Monday Morning Update

Welcome to the last few days before Christmas!  The cold air will stick around for the next 48 hours before we see some improvement with both morning lows and afternoon highs.  The upper air pattern will allow a few fast moving systems to brush the area including today.  A few areas of snow showers or flurries will be possible this afternoon across southeastern Kansas and part of northern OK.  A few locations could receive a dusting but most will miss out.  The chance will remain near 20% between noon and 5pm today.  

The surface winds should increase speeds slightly today from the north in the 7 to 15 mph range.  This normally would not be a concern.  But with the recent ice storm impacts across the region, ice covered trees and power lines could become an issue later today due to increased wind speeds.  Tree limbs are bearing additional weight due to the ice accumulations and increasing wind speeds may allow some limbs to break.  Trees near power lines could cause a few issues in some locations and additional power outages would be possible later this afternoon with the increase in wind speeds.  If the current forecast speeds of 7 to 15 mph verifies, we'll see a only a few additional power outages but these would remain isolated and not wide spread.   But we'll continue to monitor data and post updates if needed later today. Most of the area should be fine.  

The shallow cold air mass will continue to remain intact with highs today in the upper 20s with partly sunny conditions early today and increasing clouds by afternoon.  Temps tonight will drop into the teens with mostly sunny and cool temps Tuesday afternoon in the upper 30s to lower 40s.  Christmas Day will feature morning lows in the 20s with afternoon highs in the 40s. A fast moving short wave will brush the state Christmas Day but we anticipate only a few clouds at this point.  We'll not include any pops for the Christmas Day time period at this point.  

The long range data supports another stronger system arriving by late next weekend.  More on this system tomorrow, but the first few models runs indicate a dry air mass.  Warmer air will arrive Friday and Saturday but We'll cool down the numbers for Sunday and keep only a 10% mention for this forecast cycle.  

The official high in Tulsa yesterday was 32 recorded at 2:14am.

The normal daily average high is 48 and the low is 28.

Our daily records include a high of 73 from 1982 and a low of -8 from 1989. 

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I'll be discussing the weather on numerous Radio Oklahoma News Network affiliates across the state through the noon hour. 

Thanks for reading the Monday Morning Weather Discussion and blog.  

Have a great day!

Alan Crone

KOTV