Like a Lion

February wasn't going to let us off the hook that easily. Unfortunately, a powerful, spring-like storm system went on a rampage through the Plains, Midwest, and on to the East Coast. Oklahoma managed to escape the worst, but multiple reports of wind damage and gusts over 60 mph were recorded as a fast-moving line of storms swept through the region. As it did so, an incredible cloud of dust formed from way out west. The visible satellite imagery from our region Tuesday evening shows a plume of dust with origins as far as White Sands, New Mexico sweeping into Oklahoma. After I arrived at the station in Tulsa from storm chasing late in the evening, there was a dusty haze hanging over the city. It was enough to sting your eyes, but nothing like the Panhandle had to deal with – roads were closed due to such low visibility from blowing dust. I saw a Twitter comment that said those who lived through the Dirty Thirty's compared Tuesday's dust storm to those of the Dust Bowl. Yikes!

This same system produced the couple dozen tornadoes from Kansas to Kentucky with an incredible blizzard in the Upper Midwest. Needless to say, March is coming in like a lion for much of the country.

Speaking of March, it will also begin on a very warm note here in Green Country. A brief lull in the active weather tonight will give way to gusty south winds on Thursday. Strong winds, dry conditions, and warm temperatures (near 80 degrees!) will make fire danger awfully high. A Fire Weather Watch is in effect for much of Thursday afternoon as a result. The "lion" theme continues as another strong storm system sweeps through Oklahoma late Thursday night into Friday morning. Fortunately, it may not get its act together thunderstorm-wise until after it passes Green Country. It'll be a close call though, so we have a slight chance of strong to severe thunderstorms Friday morning.

Expect a cooler start to the weekend, but temperatures will rebound nicely into early next week. Meteorological spring officially arrives March 1st and it will certainly feel like it here in Oklahoma as those trees continue to bud and Green Country greens up once again. Be sure to follow me on Twitter: @GroganontheGO and "like" me on Facebook!