Monday Morning Update

Good morning.  The upper air pattern has changed and this will allow for a rather uneventful weather week across the state despite several frontal passages, including today.  The upper air pattern will feature a mid-level ridge of high pressure located across the Pacific Northwest with a trough located across the far eastern portion of the nation.  This pattern is very common and is referred to as the positive pacific North American pattern.  This configuration will allow a northwest flow to brush the central and southern plains with the tail end of several troughs brushing the state.   The good news for our immediate region?  The moisture in the lower portion of the atmosphere is expected to remain very low.  At this point, we do not think we'll see any significant precipitation chances for the remainder of the week.  The fire danger, however, will be a possible issue for the next several days.  

A fast moving upper disturbance is going to clear the state this morning.  This will help to push a cold front across the state with gusty northwest winds, some mid-level clouds, and a cool down compared to yesterday.  The air mass behind the boundary will allow temps to move into the lower or mid-50s for daytime highs.  This will be much cooler than yesterday's 70s but still above the normal daily average high of 48.   

Another front will clear the state Wednesday and then Thursday into Friday.  These frontal passages will drop the temps closer to the normal averages, including the overnight and  morning low averages in the upper 20s.    As stated above, the moisture content is expected to remain insufficient for any big chances for precipitation.  The extended data supports a surge of moisture moving northward as another system nears our area sometime late next weekend or early next week.  If the data doesn't pull a " Crazy Ivan " this week should be in fine shape weather-wise.   

The only major weather issue for the next few days will be the increasing fire danger across the state.  Recent snow and rain was confined to the eastern third of the state, while locations near and west of Tulsa remain dry.  The lack of moisture, low relative humidity, and increasing winds will lead to an enhanced fire danger at times across the state this week.  Red Flag warnings were in effect yesterday and could be required at times this week. The exact criteria will more than likely not be met today, but use caution and avoid outdoor burning for the next few days.  

The official high in Tulsa yesterday was 72 recorded at 3:22pm.

The normal daily average high in Tulsa is 48 and the low is  27.

Our daily records include a high of 75 from 1907 and a low of -12 from 1916. 

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I'll be discussing the forecast on numerous Radio Oklahoma News Network affiliates across the state through the noon hour.  

Thanks for reading the Monday Morning Weather Discussion and blog.  

Have a super great day.

Alan Crone

KOTV