to flat landscape with intermittent [[canyon]]s and [[mesa]] ranges like the [[Glass Mountains]]. Partial plains interrupted by small, [[sky island]] mountain ranges like the [[Antelope Hills, Oklahoma|Antelope Hills]] and the [[Wichita Mountains]] dot [[southwestern Oklahoma]]; transitional prairie and [[oak savanna]]s cover the [[Central Oklahoma|central portion]] of the state. The Ozark and Ouachita Mountains rise from west to east over the state's eastern third, gradually increasing in elevation in an eastward direction.<ref name="Topography of Oklahoma"/><ref name="forests 1"/> More than 500 named creeks and rivers make up Oklahoma's waterways, and with 200 lakes created by dams, it holds the nation's highest number of artificial reservoirs.<ref name="TravelOK"/> Most of the state lies in two primary [[drainage basin]]s belonging to the [[Red River of the South|Red]] and [[Arkansas River|Arkansas]] Rivers, though the Lee and Little Rivers also contain significant drainage basins.<ref name="forests 1"/> <gallery widths="180px" heights="120px"> File:turner falls ok.jpg|Turner Falls File:Rose rocks.jpg|State rock ([[Desert rose (crystal)|rose rock]]) specimens from Cleveland County File:Illinois River Oklahoma.jpg|alt=|Illinois River in northeastern Oklahoma File:Elk Mountain, OK.jpg|Elk Mountain, in the eastern Wichita Mountains, southwestern Oklahoma File:Wichita Mountains Narrows.jpg|Wichita Mountains Narrows File:Talimenavista1.jpg|The [[Ouachita Mountains]] cover much of [[Kiamichi Country|southeastern Oklahoma]]. File:McIntosh County (Oklahoma).jpg|Grave Creek in [[McIntosh County, Oklahoma|McIntosh County]] File:Gloss Mountains.jpg|[[Glass Mountains|Mesas]] rise above one of Oklahoma's state parks. </gallery> ===Flora and fauna=== {{see also|List of fauna of Oklahoma}} [[File:Tallgrass Prairie Nature Preserve in Osage County.jpg|thumb|Populations of [[American bison]] inhabit the state's prairie ecosystems.]] Due to Oklahoma's location at the confluence of many geographic regions, the state's climatic regions have a high rate of biodiversity. Forests cover 24 percent of Oklahoma<ref name="TravelOK"/> and [[prairie|prairie grasslands]] composed of shortgrass, mixed-grass, and [[tallgrass prairie]], harbor expansive ecosystems in the state's central and western portions, although [[Agricultural land|cropland]] has largely replaced native grasses.<ref name="ecology"/> Where rainfall is sparse in the state's western regions, shortgrass prairie and [[shrubland]]s are the most prominent ecosystems, though [[pinyon pine]]s, red cedar ([[juniper]]s), and [[Pinus ponderosa|ponderosa pines]] grow near rivers and creek beds in the panhandle's far western reaches.<ref name="ecology"/> [[Southwestern Oklahoma]] contains many rare, [[Disjunct distribution|disjunct species]], including [[Acer saccharum|sugar maple]], [[Acer grandidentatum|bigtooth maple]], [[nolina]], and [[Quercus fusiformis|Texas live oak]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=QUFU|title=Plants 3}}</ref> [[Marsh]]lands, [[cypress]] forests, and mixtures of [[Pinus echinata|shortleaf pine]], [[Pinus taeda|loblolly pine]], [[sabal minor|blue palmetto]], and deciduous forests dominate the state's [[Kiamichi Country|southeastern quarter]], while mixtures of largely [[Quercus stellata|post oak]], [[elm]], red cedar (''[[Juniperus virginiana]]''), and [[pine]] forests cover [[Green Country|northeastern Oklahoma]].<ref name="forests 1">{{cite web|year=2003|url=http://www.odl.state.ok.us/almanac/2005/3-inbrief.pdf|title=Oklahoma in Brief|publisher=State of Oklahoma|access-date=August 4, 2007|archive-date=August 8, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070808074222/http://www.odl.state.ok.us/almanac/2005/3-inbrief.pdf}}</ref><ref name="ecology"/><ref name="OK forests">{{cite web | url=http://www.ok.gov/~okag/forestry-okforestshome.htm| title=Oklahoma Ecoregional Maps | publisher=Oklahoma Department of Agriculture | access-date=August 2, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071013192154/http://ok.gov/~okag/forestry-okforestshome.htm|archive-date=October 13, 2007 }}</ref> The state holds populations of [[white-tailed deer]], [[mule deer]], [[Pronghorn|antelope]], [[coyote]]s, [[Cougar|mountain lions]], [[bobcat]]s, [[elk]], and birds such as [[quail]], [[Columbidae|doves]], [[northern cardinal|cardinals]], [[bald