Awesome April Weather Taking Hold

After yet another ferocious and damaging end to the month of March around Tulsa, it’s refreshing to welcome April on a much quieter note.  Many clean-up efforts were underway in northern Tulsa County and over into Rogers County following the EF-2 tornadoes and the weather cooperated beautifully this weekend.  The only issue we faced was high fire danger, which is about the only constant in our weather this year.

                Moving forward, temperatures are leveling out in a range that I find most pleasant.  If we could just get that wind to settle down a bit, we’d be in excellent shape.  Unfortunately, an active pattern in the jet stream will keep those winds howling with a bit of a respite on Monday behind a weak cold front.  By Tuesday, a strong system will dive out of the Northwest and induce strong south winds. Gusts between 30 and 40mph are likely with fire danger on the rise again.  Moisture will return, but not fast enough to offset the flame-spreading winds.

                From about sunset on Tuesday to sunrise Wednesday, we’ve got a chance of rain and a few storms.  It’s a small window and a narrow band of convection that’s likely to form, but a few spots might end up with a late-night/early morning wake-up call.  Due to the lack of moisture and center of energy passing to the north, severe weather is not expected.  The image below shows one possible Radar outcome from a computer model around midnight Tuesday night. Spotty showers and isolated storms along and behind a cold front are displayed there.

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                Mild days, chilly nights and blustery conditions will follow during the rest of the week. Overall, it will be a terrific spring run of weather as a ridge of high pressure edges back into the region, forcing the colder, more unsettled conditions over the East Coast.  That ridge will likely break down by the weekend, funneling in Pacific moisture and energy over the area in a more El Niño-esque set-up.  That will lead to more clouds and periodic chances of rain and storms into the following week.  Above-normal precipitation is on tap for the region as we head into mid-month.

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                At least for now, we have a nice break from life-threatening weather. Severe weather season is upon so we can’t let our guard down for long.  Be sure to follow me on Twitter: @GroganontheGO and on my Facebook page for all of the latest weather updates.