The best time to ride a motorcycle in Oklahoma

Oklahoma sits where the Southern Plains meet the Ozarks and the Ouachitas, and its weather comes from both directions. That gives it two good riding seasons and two tricky ones. Fall is the clear winner: dry, calm, mild and colorful. Spring is just as pretty but brings hail, high winds and tornadoes. Summer is hot almost everywhere, and winter is a mix of sunny days and ice.

Where you ride matters a little less here than in mountain states, since Oklahoma's highest roads aren't high enough to escape the heat. The southeast forests give you shade, the Panhandle is drier and windier, and the whole state shares the same storm season. The table below lays it out by month. For where to go, see the best motorcycle roads in Oklahoma, and for the state overview, Oklahoma motorcycle rides.

Redbuds, the state tree, bloom across Oklahoma in March and early April, and dogwoods follow in the southeast forests. By late April the Kiamichi and Ouachita ridges are bright green and the Talimena Byway is one of the best rides in the region.

April through June is also peak severe weather season, with May usually the most active month. Storms can build from a clear morning into hail, straight-line winds and tornadoes by afternoon. On a motorcycle, hail and wind are the real danger. Check the forecast every morning, watch for watches and warnings, know where you'd take shelter, and don't try to outrun a storm on an open highway.

Spring is windy too, especially west of I-35. Expect crosswinds and gusts around trucks on open roads, and keep a relaxed grip.

July and August are hot and humid across most of the state, and many afternoons reach 100 degrees or more. Ride at first light and be off the road by late morning. The forested roads in the southeast and around Tahlequah give the most shade, though the humidity there is real.

Summer also brings crowds to the lakes and rivers. The Illinois River near Tahlequah fills with float trips, Lake Tenkiller and Broken Bow Lake fill with boats, and Hochatown gets busy every weekend. Ride those areas midweek if you can.

Once the heat breaks in late September, Oklahoma settles into its best weather of the year. Days are dry and mild, the wind calms down, and storm risk drops, though a smaller secondary storm season can still bring severe weather in October and November.

The southeast forests turn color from late October into early November, and the Talimena Byway, US 259 and the Beavers Bend area are at their best. Those are also the busiest weekends on the byway, so start early or ride midweek. Fall is also deer season: they're on the move at dawn and dusk, especially in the forested east.

Oklahoma winters swing between sunny 60-degree days and ice storms that can shut roads for days. Ice is the bigger threat than snow in most of the state. Ride the dry days, wait for the sun to burn off morning frost, and watch for shaded curves and bridges that stay icy after the rest of the road dries. The Panhandle gets more snow and colder wind than the rest of the state.