eagle]]s, [[red-tailed hawk]]s, and [[pheasant]]s. In prairie ecosystems, [[American bison]], [[greater prairie chicken]]s, [[badger]]s, and [[armadillo]] are common, and some of the nation's largest [[prairie dog]] towns inhabit shortgrass prairie in the state's panhandle. The [[Cross Timbers]], a region transitioning from prairie to woodlands in Central Oklahoma, harbors 351 [[Vertebrate|vertebrate species]]. The Ouachita Mountains are home to [[American black bear|black bear]], [[red fox]], [[gray fox]], and [[North American river otter|river otter]] populations, which coexist with 328 vertebrate species in southeastern Oklahoma. Also in southeastern Oklahoma lives the [[American alligator]].<ref name="ecology">{{cite web|year=2005 |url=http://www.travelok.com/about/StudentGuide.pdf |title=A Look at Oklahoma: A Student's Guide |publisher=State of Oklahoma |access-date=August 14, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061230052128/http://www.travelok.com/about/StudentGuide.pdf |archive-date=December 30, 2006 }}</ref> ===Protected lands=== Oklahoma has fifty-one [[state park]]s,<ref>{{cite web |year=2004|publisher=Oklahoma Parks Department | access-date=August 2, 2007 | url=http://www.oklahomaparks.com/index.asp| title=Oklahoma State Parks |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070727031241/http://www.oklahomaparks.com/index.asp <!--Added by H3llBot--> |archive-date=July 27, 2007}}</ref> six [[national park]]s or protected regions,<ref name="Oklahoma national parks">{{cite web |year=2007|publisher=National Park Service | access-date=August 2, 2007 | url=http://home.nps.gov/state/ok/index.htm?program=parks| title=Oklahoma National Park Guide}}</ref> two [[United States National Forest|national protected forests]] or [[grassland]]s,<ref>{{cite web |date=May 1, 2005|publisher=[[United States Forest Service|United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service]] | access-date=August 2, 2007 | url=http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/map/state_list.shtml#Oklahoma| title=National Forests}}</ref> and a network of wildlife preserves and conservation areas. Six percent of the state's 10 million acres (40,000 km<sup>2</sup>) of forest is public land,<ref name="OK forests"/> including the western portions of the [[Ouachita National Forest]], the largest and oldest national forest in the [[Southern United States]].<ref>{{cite web |date=May 10, 2005|publisher=[[United States Forest Service|United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service]]| access-date=August 2, 2007 | url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/ouachita/| title=Ouachita National Forest}}</ref> With {{Convert|39000|acre|km2}}, the [[Tallgrass Prairie Preserve]] in north-central Oklahoma is the largest protected area of [[tallgrass prairie]] in the world and is part of an [[ecosystem]] that encompasses only ten percent of its former land area, once covering fourteen states.<ref>{{cite web| year=2007| url=http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/oklahoma/preserves/tallgrass.html| title=Tallgrass Prairie Preserve| publisher=The Nature Conservatory| access-date=July 31, 2007| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110223051941/http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/oklahoma/preserves/tallgrass.html| archive-date=February 23, 2011| df=mdy-all}}</ref> In addition, the [[Black Kettle National Grassland]] covers {{Convert|31300|acre|km2}} of prairie in southwestern Oklahoma.<ref>{{cite web |date=July 24, 2007|publisher=USDA Forest Service| access-date=August 2, 2007 | url=http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/cibola/districts/black.shtml| title=Black Kettle National Grassland}}</ref> The [[Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge]] is the oldest and largest of nine [[National Wildlife Refuge]]s in the state<ref>{{cite web| publisher=U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service| access-date=August 17, 2007| url=http://www.fws.gov/refuges/refugeLocatorMaps/Oklahoma.html| title=Refuge Locator Map—Oklahoma| archive-date=March 21, 2013| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130321031302/http://www.fws.gov/refuges/refugeLocatorMaps/Oklahoma.html}}</ref> and was founded in 1901, encompassing {{Convert|59020|acre|km2}}.