Mostly Sunny Skies, Warming Trend Arrives

What is the forecast for Monday?

Mostly sunny sky and temperatures a few degrees above normal will remain for most locations across the area this afternoon with high reaching the mid to upper 50s.

Several waves will move across the central part of the country over the next few days, bringing a few fronts across northern Oklahoma. One upper-level wave will be exiting the area early this morning and another arriving tomorrow morning. Late this evening and early Tuesday morning, our next cold front will quickly approach and move across northern Oklahoma. There will be a brief window for a few clouds across extreme northeastern Oklahoma pre-dawn Tuesday, with gusty northwest winds returning at 15 to 20 mph by the middle of the morning. Despite this boundary, no major changes in our weather will be anticipated. Tuesday morning lows will start in the mid-30s followed by afternoon highs in the upper 50s near 60.

A surface ridge of high pressure settles near the area Wednesday morning, supporting temperatures into the upper 20s and lower 30s for morning lows. Daytime highs Wednesday will be in the lower 60s, with south winds returning by afternoon at 10 to 20 mph. Our next stronger upper-level system will approach this weekend. But beforehand, our pressure gradient strengthens Thursday with strong South winds at 20 to near 30 mph. As this stronger wave nears the plains, much warmer weather is expected to arrive across the southern plains, including most of Oklahoma. Thursday morning lows will start in the mid-40s, and daytime highs will finish in the upper 60s or even a few lower 70s. The strong to gusty south winds combined with relatively dry air and dormant vegetation will yield increasing fire spread issues Thursday.

By Friday and Saturday, a strong upper-level trough will be nearing Oklahoma. This will eventually bring a front across the area, more than likely late Friday night and early Saturday morning. The main upper-level trough will lag the front and move across the area during the day Saturday. This should provide a few showers for part of the area beginning late Friday and possibly continuing into part of Saturday. Colder air aloft will provide a small window for some precipitation changing to or mixing with snow for part of Saturday. However, the data remains inconsistent, and this probability will remain very low for our current forecast update as dry air in the lower levels of the atmosphere may prohibit higher probabilities for precipitation.

Gusty northwest winds at 15 to 25 mph will bring blustery conditions across the state on Saturday. Temperatures will start in the mid-40s and should stay in the upper 40s to lower 50s for the afternoon. The main trough should exit our area sometime early Sunday morning. Sunday will feature temperatures near freezing, with daytime highs in the upper 40s or lower 50s.

CLICK HERE for Alan Crone's weather podcast.

How to prepare my home for a freeze?

The City of Tulsa says it's important to protect your pipes from the cold.

Officials recommend protecting outside pipes by disconnecting garden hoses from your house and installing covers on outside faucets.

Also, if a sink is along an outside wall of your home, allow a trickle of water to run and open the cabinet doors to allow warm air to circulate.

The National Weather Service says when temperatures drop to 28°F or lower for a couple of hours you should bring pets indoors, protect sensitive vegetation, protect outdoor pipes and let indoor faucets drip and to turn off automatic sprinklers.

Space Heater Safety Tips (via CBS News)

1. If you're using a space heater, make sure it's not too close to things that can burn like upholstered furniture, clothing, a mattress, or bedding.
2. Never plug a space heater into an extension cord, always plug it directly into a wall outlet.
3. Remember to turn it off before leaving the room or going to bed. Keep it out of the reach of children and pets. Look for signs of malfunctions, especially on older models.
4. Make sure it has an automatic shutoff function.
5. Make sure you have working smoke detectors with fresh batteries. Change the battery twice a year.

On average, fires caused by portable heaters cause 65 deaths and 150 injuries a year, according to the US Fire Administration.

Overnight on Sunday, firefighters battled several house fires across Tulsa as temperatures dropped below freezing.

Click here for Alan Crone's weather podcast

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