As time progresses are more details are gathered about the impending winter storm, we will now give you an update on what can be expected across the state of Oklahoma in the coming days. Unlike previous systems, this one could come in two parts, with action happening Thursday and Friday and then again for the weekend. Additionally, the cold air will not be exiting quickly; many areas of the state are expected to see temperatures well below freezing for the entire 7-day forecast period. Thus, we again urge you to prepare in advance. As in our past posts, we will detail what you can expect by region.
THE PANHANDLE
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY in effect
Temperatures are quite chilly, currently sitting in the teens and 20s. Strong northerly winds blowing between 15 and 25 mph are creating wind chill values in the low-teens. These chilly temperatures will stick around for quite awhile and become even colder during the nighttime hours. For tonight, expect mostly cloudy skies with a slight chance of snow after midnight. The low will drop down to the upper single-digits. The strong northerly winds blowing between 10 and 20 mph will create wind chill values between -5 and 5 degrees. On Thursday, expect a high chance for periods of snow to occur throughout the day and a high reaching only the mid-teens. Snow will continue through Thursday evening, becoming more intermittent later. The low Thursday night will drop down to the upper single-digits once again. For Friday, brief periods of snow may occur in the early morning. Otherwise, snow will end, with skies remaining mostly cloudy. However, highs will once again not break the teens, and wind chill values will be between -5 and 5 degrees. Friday night and Saturday will continue to see mostly cloudy skies, with winds shifting to the southeast Friday night. The lows Saturday morning will be in the low-0s, with highs reaching the upper-teens.
For Saturday night and through Sunday night, a second round of snow may occur. Chances are slight at this time, but do be prepared. Lows will continue to be in the single digits through Monday night, and highs will be in the low-20s on Sunday and Monday. By Monday, skies will clear. For Tuesday and Wednesday, highs will manage to reach the 30s once again.
NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY in effect
Skies are fair right now, but clouds will increase later this evening. Temperatures will drop down to the mid-to-upper-teens tonight. For Thursday, expect a 40 to 50 percent chance of snow beginning in the afternoon and lasting through the evening. Thursday's highs will be in the low-to-mid-20s, while Thursday night's lows will be in the low-teens. With northerly winds blowing around 10 mph, expect wind chill values as low as zero.
For Friday, the winter weather clears out, and skies will also clear partially. Friday's highs will be in the low-to-mid-20s. Friday night will have generally clear skies with lows in the upper-0s. Winter weather returns Saturday afternoon through Sunday with slight chances of snow during this time. Saturday and Sunday's highs will be in the mid-20s, with lows Saturday night and Sunday night in the mid-teens. Monday will see the return of mostly sunny skies, with temperatures finally rising above the freezing mark by Wednesday.
SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA
WINTER STORM WARNING in effect
Clouds will increase tonight with lows dropping down to the low-to-mid-20s. Strong northerly winds will occur, with speeds increasing to 15 to 20 mph, gusting as high as 30 mph after midnight and throughout the day on Thursday. For Thursday, expect a chance for freezing rain, possibly mixed with some sleet throughout the day. Highs will be in the upper-20s. Thursday night will bring the highest chance for wintry precipitation. Sleet, possibly mixed with freezing rain, will occur Thursday evening before midnight. After midnight, the mixture will become snow and sleet. Lows will dip down to the low-20s. For Friday, expect a 30 to 50 percent chance for snow during the morning hours, with highs remaining in the low-20s. For Friday night, skies will partially clear, but this will cause temperatures to sink way down to the mid-single-digits.
Saturday and Saturday night see the return of slight chances of snow, with highs on Saturday in the low-to-mid-20s and lows Saturday night in the mid-to-upper-teens. For Sunday, skies will remain cloudy, with highs in the upper-20s. Clouds will decrease by Monday, and highs will rise above freezing again to the mid-30s.
