Cool, Windy Conditions Sweep Across Eastern Oklahoma

One weak front has cleared the area yesterday with another, much stronger front, scheduled to roll across the state Thursday afternoon or evening.   And just like our state song, strong winds will be sweeping down the plain.  Winds from the northwest will be likely today with speeds from 20 mph (sustained)_gusting to near 30 and 35 mph.   We’re getting close to some advisory criteria.  

Weather Alerts

While we’ll experience a modest cool-down today, a much more noticeable reduction in temperature will occur behind the Thursday evening front with the coldest air of the season moving across the state Friday into part of the weekend.   As it stands now, the first freezing temps for most of eastern OK will be possible during the morning hours Saturday morning.   The Thursday front should move across the area with no precipitation, but a few small showers may briefly occur across far southeastern Oklahoma or northeastern Texas behind the boundary Friday morning.

NewsOn6.com Weather Apps

The highly amplified (meridional) upper air flow will allow for the cold air to move southward this week.   Several waves are expected to drop from the Canadian provinces into the Midwestern U.S. including a strong wave Thursday into Friday.   Substantial dry air, already in place across the state, will not have time to moisten before this wave nears as low-level moisture is suppressed across far southeastern Texas into the Gulf coast.   Additional dry air is likely to follow the Thursday frontal passage, and this will allow temps to drop into the lower 30s by this weekend as a surface ridge of high pressure will be nearby. 

WARN Interactive Radar

Today gusty north winds will increase speeds from 20 to 35 mph with a pocket of colder air aloft brushing the Missouri valley.   This will keep our highs into the lower 60s across northeastern Oklahoma today and into the lower 70s across far southeastern sections.  But the gusty winds will create some cooling factors.   Keep that jacket handy.  

South winds will return Wednesday night into Thursday and may also quickly gain speeds from 20 to 30 mph by Thursday afternoon before the front arrives with the colder air and north winds.  As the front passes Thursday evening, strong northwest winds nearing 30 mph will be likely for a few hours.  This will bring highs today into the upper 40s to lower 50s Friday afternoon and into the 50s Saturday before some moderation occurs Sunday into early next week.  The odds of precipitation behind the front appear low but yesterday’s EURO runs did suggest the possibility of some post-frontal showers across far southeastern Oklahoma Friday.   We’re running a dry forecast at this point. 

Thanks for reading the Tuesday morning weather discussion and blog.