Wednesday Morning Update

Good morning.  I'll keep the discussion short today.  We finally moved above freezing for a few hours yesterday with a full day of sunshine.  Temperatures today may end up a degree or two cooler than yesterday but another day of mostly sunny sky will continue to erode the ice from the region.  A fast moving cold front zips across the state today but our focus centers on a Friday system that will bring rain to part of the state.  The timing of the Friday system is critical regarding any wintry weather threat.

 A surface cold front will move across the state today bringing northeast winds and highs near freezing by the afternoon. .  This front will slide across the state with a few clouds and no precipitation.  A surface ridge of high pressure will build across part of central Kansas today allowing cold air to be reinforced across the state.  A few locations will be slightly above freezing across northeastern OK while some of our neighbors in the western and southern portions of the state will move to near 40. Our readings in northern OK tomorrow should reach the upper 30s near 40 with southwest winds and mostly sunny conditions.  

The Friday forecast continues to call for a chance of rain and chilly conditions across eastern OK.  The system is currently located off the Baja this morning and will near the area either Thursday night late or Friday midday. If the system arrives late Thursday night, there will be a window for some light freezing rain across central and northeastern OK for a few hours.  This scenario is a low probability at this hour but it is a possibility.  Most data supports an arrival around mid-morning when readings should be slightly above freezing at the surface.  Temperatures by Friday afternoon should be in the mid or upper 30s with some locations near 40 along with south winds at 10 to 15 mph.   

As the upper level system clears the state Saturday morning, some colder air aloft will move across the NE OK vicinity allowing a small window for some snow showers or flurries across extreme eastern OK.  This low end chance will be represented by a 10% pop on the Saturday morning time period.  The rest of the weekend appears pleasant with lows in the 20s and highs in the upper 30s to lower 40s.   

Temperatures may climb into the upper 40s and even lower 50s by the end of next week in advance of the next storm system. The long range data is hinting at another significant weather system nearing the by late next week.   

The official high in Tulsa yesterday was 35 recorded at 4:30pm. 

The daily average high is 50 and the low is 30.

Daily records include a high of 76 from 1929 and a low of 4 from 1917. 

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

Thanks for reading the Wednesday Morning Weather discussion and blog. 

Have a super great day! 

Alan Crone

KOTV