Fire Warning, Freeze Watch In Effect For Most Of Oklahoma

NewsOn6.com

UNDATED -- Many Oklahoma counties are under combined watches and warnings Thursday. A red flag fire warning is in effect from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. as conditions are ripe for grass fires. A freeze watch takes over for the evening hours.

"Lack of rainfall over the last couple of weeks combined with gusty winds and low humidity will lead to explosive fire growth if fires start," said News On 6 meteorologist Alan Crone.

"Later tonight, the wind speed will drop off, and because of the dry air, our temperatures will drop off to near freezing or below for Tulsa and areas northwest," Crone said.  Areas north of Tulsa will have the highest potential for freezing.

NewsOn6.com Weather.

The daytime red flag warning is in effect for counties including Tulsa, Rogers, Mayes, Delaware, Creek, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Wagoner and Muskogee.

Wind gusts of 20 to 30 mph should be common today, according to the National Weather Service in Tulsa.

The freeze watch is in effect for Oklahoma counties including Tulsa, Rogers, Mayes, Ottawa, Pawnee, Delaware, Cherokee, Adair, Craig, Nowata, Washington, and Wagoner.

Temperatures in the lower 30s to upper 20s are expected overnight Thursday with even colder overnight temperatures expected early Saturday morning.

Conditions overnight could kill plants left outdoors or unprotected.