Statewide FREEZE Expected

Following the passage of a strong cold front across Oklahoma yesterday and clear skies with light winds expected tonight, temperatures will fall below freezing across all of the state tonight into Tuesday morning.  Freeze alerts are currently covering the state, with a HARD FREEZE WARNING in effect for the panhandle and western Oklahoma, and a FREEZE WARNING in effect for central and eastern Oklahoma.  The average date for the last freeze in Tulsa and Oklahoma City is March 29-30.  As a result of this late-season freeze, plants and other tender vegetation may be killed if left unprotected overnight.  Please take precautionary measures to protect your plants and crops immediately.

The timing of freezing temperatures will be between midnight and 9 AM Tuesday.  Coldest temperatures will occur across the panhandle and northern Oklahoma, with lows in the low-to-mid-20s expected.  The rest of the state will generally experience lows in the upper-20s to low-30s.

The panhandle may experience an additional freeze on Friday morning as the result of another cold front.  The rest of the state is in the clear for now, but we will continue to watch these conditions.  High and low temperatures across the entire state will remain on the cool side for the remainder of the week.  Temperatures may reach the 70-degree mark across western Oklahoma on Wednesday but otherwise remain in the 60s or below for the remainder of the state the rest of this week.  As previously mentioned, the arrival of another cold front on Thursday will inhibit temperatures from rising any more after Wednesday.

AC

Sources: NWS, HOOT, Mesonet