Gusty South Winds Return This Afternoon, Cold Front Rolls Across The State

Temps will start in the 50s this morning and reach the 60s north and 70s south before a cold front rolls across the state bringing limited shower chances, mostly across southeastern OK. Severe weather threats will be confined across extreme southeastern OK, northeast TX and southwestern Arkansas. As the main upper-level trough quickly moves across the area overnight, a few showers may brush eastern OK before quickly exiting early Wednesday morning. Then a freeze watch will be underway for part of northeastern OK late Wednesday night into Thursday morning.

The upper airflow will bring a disturbance across the area later today yet will not clear our region until early Wednesday morning. This will shove a surface front across the state today but with limited shower or storm chances. The higher chance for a few storms will reside across southeastern OK, approximately south of I-40 into northeast Texas, where deeper moisture will reside. Any strong or severe storms will also be collocated in this deeper moisture, mostly along the Red River into northeast Texas and southwestern Arkansas. The main upper-level trough is not expected to clear our region until Wednesday morning, and this means we’ll need to keep some low-end rain chances for part of Eastern OK until this occurs.

Another issue with the boundary will be the noticeable cool-down compared to yesterday’s upper 70s. Highs today will reach the mid-60s from the metro northward with lower to mid-70s continuing across southeastern OK as the cold front will not clear this part of the state until later this afternoon and evening. Gusty south winds return from the north this afternoon with speeds from 20 to 30 mph. This front will bring some noticeably colder conditions. This will also cause concern for some grassfire operations currently underway with a strong wind shift likely as the front progresses southward.

Temperatures Wednesday morning begin with lows in the upper 30s and lower 40s along with highs staying in the upper 50s to lower 60s. Northeast winds will be likely Wednesday, but much lower speeds, mostly from 10 to 15 mph with mostly sunny sky after the early morning clouds vacate the area. Before the winds return to the south Thursday, light wind and clear sky will be present Thursday morning with most locations in the lower to mid-30s. Some valleys across eastern OK will drop below freezing late Wednesday evening into early Thursday morning. A freeze watch will be posted for these locations. Currently, this watch does not include Tulsa Co., yet some valley locations in the county may briefly reach freezing early Thursday morning.

Thursday into the weekend features a return of southerly low-level flow with highs eventually returning into the mid-70s Easter Weekend. A weak disturbance brushes the state Friday, but with limited low-level moisture in place, the chance for anything other than a shower or two is extremely low.

Easter features gusty south winds, lows in the 50s and highs in the mid-70s. The data remains inconsistent for early next week, but the chance for a few storms should return.

Thanks for reading the Tuesday morning weather discussion and blog.

Have a super great day!

Alan Crone

KOTV

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