Strong winds, high fire danger expected Friday across Oklahoma

Oklahoma’s fire danger is reaching extreme levels as a powerful storm system brings devastating wind gusts up to 70 MPH on Friday.

⚠️ What to Expect Friday

1. Morning: Winds start at 25-30 MPH by 7 a.m.
2. Afternoon: Gusts of 50-60+ MPH, peaking from noon to 6 p.m.
3. Northwest Oklahoma: Some areas could see gusts near 70 MPH
4. Fire Risk: Bone-dry conditions, one spark could be disastrous
5. Health Alert: Blowing dust will create poor air quality

Current conditions

Mostly pleasant weather is expected today, with afternoon highs in the lower 80s, sunshine, and south winds ranging from 7 to 15 mph.

The fire danger will remain moderate today but is expected to increase dramatically overnight and tomorrow as a powerful storm system affects the central and southern Plains Friday.

What’s the main impact on Friday?

Strong winds and high fire danger issues will be a big concern Friday. High wind watches currently underway will be upgraded to high wind warnings for parts of northern Oklahoma and southern Kansas tomorrow.

There is a slight chance of a few isolated showers or storms by midday tomorrow as a dry line moves from west to east, reaching extreme eastern Oklahoma, southeastern Kansas, and western Arkansas.

The probability of a quick shower or storm developing in this region ranges from 10% to 20%, but most areas are unlikely to experience precipitation.

Instead, the primary concern will be an exceptionally high fire danger. A dry line—a boundary that separates moist air from dry air—will move across Oklahoma tomorrow morning, likely passing through the Tulsa metro area by noon and reaching parts of southern Missouri by early Friday afternoon.

Locations west of the dry line will experience low humidity, strong west and southwest winds, and critical fire spread conditions. Periods of blowing dust will also be possible by afternoon and early evening.

What are the wind and fire risks?

As a strong upper-level system approaches the area overnight, a surface low-pressure area will rapidly develop and deepen as it moves into central Kansas by Friday afternoon. This system will create a significant pressure gradient, leading to sustained winds of 30 to 40 mph, with gusts potentially reaching 60 mph.

For context, severe thunderstorm wind criteria begin at 58 mph, meaning there is a possibility of sporadic wind damage tomorrow from midday through the evening as the storm system moves across the Central Plains. 

Some power may also be disrupted in periods of the strongest winds. In addition to strong winds and increased fire risks, visibility could be reduced in some areas due to airborne dust.

Extreme caution is advised to avoid activities that could ignite a fire or spark. Any fires that develop tomorrow could spread rapidly and exhibit erratic behavior.

When Will the Winds Begin to Decrease Speeds?

By late Friday night, the surface low-pressure system will move into the upper Midwest, and a cold front will arrive from the northwest. Winds will shift from the west-southwest to the northwest, bringing slightly cooler air.

Strong winds are expected to persist through Friday evening but should diminish by early Saturday morning.

What is the weekend outlook?

The upper air trough may still influence parts of the region on Saturday, leading to some cloud cover.

Active weather is expected to continue for states to the east and southeast, where severe storms are more likely.

For Northeastern OK, the weekend will bring a minor drop, with Saturday morning lows in the 40s and highs in the lower 60s.

Sunday will start with lows in the mid to upper 30s and highs in the mid-60s.

What’s the outlook for Spring Break?

Looking ahead to next week, the weather pattern is expected to remain active, with several fronts crossing the area. However, shower and storm chances will be limited due to dry conditions in the lower atmosphere.

One front is expected Tuesday night into Wednesday, with a low chance of showers or storms, primarily in extreme sections of the region.

Data indicates the possibility of a more noticeable cooldown by mid to late next week, with temperatures potentially falling below seasonal averages on Wednesday or Thursday.

Further updates on these probabilities will be provided tomorrow.

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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.

1. PSO Outage Map
2. OG&E Outage Map
3. VVEC Outage Map
4. Indian Electric Cooperative (IEC) Outage Map
5. 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/show/0dCHRWMFjs4fEPKLqTLjvy

The Alan Crone morning weather podcast link from Apple:

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

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