About Us

The Oklahoma Climatological Survey (OCS) was created by the University of Oklahoma in 1980 to provide climate services to the people of Oklahoma. In 1982, OCS was established as a state entity under Oklahoma law (74 O.S. Section 245). The Survey maintains an extensive array of climatological information, operates the Oklahoma Mesonet, and hosts a wide variety of educational outreach and scientific research projects.

Our Mission

Oklahoma law (74 O.S. Section 245) outlines the powers and duties of the Oklahoma Climatological Survey. Under that statute, the Survey is to:

Acquire, archive, process, and disseminate, in the most cost-effective way possible, all climate and weather information that is or could be of value to policy and decision makers in the state;
Act as the representative of the state in all climatological and meteorological matters both within and outside of the state when requested by the legislative or executive branches of the state government;
Prepare, publish, and disseminate periodic regular climate summaries for those individuals, agencies, and organizations whose activities are related to the welfare of the state and are affected by climate and weather;
Conduct and report on studies of climate and weather phenomena of significant socio-economic importance to the state;
Evaluate the significance of natural and man-made, deliberate and inadvertent changes or modifications in important features of the climate and weather affecting the state, and to report this information to those agencies and organizations in the state who are likely to be affected by such changes or modifications; and
Maintain and operate the Oklahoma Mesonetwork, a statewide environmental monitoring network which is overseen by the Mesonet Steering Committee, comprised of representatives of the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University according to its Memorandum of Agreement.