Winter Isn’t Done With Us Yet

We were just 2° shy of a record low this morning as temperatures dipped into the 20s for much of Green Country. It was a hard (28°) and even killing freeze (24°) for some as you can see below. A late freeze won’t do much to stunt our greening process, but can shrivel up our sensitive plants. And we aren’t done with freezing temperatures yet.

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                South winds returned today, a sign of a brief warming trend going through early Friday. It comes ahead of our next storm system in the form a powerful cold front arriving Friday afternoon. Gusty south winds will drive up those readings Thursday well into the 60s to near 70°, even with an increase in clouds. On Friday, enough moisture returns to generate showers and even storms. This is the brief taste of spring before we dive back into winter once more.

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                Above is the threat of severe weather for parts of the state Friday afternoon. This is almost exclusively a hail and high wind threat for central and southern Oklahoma as these storms will likely occur along or just behind the cold front as it moves south. The Tulsa area could see a few storms, but the severe threat is extremely limited for the metro area. What becomes of greater concern is the rapid drop in temperatures as an unseasonably cold air mass follows the boundary. By evening, temperatures could dip to near freezing, even before the moisture clears out. This means there’s at least a small window for sleet or even some snowflakes across northeast Oklahoma. Below is the timeline for the temperatures and precipitation chances.

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                Accumulation is unlikely given the warm ground temperatures, but a dusting or a few slick spots aren’t out of the question northeast of Tulsa Friday night. The bigger issue may be the widespread hard freeze that night into Saturday morning. Temperatures are projected to dip into the mid-20s, a hard freeze for the area. As of now, we are projecting a Record Low for Tulsa Saturday morning. If you are thinking about planting your garden, wait until after this weekend. We could be close to a freeze Sunday morning as well.

                I think most folks are ready to move fully into spring weather. It does appear we really make that transition next week. A warmer pattern develops with the jet stream holding back that unusually cold air mass to the north. The jet stream will be sending several ways of energy our way. The combined warmth and energy may result in the official kick-off to our severe weather season. Stay tuned, it’s just around the corner. Below, you’ll see the warmer & wetter trend expected in our region.

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                In the meantime, stay warm and savor what little wintry weather we may see. It may not come our way again until we’re closing out the calendar year!  Be sure to follow me on Twitter: @GroganontheGO and on my Facebook Page for the latest weather updates.