Weather Blog: High Fire Danger To Start Week Before Chance For Storms

A potent storm system is expected to sweep through the central and southern Great Plains states by midweek, increasing the likelihood of showers and storms in Oklahoma.

What is the weather like on Monday?

As this system is organizing to our west, strong south winds will combine with a sunshine and cloud mix to push temperatures into the upper 80s.

We’ll be nearing record highs Monday afternoon. Wind speeds today are anticipated to range from 20 to 40 mph range and nearing 25 to 45 mph by tomorrow.

The fire danger will be increasing today, and red flag warnings will be issued for areas along and northwest of I-44.

It's important to note that many counties are under burn bans. 

As the storm system draws closer, expect a surge in shower and storm activity by Wednesday afternoon into the night, with a possibility of severe weather.

The pattern has shifted, leading to the development of a longwave trough across the western United States and a mid-level high-pressure ridge in the eastern regions.

At the trough's base, an incoming disturbance is expected to increase the likelihood of showers and storms by Wednesday afternoon and evening.

Dew points will be around the lower 60s before the storm's arrival. Shower activity is expected to intensify Wednesday afternoon near or west of our region before moving eastward Wednesday evening.

There will be a threat of severe storms. The main hazards include large hail and damaging winds. A tornado cannot be ruled out, but this probability remains low. 

As the frontal system passes late on Wednesday night, cooler and drier air arrives Thursday with morning lows in the upper 40s and lower 50s followed by afternoon highs in the lower to mid-60s.

An active weather pattern is set to persist into the weekend, with chances for additional showers and storms. The early outlook for next week also supports a mention of showers and storms on Election Day.

What are the major traffic projects around Tulsa this week?

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) provide daily details on several traffic advisories for the Tulsa area and surrounding regions.

To start October, here are some of the significant traffic advisories. For more information, see our detailed list.

I-244 Pavement Rehabilitation

1. Ongoing pavement work between I-44 and the Arkansas River bridge, with lane and ramp closures lasting through spring 2025.

US-75 Bridge Rehabilitation

1. Lane closures at 7th St. and off-ramp closures to 7th St. through fall 2024 for bridge rehabilitation.

US-412 Bridge Rehabilitation

1. US-412 narrowed to two lanes at 81st W. Ave. in Sand Springs through February 2025.

Emergency Info: Outages Across Oklahoma:

Northeast Oklahoma has various power companies and electric cooperatives, many of which have overlapping areas of coverage. Below is a link to various outage maps.

PSO Outage Map

OG&E Outage Map

VVEC Outage Map

Indian Electric Cooperative (IEC) Outage Map

Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives Outage Map — (Note Several Smaller Co-ops Included)

The Alan Crone morning weather podcast link from Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0lhl2e475ZGdJcjF84zj3d

The Alan Crone morning weather podcast link from Apple:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/oklahoma-news-from-kotv-news-on-6-in-tulsa-oklahoma/id1499556141

Follow the News On 6 Meteorologists on Facebook!

Meteorologist Travis Meyer

Meteorologist Stacia Knight

Meteorologist Alan Crone

Meteorologist Stephen Nehrenz

Meteorologist Aaron Reeves

Meteorologist Megan Gold