<ref>{{cite web| publisher=U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service| access-date=August 17, 2007| url=http://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=21670| title=Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge| archive-date=March 29, 2013| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130329072638/http://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=21670}}</ref> Of Oklahoma's federally protected parks or recreational sites, the [[Chickasaw National Recreation Area]] is the largest, with {{Convert|9898.63|acre|km2}}.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=National Park Service| access-date=January 16, 2010 | url=http://www.nps.gov/chic/parkmgmt/statistics.htm| title=Chickasaw National Recreation Area—Park Statistics}}</ref> Other sites include the [[Santa Fe Trail|Santa Fe]] and [[Trail of Tears]] national historic trails, the [[Fort Smith National Historic Site|Fort Smith]] and [[Washita Battlefield National Historic Site|Washita Battlefield]] national historic sites, and the [[Oklahoma City National Memorial]].<ref name="Oklahoma national parks"/> ===Climate=== {{further|Climate change in Oklahoma}} [[File:Lightning over Tulsa cropped.jpg|thumb|Oklahoma's climate is prime for the generation of [[thunderstorm]]s.]] [[File:OBU Campus oval fountain in 2011 snowstorm..JPG|thumb|Winter at the [[Oklahoma Baptist University]] campus]] Oklahoma is in a humid subtropical region<ref name="Climate of OK" /> that lies in a transition zone between semiarid further to the west, humid continental to the north, and humid subtropical to the east and southeast. Most of the state lies in an area known as [[Tornado Alley]] characterized by frequent interaction between cold, dry air from Canada, warm to hot, dry air from Mexico and the Southwestern U.S., and warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico. The interactions between these three contrasting air currents produces [[severe weather]] (severe thunderstorms, damaging thunderstorm winds, large hail and tornadoes) with a frequency virtually unseen anywhere else on planet Earth.<ref name="The Climate of Oklahoma"/> An average 62 [[tornado]]es strike the state per year—one of the highest rates in the world.<ref name="Annual average number of tornadoes">{{cite web |url=http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/climate-information/extreme-events/us-tornado-climatology |title=Tornado Climatology |publisher=NOAA National Climatic Data Center |access-date=October 24, 2006}}</ref> Because of Oklahoma's position between zones of differing prevailing temperature and winds, weather patterns within the state can vary widely over relatively short distances, and they can change drastically in a short time.<ref name="The Climate of Oklahoma" /> On November 11, 1911, the temperature at Oklahoma City reached {{cvt|83|F}} (the record high for that date), then [[Great Blue Norther of November 11, 1911|a cold front of unprecedented intensity]] slammed across the state, causing the temperature to reach {{cvt|17|F}} (the record low for that date) by midnight.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mesonet.org/index.php/news/article/november_11_1911_a_palindrome_to_remember |title=News | November 11, 1911: A Palindrome to Remember |publisher=Mesonet |access-date=February 6, 2013}}</ref> This type of phenomenon is also responsible for many of the tornadoes in the area, such as the [[Tornado outbreak of April 27–29, 1912|1912 Oklahoma tornado outbreak]] when a warm front traveled along a stalled cold front, resulting in an average of about one tornado per hour.<ref name="1912 tornadoes" /> The [[humid subtropical climate]] (Köppen ''Cfa'') of central, southern, and eastern Oklahoma is influenced heavily by southerly winds bringing moisture from the [[Gulf of Mexico]]. Traveling westward, the climate transitions progressively toward a [[semiarid]] zone (Köppen ''BSk'') in the high plains of the Panhandle and other western areas from about [[Lawton, Oklahoma|Lawton]] westward, less frequently touched by southern moisture.<ref name="Climate of OK"/> Precipitation and temperatures decline from east to west accordingly, with areas in the southeast averaging an annual temperature of {{cvt|62|F}} and an annual rainfall of generally over {{cvt|40|in|-1}} and up to {{cvt|56|in|-1}}, while areas of the (higher-elevation) panhandle average {{cvt|58|F}}, with annual rainfall under {{cvt|17|in|-1}}.