Mild Weather Continues!

What a nice day! Notice the temperature map on the right as of late this afternoon courtesy of the OK Mesonet. Temperatures well into the 60s are the general rule except for the Panhandle. If you remember from yesterday's blog, I referenced a satellite image which clearly showed the ground is still covered with snow for that part of the state. That has obviously had a big impact on temperatures for them today.

The sunny skies and SW surface winds have helped with the big warm up for the rest of the state today as well, but tomorrow we will have a N to NW surface wind. The wind shift line/cool front will arrive after midnight towards the early morning hours, but will not amount to much more than just a shift in the wind direction. The air behind this system is not very cool and we should still reach the upper 50s to lower 60s during the day. That, by the way, is still well above the 47 that is normal for this time of year. Also, this system is moisture starved so we will still have lots of sunshine, just a change in wind direction and slightly cooler temperatures.

Gusty S to SW surface winds return for Saturday which will push daytime highs well into the 60s again under mostly sunny skies. Those winds will be returning to the N and NW during the evening and overnight hours of Saturday night and a gusty NW wind should be the general rule for Sunday. This will be another moisture starved cool front so there is no mention of rain and there will be lots of sunshine both days. However, the strength of the winds may create some fire danger issues.

Cooler air will be more noticeable on Sunday with highs near 50 and the winds making it feel even cooler. Keep in mind though that is still above normal. Monday looks to be the coolest day of the forecast period with lows in the 20s and highs in the low-mid 40s along with a north wind and sunny skies.

Another warming trend will get started by Tuesday afternoon as our winds return to a more S to SW direction for the next several days. The rest of that first week of the New Year also looks to be quite mild with a quiet weather pattern remaining in place for us.

You just know that this mild pattern will eventually change, but we do not see any arctic air headed this way anytime soon. In two weeks or so we keep seeing some hints that something more interesting will develop, but nothing that I have any confidence in at this point.

So, stay tuned and check back for updates.

Dick Faurot