Tulsa Weather: Heat and humidity to linger in Oklahoma this July weekend

The National Weather Service has issued another heat advisory for portions but not all of east-central and northern Oklahoma, including the immediate Tulsa metro. Additional counties may be added later today. Regardless, heat stress will continue to increase.

What’s Coming This Weekend?

A mid-level ridge of high pressure is expected to strengthen and expand across the state this weekend, keeping organized showers and storms away from Oklahoma while ushering in a hot and humid air mass. Morning lows will range from the mid to upper 70s, with daytime highs reaching the upper 90s under mostly sunny skies with a few clouds.

Any Chance for Pop-Up Storms?

A very low-end chance of an isolated shower or storm will persist through the daytime heating process across extreme eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas. These events will be highly localized, mainly affecting small parts of Latimer, Le Flore, Sequoyah County, and areas eastward into northern or western Arkansas. The probability remains near 5% for these zones.

How Long Will the Heat Stick Around?

Heat advisories are likely for part of eastern Oklahoma this weekend, with heat index values ranging from 105 to near 110. The pattern continues to support heat and humidity as the dominant weather feature for several days next week. Expect little variation in temperatures, with morning lows in the upper 70s to lower 80s and daytime highs in the upper 90s Monday through Wednesday. A few southern locations may reach 100 degrees Thursday or Friday, though significant moisture and evapotranspiration from recent rainfall may keep most areas slightly below the century mark.

Lake Levels

Area lake levels remain high but are slowly improving. Check ahead as high water levels may impact some recreational areas.

Flood Warnings & Advisories Issued for the Illinois River.

What You Need to Know This Weekend

If you're planning to spend time near the Illinois River this weekend, be aware that rising water levels have prompted several flood alerts from the National Weather Service in Tulsa.

Here’s a breakdown of what’s happening and where:

Illinois River near Watts (Adair & Delaware Counties)

1. Flood Warning in effect from Friday afternoon through late tonight
2. The river is expected to crest at 13.9 feet this evening. Flood stage is 13.0 feet.
3. Minor flooding is forecast from the Arkansas border to near Fidler’s Bend.
4. Strong currents and high water levels will make the river unsafe for floating.

Illinois River near Tahlequah (Cherokee County)

1. Flood Warning in effect from late Friday night through early Sunday morning
2. The river is expected to rise above flood stage (11.0 feet) just after midnight, with a crest near 12.0 feet by Saturday afternoon.
3. Minor flooding is expected from near Hanging Rock downstream toward Tahlequah.
4. Floating is considered hazardous due to strong turbulence and elevated water levels.

Illinois River at Chewey (Cherokee, Adair & Delaware Counties)

1. Flood Advisory in effect from Friday morning through early Sunday
2. At 7:15 a.m. Friday, the river was at 8.6 feet and is expected to crest at 11.7 feet just after midnight.
3. While flood stage at Chewey is 12.0 feet, river activities are discouraged once the river reaches 9.0 feet due to dangerous currents.
4. Minor flooding may occur from near Fidler’s Bend to Hanging Rock. Some roads, including areas near Chewey Bridge and 630 Road east of the Cherokee/Adair County line, could become impacted.

What You Should Do

1. If you have a float trip planned, call your provider for more information. Typically, these forecast water levels prevent floating on most of the Illinois River.
2. If you're camping or live near the river, stay alert and prepare to move to higher ground if necessary.
3. Keep checking for updates from the National Weather Service and local emergency officials.

For the latest information on river levels and flood safety, visit weather.gov/safety/flood.

Water levels are expected to peak between Friday evening and early Saturday, with conditions improving later in the weekend. Stay safe and check conditions before heading to the river.

The Morning Weather Podcast:

The daily morning weather podcast briefing will remain on hold indefinitely due to ongoing internal workflow issues.

We're working to resolve these challenges as soon as possible and appreciate your patience. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope to be back soon. Thank you for your understanding.

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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.

1. PSO Outage Map
2. OG&E Outage Map
3. VVEC Outage Map
4. Indian Electric Cooperative (IEC) Outage Map
5. Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives Outage Map — (Note: Several Smaller Co-ops Included)

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