Winter Weather Advisory Issued For Sunday In Northeastern Oklahoma

The National Weather Service in Tulsa has issued a winter weather advisory for several northeastern Oklahoma counties in effect Sunday from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. Sunday. Counties included in the advisory are Craig, Ottawa, Pawnee, Tulsa, Rogers, Mayes, Delaware, Creek, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Wagoner, Cherokee, Adair and Muskogee.

A two-part storm system with wintry weather is affecting Green Country this weekend. A little wintry mix has been reported Saturday morning. The brief spell of showers is pushing east of the Tulsa metro as of about 10:30 a.m.

Temperatures will likely warm into the 40s by Saturday afternoon, so any precipitation that does manage to fall would be in the form of light showers.

After a lull in the action Saturday night, another wave of wintry weather is likely Sunday. This comes with another push of Arctic air, allowing whatever that does fall to be in the form of snow. Following the actual cold front, a band of light to moderate snow will quickly move in from the west, initially affecting northwestern Oklahoma in the morning hours.

By midday, light to moderate snow is likely with temperatures near or below the freezing mark. This band of snow will sweep across the rest of eastern Oklahoma in the afternoon before pushing into northwest Arkansas by sunset.

Dry air will inhibit some snow from reaching the ground at first, but a burst of heavier snow will likely allow for some minor accumulations. Ground temperatures will likely remain in the lower 40s, but a period of heavier snow may allow the rate of melting to be overtaken what falls and sticks to the surface.

That means even some roadways, starting with bridges and overpasses, could become slick Sunday afternoon. Most of our computer models show a band of heavier snow setting up along and northwest of I-44 in the afternoon, which could amount to 1" or 2" of snow. Locally higher amounts remain possible. Temperatures will fall that night well below freezing so there is the risk for some slick spots on roadways into early Monday.

Overall, it will be a quick-hitting event with a dusting of snow likely at this point and the potential for an inch or two of snow in a corridor in northeast Oklahoma. If this were a heavier snow event, we'd be concerned about the leaves on the trees catching the weight of even more snow. However, this appears to be a minor event overall, but certainly much earlier than usual in the season!