Severe weather threats loom this weekend with thunderstorms, hail, and tornado risk in Oklahoma
Weekend Storm System
A potent upper-level system will approach the central and southern plains Saturday night into Sunday morning.
In advance of this system, strong south winds of 15 to 30 mph will return on Saturday with partly to mostly cloudy skies.
Daytime highs are expected to reach the lower 80s.
For most of Saturday, a warm layer of air aloft, the "cap," should suppress thunderstorm development for most of the area. Please remain aware, if storms do develop Saturday afternoon, they will be severe.
πSevere weather safety: what you need to know to prepare
There is a low-end signal that a few storms may still be possible Saturday afternoon along the Red River Valley into far southeastern OK.
However, late Saturday night conditions will become more favorable to thunderstorms developing along an advancing dryline as a surface low-pressure system and cold front approach the area across northern Oklahoma and southern Kansas.
Storms that form late Saturday night through the early hours of Sunday morning have the potential to be severe, including all modes of severe weather.
The primary threat will be large hail and damaging winds. A tornado warning is possible due to the strong dynamics of the system.
πTornado Watch vs. Tornado Warning: what they mean and what to do
The highest probability for severe storms appears to be along and northwest of the I-44 corridor from northcentral OK into southern Kansas. This will include the Tulsa metro.
The signal in the data for a strong capping inversion remains evident in some data along the southern edge of this region, even during the late Saturday and early Sunday morning period. This may limit the southern extent of severe storms.
πSevere weather safety: what to do before, during, and after a storm
Sunday Thunderstorm Potential
Early Sunday morning, as the surface low-pressure system moves eastward, a cold front will merge with the dryline, prompting the possibility of additional thunderstorms across eastern Oklahoma along and east of Highway 69.
Some of these storms could also be strong to severe on Sunday afternoon before shifting into Arkansas and the adjacent states to the east, where severe weather risks will increase.
Behind the cold front, slightly cooler weather is expected on Sunday, with daytime highs reaching the lower 70s by midday and dropping into the 60s behind the frontal passage.
The probability of storms will be tied to the exact timing of the front. If the front slows down, a higher probability of severe storms will remain for part of eastern OK Sunday midday to afternoon.
If the front is faster, storms will mostly be along the state line region and quickly move into Arkansas by Sunday midday.
Next Week
Cooler conditions will follow on Monday, with morning lows in the upper 30s to lower 40s and daytime highs in the upper 50s to lower 60s.Β
Highs will rebound into the mid to upper 70s on Tuesday and Wednesday, with gusty south winds at 15 to 30 mph.
The fire spread rate will increase Tuesday before additional storm chances return.Β Another strong upper-level system will approach the Central Plains Tuesday into Wednesday, bringing more chances for showers and thunderstorms.
Some of these storms could also be strong to severe. While the exact timing is subject to change, the higher probability appears to be late Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning.
Need-to-know severe weather prep:
πSevere weather safety: what you need to know to prepare
πTornado Watch vs. Tornado Warning: what they mean and what to do
πSevere weather safety: what to do before, during, and after a storm
Wildfire Prep:
πWhat is a controlled burn? Rules on when and how you can safely do them
πOklahoma Forestry Service prepares firefighters for potential wildfire threats
πHow to protect your home from wildfires: Tips from experts
πOklahoma fire danger: How rural fire departments prepare for days of extreme danger
πRed Cross shares tips for preparing wildfires
Emergency Info: Outages Across Oklahoma:
Northeast Oklahoma has various power companies and electric cooperatives, many of which have overlapping areas of coverage. Below is a link to various outage maps.
- PSO Outage Map
- OG&E Outage Map
- VVEC Outage Map
- Indian Electric Cooperative (IEC) Outage Map
- Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives Outage MapΒ β (Note Several Smaller Co-ops Included)
ο»ΏThe Alan Crone morning weather podcast link from Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Wk1FmGSF04fnYrrO0VwAQ
The Alan Crone morning weather podcast link from Apple:
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