Warm Weather Will Not Last

It's a beautiful day today!  Oklahoma City, currently sitting at 81 degrees, has officially recorded its first 80-degree day since October 11, 2013 - exactly five months ago.  A great deal of the state has had highs reach the 80s today, with one exception: northwest Oklahoma and the panhandle.  Now comes the bad news.  We hated to be blunt in our title, but unfortunately the truth is that the passage of a cold front later this evening will bring an end to the above-average, late-springlike temperatures we have been experiencing over the past couple of days.  The front is already passing through the state and has reached the panhandle and northwest Oklahoma, accounting for the cooler temperatures.  The good news is that we are not expecting any wintry weather or maximum temperatures in the 30s, but do expect highs across most of the state at this time tomorrow to be 20 to 30 degrees cooler than they were today.

TRACK THE COLD FRONT:
Current Air Temperatures
3-Hour Temperature Change
Current Wind Speeds
Maximum Gusts in the Past Hour
(All links redirect to the Oklahoma Mesonet.)

This map will automatically update with the latest
advisory information as it is received.

You may also have noticed that it is quite windy outside.  Windy conditions will continue through tomorrow morning. Ahead of the cold front are strong southerly winds, generally blowing between 15 and 25 mph, with stronger gusts.  This, along with the warm temperatures and low relative humidity values, has prompted a RED FLAG WARNING to be in effect across much of southwestern, central, and northeastern Oklahoma until 8 PM CDT this evening.  Behind the front, winds will be even stronger, sustained between 25 and 40 mph, gusting 45 to 55 mph, and blow from the north.  The strongest winds will generally occur across western Oklahoma.  Therefore, a WIND ADVISORY is in effect for much of the state until 7 AM CDT Wednesday, with a HIGH WIND WARNING in effect for the panhandle until 1 AM CDT Wednesday.

So how cool are we talking behind this front?  Well, lows tonight will range from the upper-20s in the panhandle, to the low-30s in northwest Oklahoma to the mid-to-upper-30s for the rest of the state except for far southeast Oklahoma, where lows in the mid-40s can be expected.  Skies will be clear to partly cloudy across the state with no precipitation expected.  For Wednesday, expect sunny skies and highs in the mid-to-upper-50s across the state, with the warmer highs occurring across southern Oklahoma.  Keeping in mind that the normal high for this time of year is only in the low-60s, these temperatures are more of a reality check than a major arctic blast.

Wednesday night will bring clear skies and lows in the mid-20s for the panhandle, upper-20s for western and north central Oklahoma, and low-30s elsewhere.  For Thursday, skies will remain sunny with highs quickly rebounding back above normal to the mid-to-upper-60s.  On Thursday night, skies will be mostly clear to partly cloudy, with lows in the upper-30s and low-40s.  For Friday, a slight chance for showers is possible across central and eastern Oklahoma under mostly cloudy skies with highs becoming cooler again: upper-50s in the panhandle and low-60s elsewhere.

AC

Sources: NWS, Mesonet