Record Cold Last Few Days, Moderating Trend Next Few Days.

If you have been thinking the last few days have been unusually cold for this time of year, you are absolutely correct. In fact, the 4 days from Nov 22-25 were the coldest on record with an average temperature of 31.8, beating the previous record by a degree which was back in 1938. The last couple of days have not been much better either and the period of Nov 22-27 will end up averaging just above freezing at 32.3, depending on what our high temperature for today turns out to be. However, those same dates in 1975 will still end up holding the record for coldest over that time frame.

At least this cold episode is behind us now as the trend over the coming forecast cycle is for a gradual moderating trend with temperatures actually back above normal for the weekend and to start next week. This moderating trend is starting just in time for the Thanksgiving Holiday and for Black Friday. The light and variable winds and sunny skies of today will give way to a light southerly breeze for the overnight hours. That should keep overnight lows in the 20s tonight as opposed to the widespread teens we had this morning. For example, notice the morning low temperature map across the state on the right, courtesy of the OK Mesonet. Also, those southerly winds will help bring our daytime highs to near 50 for Thanksgiving Day itself and into the 50s on Friday after starting the day in the 20s. Only a few high level cirrus clouds are expected over the next few days as well, so it will be dry. In fact, as the 7 day QPF map on the right shows, any precipitation at all over this forecast cycle will be hard to come by and on the light side.

Going into the weekend, moisture will be very limited although we should see more cloudiness, particularly for Sunday and into next week. Also, a weak boundary may impact the winds over the weekend and into early next week, but the bottom line is that no major systems will be impacting the state until along about the middle of the week. Thus, temperatures will continue to moderate with the general southerly breezes and except for a slight chance of some light showers along about Sunday, this should be a dry stretch for us.

In other words, a very pleasant Thanksgiving Day is in store and that will continue into the coming weekend. On a personal note, I certainly want to wish you and yours an enjoyable and blessed Thanksgiving Day and to remember those who cannot be with their families at this time of year, particularly our men and women in uniform.

Dick Faurot