<ref>[http://www.owrb.ok.gov/ Oklahoma Water Resources Board] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090723021315/http://www.owrb.ok.gov/ |date=July 23, 2009}}</ref> Over almost all of Oklahoma, winter is the driest season. Average monthly precipitation increases dramatically in the spring to a peak in May, the wettest month over most of the state, with its frequent and not uncommonly severe thunderstorm activity. Early June can still be wet, but most years see a marked decrease in rainfall during June and early July. Mid-summer (July and August) represents a secondary dry season over much of Oklahoma, with long stretches of hot weather with only sporadic thunderstorm activity not uncommon many years. Severe drought is common in the hottest summers, such as those of 1934, 1954, 1980 and 2011, all of which featured weeks on end of virtual rainlessness and highs well over {{cvt|100|F}}. Average precipitation rises again from September to mid-October, representing a secondary wetter season, then declines from late October through December.<ref name="The Climate of Oklahoma" /> The entire state frequently experiences temperatures above {{cvt|100|F}} or below {{cvt|0|F}},<ref name="Climate of OK">{{cite web |url=http://climate.mesonet.org/county_climate/Products/oklahoma_climate_overview.pdf |title=Oklahoma's Climate: an Overview |publisher=University of Oklahoma |access-date=August 1, 2007}}</ref> though below-zero temperatures are rare in south-central and southeastern Oklahoma. Snowfall ranges from an average of less than {{cvt|4|in|0}} in the south to just over {{cvt|20|in|0}} on the border of [[Colorado]] in the panhandle.<ref name="The Climate of Oklahoma" /> The state is home to the [[Storm Prediction Center]], the [[National Severe Storms Laboratory]], the [[Warning Decision Training Division]], and the [[Radar Operations Center]], all part of the [[National Weather Service]] and in [[Norman, Oklahoma|Norman]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.spc.noaa.gov/misc/about.html |title=SPC and its Products |last=Novy |first=Chris |publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] |access-date=August 1, 2007}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto; text-align: center;" |+ Monthly temperatures for Oklahoma's largest cities<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ustravelweather.com/weather-oklahoma |title=Oklahoma Weather And Climate |year=2007 |publisher=UStravelweather.com |access-date=August 2, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927001532/http://www.ustravelweather.com/weather-oklahoma |archive-date=September 27, 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://local.msn.com/weather.aspx?eid=18237&q=Lawton-OK&zip=73505 |title=Weather Averages: Lawton, Oklahoma |publisher=MSN Weather|access-date=August 13, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130618031532/http://local.msn.com/weather.aspx?eid=18237&q=Lawton-OK&zip=73505 |archive-date=June 18, 2013 }}</ref> |- ! scope="col" | City ! ! scope="col" | Jan ! scope="col" | Feb ! scope="col" | March ! scope="col" | April ! scope="col" | May ! scope="col" | June ! scope="col" | July ! scope="col" | Aug ! scope="col" | Sept ! scope="col" | Oct ! scope="col" | Nov ! scope="col" | Dec |- ! rowspan="2" scope="row" | Oklahoma City ! scope="row" | {{abbr|Avg.|Average}} high | {{cvt|50|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|55|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|63|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|73|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|80|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|88|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|94|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|93|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|85|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|73|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|62|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|51|F|disp=br()}} |- ! scope="row" | Avg. low | {{cvt|29|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|33|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|41|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|50|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|60|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|68|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|72|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|71|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|63|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|52|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|40|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|31|F|disp=br()}} |- ! rowspan="2" scope="row" | Tulsa ! scope="row" | Avg. high | {{cvt|48|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|53|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|62|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|72|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|79|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|88|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|93|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|93|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|84|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|73|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|61|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|49|F|disp=br()}} |- ! scope="row" | Avg. low | {{cvt|27|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|31|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|40|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|49|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|59|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|68|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|73|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|71|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|62|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|51|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|40|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|30|F|disp=br()}} |- ! rowspan="2" scope="row" | Lawton ! scope="row" | Avg. high | {{cvt|50|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|56|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|65|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|73|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|82|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|90|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|96|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|95|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|86|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|76|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|62|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|52|F|disp=br()}} |- ! scope="row" | Avg. low | {{cvt|26|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|31|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|40|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|49|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|59|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|68|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|73|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|71|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|63|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|51|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|39|F|disp=br()}} | {{cvt|30|F|disp=br()}} |} ===Cities and towns=== {{See also|List of cities in Oklahoma|}} Oklahoma had 598 incorporated places in 2010, including four cities over 100,000 in population and 43 over 10,000.<ref name="ok commerce">{{cite web|url=http://www.okcommerce.gov/file/2000-2010-Oklahoma-Incorporate_3238.xls |author=Oklahoma Department of Commerce |title=2000–2010 Oklahoma Incorporated Place Populations |access-date=October 9, 2011 |format=xls |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110520203935/http://www.okcommerce.gov/file/2000-2010-Oklahoma-Incorporate_3238.xls |archive-date=May 20, 2011 }}</ref> Two of the [[List of United States cities by population|fifty largest cities]] in the United States are in Oklahoma, [[Oklahoma City]] and [[Tulsa, Oklahoma|Tulsa]], and sixty-five percent of Oklahomans live within their metropolitan areas, or spheres of economic and social influence defined by the United States Census Bureau as a [[metropolitan statistical area]]. Oklahoma City, the state's capital and largest city, had the [[Oklahoma City Metroplex|largest metropolitan area in the state]] in 2020, with 1,425,695 people, and the [[Tulsa Metropolitan Area|metropolitan area of Tulsa]] had 1,015,331 residents.