Wet Start to Thursday, Then Hot for the Weekend.

Several locations across the state picked up some pretty good rains during the overnight hours and into the morning before everything dissipated by this afternoon. Notice the 24 hour rainfall map on the right, courtesy of the OK Mesonet, where a few locations around the OKC area received nearly 4” of rainfall. However, that was a relatively narrow band in which some training took place where showers/storms kept moving over the same general locations over a period of several hours. Nothing severe occurred with these storms, but there were some local drainage issues.

The potential for another round of showers/storms later tonight and into the day Thursday should be centered further north this time. Notice the 24 hour QPF map on the right which suggests the potential for an inch or so only this time into the more northern counties. Keep in mind, this is an areal average and local amounts could easily be much more than those totals would suggest. This next round of showers/storms will be ending by afternoon or early evening as the energy aloft moves on eastward and ridging aloft builds back over the state. That will be followed by more hot weather returning in time for the weekend.

Lots of cloud cover for much of the day Thursday along with at least some scattered showers/storms starting first thing in the morning and ending late in the day should keep daytime highs in the 80s to low 90s. Since 93 is normal for this time of year, that is not too bad. However, lots more sunshine and a stronger, more SSW wind will push daytime highs into the upper 90s Friday and near triple digits for Sat/Sun. Our nights will also be warmer with morning lows in the 70s for the weekend after dropping into the upper 60s tonight.

However, this heat wave should be short-lived as another frontal boundary is expected to be arriving on Monday. The timing will make a big difference in temperatures and this far out it is difficult to be that precise. So, have left our daytime highs well into the 90s for Monday but turning cooler after that; particularly by Wednesday and Thursday. This system is a reflection of a very significant change in the wind flow aloft which if it verifies could produce some record low temperatures around the Great Lakes. We are far enough removed that will not be an issue, but much of next week still looks to be well below normal with respect to temperatures.

Not only that, but this should be a more unsettled pattern with the potential for multiple rounds of showers/storms. Notice the 7 day QPF map, also on the right, which suggests 2” or more possible. Some of that will be due to what happens tomorrow, but we could be in for some significant showers/storms along about Tue-Thu or into Friday of next week.

So, stay tuned and check back for updates.

Dick Faurot