Storm Chances Followed By A Cool-Down

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TULSA, Okla. - A break from the heat is coming as cold front bring storm chances and cooler temperatures to Green Country.

Here are the details from News On 6 Meteorologist Alan Crone:

A few thunderstorms continue along the Oklahoma and Kansas State line early this morning but should weaken quickly. One or two leftover showers could brush the Tulsa metro over the next hour or two but also will quickly end. A boundary located near the state line will slowly drop southward through the day while another short wave produces thunderstorms to our west this afternoon. Thunderstorms will coalesce into a complex of storms from southeastern Colorado into the high plains of Texas by early evening. Severe weather threats will be maximized in these areas and will extend it to Northwestern Oklahoma later tonight. The storm complex should drop east or southeast with time and influence portions of Northern Oklahoma overnight into early Friday. While severe threats should be diminishing with the Eastern extent, severe storms will remain possible with gusty to damaging wind potential during the overnight and early Friday morning. Meanwhile, the cold front will continue to drop southward. This brings much lower temperature and humidity Friday through most of the weekend.

High temperatures this afternoon will be slightly cooler in the northern third of the state due to the density of the morning cloud cover and the influence of the front. Temperatures may reside in the lower 90s on the Oklahoma-Kansas State line area, the mid-90s near the Tulsa metro, and in the upper 90s across far southeastern Oklahoma. Low-level moisture will still be present on Thursday and heat warning criteria is likely near I-40 southward into the Red River Valley. Muggy weather will persist across the northern third of the state but heat advisory criteria will more than likely not be met today.

Depending upon the exact amount of shower and storm activity early tomorrow morning, the front should continue pushing southward through the day. Temperatures tomorrow morning will start in the lower 70s, but daytime highs tomorrow will stay in the 80s with slightly drier air arriving from the northeast. This means heat index values will only be a few degrees above actual temperatures tomorrow. Even drier low-level air arrives late Friday night into Saturday morning bringing low temperatures into the 60s. Saturday afternoon highs should reside into the upper 80s or a few lower 90s. Heat index values are expected to be only a degree or two above local highs. There will be a slight chance for a few showers or storms late Friday night and Saturday morning across far southern Oklahoma closer to the boundary.

The upper airflow this weekend will remain from the north and northwest as the mid-level ridge of high pressure remains centered across the desert southwest. At this point, we are not carrying any probabilities for the remainder of the weekend in Northern Oklahoma, but this pattern can result in storm chances. We’ll be watching carefully for any signals of some late-night or early-morning storm systems nearing the state for the weekend.

Most data support the mid-level ridge expanding eastward early next week bringing more heat and humidity while forcing the main storm track away from the southern plains. Hot and humid weather returns with triple-digit heat and excessive heat indices by the middle of the week.

Thanks for reading the Thursday morning weather discussion and blog.

Have a super great day!

Alan Crone

KOTV