Decreasing Rain Chances

I'll be short today with the morning blog-discussion due to the overnight and early morning storm activity.  I'm just now starting to get caught up with some daily inter-office tasks with web site, phone, and radio updates.  The good news:  the severe weather threat is over for a while.

The main upper level system responsible for the strong to severe storms late yesterday afternoon and overnight is rapidly losing influence on northern OK.  The strong line of thunderstorm activity is now located across extreme Western Arkansas and far southeastern OK.  I don't anticipate additional severe weather this morning with this line.  A few scattered showers or storms will be possible between now and 9AM across the eastern third of the state but these will be few and far between.

The clouds will slowly begin to thin out as the day progresses leaving us with partly cloudy to mostly sunny conditions later this afternoon allowing daytime highs in most locations to reach the lower 80s.  Some locations to the west of Tulsa could be slightly warmer, but locations north may stay near 80 due to the recent heavy rainfall and moisture content in the lower levels.

Gusty south winds will be common for the next few days with morning lows in the upper 60s and highs in the mid to upper 80s.  A few isolated storms may be possible across extreme Eastern OK or Western Arkansas but the chance will be around 10% or less. 

The data indicates a major upper level system will be approaching the state by late in the weekend.  This could bring another round of severe storms into the region by Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.

Tornadoes were reported last night in Medford, and near Nowata.  High winds will reported in a number of locations across eastern OK with heavy rainfall leading to flooding concerns across extreme northern Ok and southern Kansas.

The OK Mesonet reported winds of 84 MPH at 9:10 PM near Medford,

70 mph near Wynona at 12:10 AM

58 mph near Bixby at 1:10 AM

62 mph near Vinita at 1:30 AM