Warm, above-average temperatures we have been experiencing over the past few days will come to a dramatic end as a strong cold front pushes through the state overnight. As a result, afternoon temperatures tomorrow will be some 20 to 30 degrees colder than what they were today, and winds will be exceptionally strong in some areas. Some freezing drizzle may occur behind the front, but we are not expecting any major wintry precipitation at this time.
The graphic to the right shows the estimated timing of the front. Cloud cover will increase, and southerly winds will shift to northerly winds and strengthen as the front passes through. The front will reach the panhandle and northwest Oklahoma near midnight. For the panhandle, the temperature will drop to the mid-teens Sunday morning with winds blowing from the north-northeast at 20 to 25 mph and gusting up to 35 mph. This will create wind chill values between about 0 and 10 degrees. Skies will be mostly cloudy. For northwest Oklahoma, the temperature will drop to the low-20s by Sunday morning under mostly cloudy skies with strong northerly winds blowing between 25 and 30 mph and gusting as high as 40 mph! Wind chill values will be between 0 and 5 degrees.Across southwest Oklahoma, the front arrives between midnight and 3 am Sunday. Cloud cover will increase, as will the winds, and temperatures will drop to the mid-to-upper-20s by the morning. A light and variable wind ahead of the front will blow between 15 and 25 mph from the north after the front passes through. Gusts could reach up to 35 mph. Wind chills will be between 10 and 15 degrees. For central and north central Oklahoma, the front will also arrive between midnight and 3 am Sunday. Some freezing drizzle may occur tonight after the passage of the front in central Oklahoma. As cloud cover increases, so will the winds. Expect temperatures in the low-to-mid-20s by Sunday morning, with winds blowing from the north between 15 and 25 mph. Gusts could reach 35 mph. Wind chill values will be between 5 and 15 degrees.
For south central Oklahoma, the front will not arrive until after 3 am Sunday morning. As cloud cover and wind speeds increase, temperatures will fall to the mid-30s as the front passes through and remain relatively steady for the remainder of the day. Calm winds will begin to blow from the north-northeast at 20 to 25 mph behind the front, with gusts up to 30 mph. Wind chills will be between 15 and 25 degrees.
Eastern Oklahoma will see the front arrive after 3 am Sunday morning as well. For northeastern Oklahoma, as the front arrives, temperatures will drop to the low-20s by mid-morning on Sunday. Cloud cover will increase, and some freezing drizzle may occur early Sunday morning behind the front. Winds will blow from the northwest at 10 to 20 mph and gust as high as 30 mph behind the front. Wind chills will be between 5 and 15 degrees. For southeast Oklahoma, the front arrives between 6 am and 9 am, with the coldest temperature occurring around noon, which will be in the upper-20s (except for extreme southeastern Oklahoma where the coldest temperatures will be in the mid-30s). Some drizzle or freezing drizzle may occur Sunday morning as cloud cover increases. Winds will blow from the north between 15 and 25 mph behind the front and gust as high as 35 mph.
The front will leave temperatures on the cool side for Sunday afternoon and Monday, especially in the morning. For the panhandle and northwest Oklahoma on Sunday, skies will be cloudy in the morning, but cloud cover will decrease by the afternoon yielding mostly sunny skies. Temperatures will rise only to the upper-20s in the afternoon. Winds will remain strong in the morning, blowing from the north at 20 to 30 mph and gusting up to 40 mph. Speeds will decrease to 10 to 20 mph in the afternoon. For Sunday night, expect mostly cloudy skies with temperatures dropping to the low-to-mid-teens. On Monday, highs will reach the upper-40s under sunny skies.
For southwest Oklahoma, afternoon temperatures on Sunday reach the mid-30s at best with skies remaining generally cloudy. Strong northerly winds in the morning will blow between 25 and 35 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph! Wind speeds decrease to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Sunday night brings lows in the mid-teens under partly cloudy skies. Winds will be relatively light after midnight. For Monday, skies will be generally sunny with highs in the low-to-mid-40s. Winds from the north-northeast
Across central and north central Oklahoma, skies will also remain mostly cloudy with afternoon temperatures reaching the mid-to-upper-20s for north central Oklahoma and the low-30s for central Oklahoma around the Oklahoma City metro area. Strong northerly winds blowing between 25 and 30 mph and gusting up to 40 mph in the morning will decrease to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. For Sunday night, expect partly cloudy skies with lows as cold as the upper-single-digits in north central Oklahoma. Across the rest of the region, lows will be in the low-to-mid-teens. Winds will be light and variable after midnight. On Monday, expect highs to reach the upper-30s under mostly sunny skies.
For south central Oklahoma, some drizzle or freezing drizzle is possible Sunday morning behind the front. Skies will be mainly cloudy all day long with afternoon temperatures reaching the upper-30s. Winds will continue to blow from the northeast between 20 and 25 mph throughout the day, with gusts as high as 30 mph. For Sunday night, expect mostly cloudy skies with lows around 20 degrees. Wind speeds will decrease to 5 to 10 mph after midnight. On Monday, highs reach the low-40s under mostly sunny skies.
For northeast Oklahoma, skies remain cloudy all day on Sunday. After falling to the low-20s Sunday morning, temperatures will rise to the upper-20s to low-30s in the afternoon. Blustery conditions will be ongoing, with a north wind blowing between 20 and 25 mph and gusts as high as 40 mph. For Sunday night, cloud cover will begin to decrease, with lows in the low-teens. Wind speeds decrease to 5 to 10 mph after midnight. On Monday, skies will be sunny, but highs will only rise to the mid-30s.
Southeast Oklahoma will see a slight chance of drizzle or freezing drizzle in the morning, with skies otherwise remaining cloudy all day. While Sunday afternoon temperatures may rise to the mid-40s for extreme southeastern Oklahoma, the rest of the region will only see the low-30s. For Sunday night, lows will range between the mid-teens to mid-20s under mostly cloudy skies. Wind chill values may drop as low as 0 degrees as a north wind blows between 10 and 20 mph, gusting up to 25 mph. On Monday, cloud cover finally decreases, along with the wind speeds, with highs reaching the upper-30s to low-40s.
AC
Sources: NWS, HOOT
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