Mike Grogan's Weather Blog: Dreary December Weather Carries On

Lots of Ds can describe December weather: damp, dreary, dismal, dark and drizzly just to name a few. As if the fog wasn't enough dreariness, our sunset time has reached its earliest point in the year.

Thursday, December 4th 2014, 7:28 pm

By: News On 6

Mike Grogan's Weather Blog: Dreary December Weather Carries On

There are a lot of D's to describe this December weather: damp, dreary, dismal, dark and drizzly just to name a few. As if the fog wasn't enough dreariness, our sunset time has reached its earliest point in the year, setting at 5:09 p.m. This is all happening as a storm system is promising to bring us even wetter weather over the next 24 hours.

                As I write this, a shield of rain is advancing into Oklahoma, likely pushing into Green Country before midnight. Most of the rain is light, but embedded heavier cells may produce a little thunder and brief downpours.   The heaviest of the rain will likely pass north into Kansas by Friday morning, but scattered showers will likely hang around for much of the day Friday. The first map shows what the Radar may resemble at 7:00 Friday morning. While Friday will be equally as damp, it won't be quite as dismal as Thursday as south winds mix out the fog and bring our temperatures into the 60s by afternoon. The rain should taper off from west to east in the evening, ending around sunset for Tulsa. (Good news for those hoping to catch an evening high school football playoff game). Rainfall amounts will be rather light considering the duration of rainfall, ranging anywhere from 0.25” to locally an inch along the OK/KS line.

                The weekend will be drier but on the cool side. North winds and some clouds will add a chill in to the air for the Bedlam game in Norman with highs only in the lower 50s. A weak system will glide by the region on Sunday with little fuss – perhaps a shower or two for southeastern Oklahoma.

                Beyond there, seasonable weather settles in with another round of showers by midweek next week. In the extended, we are actually in for a warm-up. A warm-up that *could* make us forget that we're actually in December! Frigid air will be locked away well into Canada while much of the country thaws out from a few early season Arctic intrusions. The attached map shows that strong trend. This is thanks to a zonal jet stream pattern (from west to east). An amplified pattern with large dips and ridges would open the door to the Arctic air, but that is not seen in the near future. Thus, snow lovers will have to hope that the end of the month offers a pattern change.

                Have a great start to your weekend and be sure to follow me on Twitter: @GroganontheGO and on my Facebook page!