Why Fort Sill Is Booming When It’s 110 Degrees Outside

If you've been on Facebook, you've probably seen people asking why Fort Sill is doing artillery drills when it's 110 degrees outside.

It's a fair question, even though none of us are entitled to an answer.

It's super hot right now in SWOK. The grass is dry. Everything is crispy. There's an increased risk of wildfire, and Fort Sill has been out there booming away... But there's something I've noticed about Fort Sill over the last couple of years.

They sure do seem to only get out to the big range when there's rain in the forecast. At least that's what the forecast said on Monday when they were booming, and the same yesterday while they were doing #justmilitarythings.

Now, it's important to note that there is zero public information confirming that as fact, but it certainly is the trend over the last few years. That might seem like a strange combination, but you have to remember what Fort Sill actually is.

Why Fort Sill Trains In All Kinds Of Weather

It's the Fires Center of Excellence. The home of field artillery. Greatness is developed in adverse conditions. This kind of training is what makes the US military the most dominant fighting force on the planet.

If you look at Fort Sill's own information about training, weather is part of the equation. Rain, snow, sleet, ice, wind, heat... all of it has to be considered because the people training there aren't going to get to choose the weather when they're actually called upon to do their jobs.

There's no weather delay in war. They train the way they fight. And before anybody starts worrying about Fort Sill setting the Wichita Mountains on fire, while it's a risk, Fort Sill does its best to avoid that.

There are safety procedures. There are range restrictions. There are even restrictions on the type of artillery they can bang under certain weather conditions. In fact, that's probably why you sometimes hear the booming early in the day and then it suddenly stops.

How Fort Sill Limits Danger During Artillery Training

Monday was a good example.

The artillery was going before the heat really became an issue. Then the temperature climbed, and eventually the National Weather Service issued a heat advisory. That's when the sound of freedom ceased.

So the next time you're sitting in your backyard, sweating through your shirt, listening to Fort Sill make the ground shake, you can voice an opinion. Nobody will care, but at least you'll get it off your chest.