Excessive Heat Warnings Return To Eastern Oklahoma

Another day of heat and humidity issues with excessive heat warnings expanded into eastern OK this afternoon and early evening.  Heat warnings or heat advisories will again be required Tuesday before some minor relief arrives Wednesday with additional storm chances Thursday and Friday.  The highs will reduce into the upper 80s for the latter half of the week.

 A mid-level ridge of high pressure will strengthen today and tomorrow before quickly moving west and flattening in response to a pattern change by the middle of the week.  This will allow another northwest upper air flow to develop across the plains and influence part of NE OK for the 2^nd half of the week with some rain and storm chances.  The pattern would suggest a few storms may be possible Tuesday into Wednesday, but higher chances will arrive Wednesday evening into Thursday morning, and again Friday morning as a weak boundary also drifts slowly southward during these periods.  This boundary will more than likely lift northeast out of the region Saturday or Sunday.  At this point, I’ll include a slight chance for Saturday morning before this boundary exits the area.

 While the heat and humidity will get the attention, a few spotty showers or storms will be possible today and tomorrow across northwestern OK, and possibly one or two across extreme eastern OK, yet the odds will remain low.  These should not impact the metro region.

 Local dew points continue to be high and most data suggest very little, if any mixing later this afternoon or tomorrow in this moisture field across eastern OK.  Not exactly good news for those with outdoor work plans today.  The heat stress levels will be quickly climbing, with heat index values from 108 to 112 by midday to afternoon.  Some slightly higher readings will be possible some locations. 

WARN Radar

As the pattern change develops, organized storms will first remain across the central plains Wednesday, where some storms will be strong to severe with damaging wind gusts the primary threats.  By Wednesday evening into Thursday morning, some of these storms may migrate into northeastern OK.  The threat for severe weather will be marginal, but the robust moisture already in place may yield pockets of moderate to heavy rainfall rates again across the area.

Thanks for reading the Monday morning weather discussion and blog.

Have a super great Monday.

Alan Crone