Rain Returns for Weekend

There's really no other way to put it – Thursday's weather was a slap in the face. We received some beneficial rain, but there was an icy chill in the air with temperatures hovering in the 30s with a brisk northerly wind. In fact, there were numerous reports of sleet! Yuck! As if Mother Nature were apologizing for that miserable day, she gave us a lull in the inclement weather. We enjoyed sunshine and temperatures in the 60s today with hardly a cloud to be found!

The actual reason we've caught a break from soggy weather is because the responsible upper level low retrograded westward for the time being. It meandered far enough south and west to give us the clear skies and warmer temperatures.

The initial wave on Thursday brought much of Green Country a nice soaking rainfall - some much more than others, however. The map above shows the spread of rainfall throughout the region. One to two inches of rain fell in southeastern Oklahoma with light amounts along the I-44 corridor in northeastern Oklahoma. Some drought-relieving rains also occurred across the northern tier of the state.

The rainfall is back in the picture this weekend. For those wanting to spend time outside, Saturday will likely be your best bet. After a chilly night with clear skies, we'll see an increase in clouds during the day. We should have enough sunshine to put our temperatures back into the 60s. After dark, our chance of rain will go up dramatically. A shield of moderate to, at times, heavy rain will overspread eastern Oklahoma. Embedded thunderstorms are also possible, but significant instability is lacking so the severe threat is near zero. Another one to two inches of rain may fall across Green Country with locally heavier amounts to the southeast.

The rain should end from west to east midday or early Sunday afternoon. If we're lucky, we might even catch a glimpse of the sun before the day is over. If not, that's ok, because a nice run of weather will follow for next week. We could even call it a March heat wave with temperatures expected to top out near or above 80 degrees midweek next week. Another major storm system might be in the works for next weekend.

Enjoy this one and let's hope for another soaking, but well-timed rainfall! Be sure to follow me on Twitter: @GroganontheGO and "like" me on Facebook!