Following Cold Front, Spring Fever Comes to End

The passage of a cold front through the state beginning Wednesday morning will bring temperatures back to near-normal levels for this time of year, effectively signaling an end to the second round of spring fever we were treated to over the past four days.  While tomorrow's afternoon high temperatures are expected to hover right around normal or be just a few degrees below normal, Thursday will be much cooler, with highs across most of the state forecast to run between 10 and 15 degrees below average.  The exception will be the panhandle, which will see highs back in the 60s.  Friday will be significantly warmer, with highs in the 50s and 60s across the state.  However, another front on Saturday will drop temperatures yet again to the 40s and 50s.  The cooler weather will remain through the weekend into next week, with another blast of arctic air possible by early next week.

HOOT: Forecast Models
MESONET: Forecast Maps

February has been a roller-coaster sort of month so far regarding temperatures.  The first five days of the month started with cool temperatures.  But as we have come to the end of the next five-day period, temperatures have warmed and been much-above average, with springtime highs over the past four days.  Below are the preliminary climate reports for Oklahoma City and Tulsa depicting the temperature range.  You can see the data presented as a graph by clicking on the city name.  Data and information is courtesy of the National Weather Service.

OKLAHOMA CITY

DY MAX MIN AVG DEP
==================
 1  47  22  35  -6
 2  39  16  28 -13
 3  59  25  42   1
 4  48  27  38  -3 
 5  43  19  31 -10
 6  62  27  45   3
 7  72  40  56  14
 8  78R 39  59  17   
 9  70  41  56  14
10  71  39  55  13
==================

TULSA

DY MAX MIN AVG DEP
==================
 1  47  18  33  -6
 2  34  11  23 -16
 3  58  24  41   2
 4  53  26  40   0 
 5  38  16  27 -13
 6  59  30  45   5
 7  69  42  56  16
 8  79R 38  59  19   
 9  59  38  59   8
10  62  30  46   5  
==================

Long-term forecasts by the Climate Prediction Center are showing as much as a 50 percent chance that temperatures will be below normal in the upcoming 6 to 10 and 8 to 14 day period as an upper-level trough will dominate across the eastern two-thirds of the nation.  Record-setting cold is possible in parts of the Northeast during this time.  Thus, the spring fever appears to have come to more of a long-term end at this point.

AC
 

Sources: NWS, Mesonet, CPC