<ref>{{Cite web|title=2020 Population and Housing State Data|url=https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/2020-population-and-housing-state-data.html|access-date=2021-10-29|website=Census.gov}}</ref> Between 2000 and 2010, the leading cities in population growth were [[Blanchard, Oklahoma|Blanchard]] (172.4%), [[Elgin, Oklahoma|Elgin]] (78.2%), [[Jenks, Oklahoma|Jenks]] (77.0%), [[Piedmont, Oklahoma|Piedmont]] (56.7%), [[Bixby, Oklahoma|Bixby]] (56.6%), and [[Owasso, Oklahoma|Owasso]] (56.3%).<ref name="ok commerce" /> In descending order of population, Oklahoma's largest cities in 2010 were: Oklahoma City (579,999, +14.6%), Tulsa (391,906, −0.3%), Norman (110,925, +15.9%), [[Broken Arrow, Oklahoma|Broken Arrow]] (98,850, +32.0%), Lawton (96,867, +4.4%), [[Edmond, Oklahoma|Edmond]] (81,405, +19.2%), [[Moore, Oklahoma|Moore]] (55,081, +33.9%), [[Midwest City, Oklahoma|Midwest City]] (54,371, +0.5%), [[Enid, Oklahoma|Enid]] (49,379, +5.0%), and [[Stillwater, Oklahoma|Stillwater]] (45,688, +17.0%). Of the state's ten largest cities, three are outside the metropolitan areas of Oklahoma City and Tulsa, and only Lawton has a metropolitan statistical area of its own as designated by the United States Census Bureau, though the metropolitan statistical area of [[Fort Smith, Arkansas]] extends into the state.<ref name="Ok cities">{{cite web|title=Oklahoma Census Data Center News |publisher=Oklahoma Department of Commerce |date=July 2007 |url=http://staging.okcommerce.gov/test1/dmdocuments/2007_July_Oklahoma_Census_Data_Center_News_1907072217.pdf |access-date=July 31, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070808074217/http://staging.okcommerce.gov/test1/dmdocuments/2007_July_Oklahoma_Census_Data_Center_News_1907072217.pdf |archive-date=August 8, 2007 }}</ref> Under Oklahoma law, municipalities are divided into two categories: cities, defined as having more than 1,000 residents, and towns, with under 1,000 residents. Both have [[Legislature|legislative]], [[Judiciary|judicial]], and public power within their boundaries, but cities can choose between a [[Mayor–council government|mayor–council]], [[Council–manager government|council–manager]], or [[Mayor–council government|strong mayor]] form of government, while towns operate through an elected officer system.<ref name="citygov">{{cite web | year=2005 | url=http://www.odl.state.ok.us/almanac/2005/12-muni.pdf | title=Oklahoma Municipal Government | publisher=Oklahoma Department of Libraries | access-date=August 7, 2007 | archive-date=August 8, 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070808074216/http://www.odl.state.ok.us/almanac/2005/12-muni.pdf }}</ref>{{Largest cities | country = Oklahoma | stat_ref = Source (2020):<ref>{{cite web|title=Oklahoma Population |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/OK/PST045221|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=January 15, 2022}}</ref> | list_by_pop = | div_name = | div_link = Counties of Oklahoma{{!}}County | city_1 = Oklahoma City | div_1 = Oklahoma County, Oklahoma{{!}}Oklahoma | pop_1 = 681,054 | img_1 = Downtown_Oklahoma_City_skyline_(2).jpg | city_2 = Tulsa, Oklahoma{{!}}Tulsa | div_2 = Tulsa County, Oklahoma{{!}}Tulsa | pop_2 = 413,066 | img_2 = Downtown_Tulsa_Skyline.jpg | city_3 = Norman, Oklahoma{{!}}Norman | div_3 = Cleveland County, Oklahoma{{!}}Cleveland | pop_3 = 128,026 | img_3 = SemiAerial_OU.jpg | city_4 = Broken Arrow, Oklahoma{{!}}Broken Arrow | div_4 = Tulsa County, Oklahoma{{!}}Tulsa | pop_4 = 113,540 | img_4 = Historic_house_Broken_Arrow_Oklahoma.jpg | city_5 = Edmond, Oklahoma{{!}}Edmond | div_5 = Oklahoma County, Oklahoma{{!}}Oklahoma | pop_5 = 94,428 | img_5 = | city_6 = Lawton, Oklahoma{{!}}Lawton | div_6 = Comanche County, Oklahoma{{!}}Comanche | pop_6 = 90,381 | img_6 = | city_7 = Moore, Oklahoma{{!}}Moore | div_7 = Cleveland County, Oklahoma{{!}}Cleveland | pop_7 = 62,793 | img_7 = | city_8 = Midwest City, Oklahoma{{!}}Midwest City | div_8 = Oklahoma County, Oklahoma{{!}}Oklahoma | pop_8 = 58,409 | img_8 = | city_9 = Enid, Oklahoma{{!}}Enid | div_9 = Garfield County, Oklahoma{{!}}Garfield | pop_9 = 51,308 | img_9 = | city_10 = Stillwater, Oklahoma{{!}}Stillwater | div_10 = Payne County, Oklahoma{{!}}Payne | pop_10 = 48,394 | img_10 = }} Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. 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