NORTH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY in effect
Expect generally cloudy skies tonight with lows in the upper-teens to low-20s. North winds will blow between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Thursday will see a slight chance for snow during the afternoon, with a higher chance for snow Thursday night into Friday morning. Highs on Thursday and Friday will be in the mid-20s, with wind chill values as low as zero. Friday night will see partly cloudy skies with lows in the single-digits. For Saturday afternoon, skies will be generally clear early in the day, but a slight chance of snow may occur in the afternoon through Sunday. Saturday and Sunday's highs will vary little and be in the upper-20s. Saturday and Sunday night will see lows in the mid-to-upper-teens. Skies will clear by Monday, with highs remaining in the mid-to-upper-20s through Wednesday. Lows are expected to drop back down to the single digits again on Monday night.
CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
WINTER STORM WARNING in effect
Clouds have begun to increase across the region and will cover the sky later tonight. Lows will drop down to the low-to-mid-20s. A north wind will blow between 10 and 20 mph, gusting as high as 25 mph. For Thursday, expect a chance for freezing rain in the morning, then a chance of sleet or snow in the afternoon. Highs will be in the mid-20s. Thursday night will see the biggest action and the greatest chance for wintry precipitation across the region. Any sleet, or snow and sleet mixture, is expected to become all snow after midnight into Friday mid-morning. Lows will drop down to the upper-teens. After mid-morning on Friday, all winter precipitation will come to an end with skies remaining mostly cloudy and highs only reaching the mid-20s. For Friday night, expect a partial clearing of skies, with very chilly lows dropping down to the upper single-digit range. Again, this will create very frigid conditions for the OU vs. OSU Bedlam game, with kickoff slated for 11 a.m. CST. We implore you to dress warmly if you are going to the game!
A second round of winter precipitation is in the forecast from Saturday mid-afternoon through Sunday. Skies will start out mostly clear on Saturday before clouds increase later in the afternoon. An additional wintry precipitation will come in the form of snow only, with the best chance for snow occurring Saturday night into Sunday morning at 50 percent. Saturday's and Sunday's highs will be in the low-to-mid-20s, with lows Saturday night and Sunday night in the low-to-upper-teens. As with the rest of the state, skies will clear by Monday. However, expect highs to remain in the 20s on Monday and Tuesday, and in some areas north of the metro, on Wednesday as well. Oklahoma City and areas just to the south could see high temperatures right at freezing on Wednesday. Lows will continue to be in the mid-teens, with a brief sink to the upper single-digits again Monday night.
SOUTH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
WINTER STORM WARNING in effect
With lows dropping down to the low-30s, expect a slight chance for rain or freezing rain tonight, mainly after midnight. A light northerly wind will increase to 10 to 15 mph later in the evening. On Thursday and Thursday night, expect a great chance for freezing rain with temperatures just at or below the freezing mark Thursday afternoon and falling to the mid-20s by Thursday night. This region of Oklahoma is one in which significant icing may become a problem, as we are expecting only freezing rain for Thursday and Thursday night. On Friday, the freezing rain is expected to transition to sleet and snow in the morning hours, with all precipitation coming to an end by mid-morning. Highs on Friday will be in the upper-20s. Skies will remain mostly cloudy on Friday night with lows dropping down to the mid-teens.
For Saturday, expect a very slight chance for sleet in the afternoon, becoming a freezing rain on Saturday night. Saturday's highs will be in the mid-20s, while Saturday's lows will be in the low-20s. For Sunday and Sunday night, expect generally cloudy skies. The high on Sunday will manage to make it back to the low-30s, but the low Sunday night will be in the upper-teens. Highs will remain in the upper-20s Monday and Tuesday under clear skies. Lows for Monday and Tuesday night will be in the low-to-mid-teens. Wednesday will see highs finally above freezing in the mid-30s under sunny skies.
NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
WINTER STORM WARNING in effect
Expect mainly cloudy skies tonight, with lows in the mid-20s. A north wind will blow between 10 and 15 mph, gusting to 20 mph. For Thursday, a wintry mix of precipitation will occur in the morning before transitioning to snow in the early to mid-afternoon hours. The morning wintry mix will consist of freezing rain and sleet. Thursday's highs will range from the mid-to-upper-20s across the region. For Thursday night, expect periods of snow, especially after midnight. Lows will drop down to the upper-teens and low-20s. Periods of snow will continue through Friday morning, then come to an end around the afternoon hours. Friday's highs will be in the low-to-mid-20s. Friday night will see a partial clearing of skies with lows in the upper-0s. For Saturday, expect sunny skies with highs in the mid-20s.
Wintry weather returns to the region on Saturday night. Beginning in the evening Saturday, expect a 40 to 50 percent chance for snow, mixing with freezing drizzle at times. The chance for this type of precipitation will last through Sunday night. Saturday night's lows will drop down to the low-20s, with Sunday night's lows dropping down to the mid-teens. The high on Sunday will reach the upper-20s. On Monday, the winter weather exits the state, but temperatures will remain frigid, with highs below freezing through Wednesday. Extremely chilly lows on Monday night/Tuesday morning in the lower single-digits will occur, so please be prepared.
SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA
WINTER STORM WARNING in effect
ICE STORM WARNING in effect
We will talk about extreme eastern/southeastern Oklahoma first. This is where the Ice Storm Warning is in effect. Expect a chance for rain after midnight tonight, with lows reaching the low-40s. On Thursday, expect a high chance for rain, with temperatures starting out in the low-40s and falling to the low-to-mid-30s by the late afternoon and early evening hours. For Thursday night, temperatures will be right at or just below the freezing mark by a degree or two. With rain continuing to fall, this will lead to freezing rain and ice, also leading to a significant icing problem. Freezing rain will continue on Friday morning, with additional periods Friday afternoon into the evening. The high on Friday will, again, be right at or just a degree or two below freezing. For Friday night, temperatures will take a dive down to the upper-teens. On Saturday, highs will be in the upper-20s under partly cloudy skies. A second round of wintry precipitation begins Saturday evening, with freezing rain a strong likelihood again. Precipitation will continue through Sunday night. The high on Sunday is slated to be just above freezing, meaning that freezing rain occurring the morning will transition to rain in the afternoon. However, Sunday night's low is expected to be in the mid-20s, so the rain will transition back to a freezing rain. All wintry precipitation will come to an end by Monday, with temperatures quickly rising above freezing by this time.
Now for the rest of southeast Oklahoma. A slight chance of rain or freezing rain is expected tonight after midnight with slows dropping down to the low-30s. Light north winds will increase to 15 to 20 mph after midnight. For Thursday, expect a high temperature around freezing early in the day that will drop to the mid-20s by the evening hours. Periods of freezing rain will occur through mid-afternoon, then periods of sleet will occur throughout the night. By Friday morning, the sleet will become all snow, and the snow will last through Friday morning before coming to an end. Thursday night lows will be in the low-20s, with highs on Friday not rising above the mid-20s. For Friday night, skies may clear partially, with lows dropping down to the upper single-digit mark. Saturday brings the return of winter weather, with sleet possible Saturday afternoon and freezing drizzle and sleet possible through Sunday. Saturday's highs will be in the mid-20s, while lows Saturday night will be in the same range. The highs on Sunday should reach the freezing mark again but then fall below freezing again to the mid-to-upper-20s on Monday and Tuesday. Winter precipitation will end by Monday, however. Extremely chilly lows in the lower single-digit range are slated to occur Monday night.
We did not mention accumulations in the paragraph above, but below in the Infographics section is a projected graphic of what can be expected for a portion of the state.
INFOGRAPHICS
National Weather Service Norman, OK
AC
Sources: NWS, HOOT, Mesonet,
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