After a relatively calm start to the work week, mother nature has decided to shake things up a bit as the weekend approaches. Tropical Storm Karen is slowly churning itself northward with an expected landfall near the Alabama Gulf coast this weekend while at the same time a vigorous low pressure system is spiraling out of the Rockies ushering in blizzard-like conditions for folks in across the upper midwest. With Oklahoma sandwiched between these two massive storm systems, it means only one thing for folks across the Sooner State...severe weather. The ingredients are here--let the show begin!
As of late Friday afternoon, through 10pm local time the National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for areas extending from the north-central part of the state towards the Red River Valley in anticipation of the storm development which is currently happening in the aforementioned area. From the visible satellite image provided by the NWS, you can see the clear skies in the panhandle region are already helping a few thunderstorms to blow up. This trend will continue as the evening goes on and this line of storms will continue to fill in as it progresses slowly eastward.
Below is the forecast discussion from forecasters regarding the current Severe Thunderstorm Watch.
STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO FORM ALONG A COLD FRONT IN NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. THE FIRST STORMS ARE EXPECTED DEVELOP NEAR AN ALVA TO WOODWARD AND ARNETT LINE AND THEN CONTINUE TO DEVELOP SOUTH ALONG THE FRONT. THE STORMS WILL BECOME MORE NUMEROUS AS THE FRONT MOVES SOUTHEAST THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. THE FRONT WILL MOVE TO THE SHAWNEE...LAWTON AND VERNON...TEXAS LINE BY MIDNIGHT. BY SUNRISE SATURDAY...THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO BE SOUTH OF MCALESTER AND DURANT.
As of right now, the main threat for tornadic thunderstorms is more to the north of Oklahoma where the atmosphere's instability is a little higher than here, but for residents across the state, the main threat will be high winds as the storms approach as well as a chance for damaging hail. The hail threat extends through much of the state, so residents are urged to monitor local TV and radio stations, as well as NOAA Weather Radios.
As the showers and storms slowly progress their way across the central Oklahoma region over night, residents waking up on Saturday morning will be shocked to feel the stark differences in the air temperature. With the front's passage, a surge of cold Canadian air will rush southward in its wake and will keep temperatures on the cool side all day tomorrow. Below are the forecast high temperatures statewide for Saturday plus the much colder low temperatures that will ensue after the sun goes down.
Throughout the day on Saturday skies across the area will gradually clear as the frontal system marches its way eastward, and by Sunday morning the clear skies will provide ample sunshine to warm the air. Temperatures will rebound nicely into the low 70s for Sunday and into Monday so make your plans to get outside and enjoy the crisp fall weather this weekend.
In the meantime, keep an eye on the sky as storms are rapidly developing in west/northwest Oklahoma and find those windbreakers or jackets. The cold weather is near!
MS
Sources:
www.weather.gov
NOAA Satellite and Information Service
www.mesonet.org
http://science.howstuffworks.com/nature/climate-weather/storms/question646.htm
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