The drought-stricken Oklahoma Panhandle was hit by a historic ‘1000-year’ flood

The small town of Goodwell, Oklahoma, received nearly half of its average annual rainfall in just eight hours, causing flash flooding and the temporary closure of State Highway 54.

A slow-moving storm dumped more than 12 inches of rain on parts of the Oklahoma Panhandle after rolling into the state late Tuesday night.

Goodwell received 7.52 inches of rain overnight. The city usually gets about 17 inches per year, according to the Oklahoma Mesonet weather monitoring system. Before this week, Goodwell’s largest rainfall total on record was just 17.38 inches.

Goodwell’s fire chief said the water was receding Thursday morning, but some parts of the city were still flooded. Photos shared on the fire department’s Facebook page showed homes and cars standing in standing water. One photo appeared to show a rescuer submerged up to his waist.

The Goodwell flood can be called a 1000-year flood. That means rainfall of this magnitude is expected to occur on average once every 1,000 years, according to Oklahoma climatologist Gary McManus.

A few miles away, in Hooker, Oklahoma, the town suffered a 500-year flood, dumping more than two inches of rain in just two hours.

Areas of northwestern Oklahoma, including the Panhandle, have experienced severe drought this year. The rain also comes near the end of Oklahoma’s wheat harvest, which could cause delays for farmers in the affected areas.