Rainy Friday And Flood Watches

Our storm system will be ejecting across the state today bringing pockets of moderate to heavy rainfall and thunderstorms across part of central and eastern OK. A flood and flash flood watch will be posted for part of central and eastern OK today. A few strong to near severe storms will be possible with marginally severe hail and gusty winds. The largest threat will be heavy rainfall. Morning lows will be in the upper 50s with afternoon highs in the 60s north and a few lower 70s south. The system will exit the area tonight leaving most of the weekend with pleasant weather including some sunshine by Saturday midday to afternoon with highs in the lower 70s. The active weather pattern will return with additional storm chances, including severe weather threats next week.

 The upper air pattern supports a short wave moving out of the Rockies this morning and moving across the southern and central plains today tonight helping to bring another surface front across the state later today.  The boundary that is located across southeastern OK this morning may return northwestward later today before becoming stationary for a few hours this afternoon along the I-44 corridor region. As the forcing from the short wave approaches the area, showers and storms will become more numerous with pockets of moderate to heavy rainfall for most, but not all locations across northeastern OK. The presence of the boundary combined with the cooler temperature aloft may support some marginally severe hailstones in stronger cores. Some gusty winds may also occur with those stronger cores as heavy precip loading occurs.

By this evening most of the active weather will move out of eastern OK with clouds remaining into early Saturday morning with lows in the lower to mid-50s. The clouds are likely to thin-out by midday tomorrow with afternoon sunshine Saturday and highs in the lower 70s along with northeast winds at 10 to 15 mph. A few showers or storms will be possible across far northwestern OK Saturday evening and will attempt to move eastward before dissipating to our west Sunday morning. By Sunday afternoon and evening, additional showers and storms may be possible along the OK and Kansas state line region, including part of northern OK before exiting to the northeast early Monday morning. South winds and warm weather will be likely for Monday and Tuesday before our next strong to severe thunderstorm chances arrive Tuesday evening into Wednesday.

Thanks for reading the Friday morning weather discussion and blog.

Have a great weekend.

Alan Crone