Warmer, Drier Weather Ahead

Following a week with occasional showers and thunderstorms across the state, forecasts for the end of this week, the weekend, and next week are showing drier conditions with warmer temperatures, just in time for the summer solstice, which begins at 12:04 AM CDT on Friday, June 21. We may see slight chances for thunderstorms in the west and northeast this afternoon and evening and in the north on Sunday, but otherwise, rain-free days are ahead.

This Afternoon
Highly isolated showers and thunderstorms may develop across northern Oklahoma early this afternoon. Otherwise, we will see mainly sunny skies for the state. High temperatures will be a scorcher in the west and panhandle, reaching the mid-to-upper-90s. The low-90s will be the case elsewhere. Additionally, expect humid conditions today, so heat index values could be in the upper-90s, especially in central Oklahoma. Strong southerly winds will also prevail. Sustained speeds will be between 15 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph in central and eastern Oklahoma, while sustained speeds in western Oklahoma and the panhandle will be between 25 and 30 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph.

This Evening/Overnight

Between the hours of 6 pm and 10 pm, a few storms may develop in the panhandle and western Oklahoma. Otherwise, these areas and the rest of the state will have partly cloudy skies. Overnight lows will be in the low-to-mid-70s all across the state. The strong winds of the day should die down somewhat in the west after midnight, while remaining relatively strong elsewhere. Still blowing from the south, sustained speeds will be between 15 and 20 mph, with gusts up to 30 mph.




Friday
Friday brings mostly sunny skies all across the state, with high temperatures still reaching the mid-to-upper-90s in western Oklahoma and the low-to-mid-90s elsewhere. Breezy conditions persist. A south wind will blow between 15 and 25 mph, with gusts up to 35 mph.

Sources: NWS, HOOT, AP (photo)