A Roller Coaster Weather Pattern Unfolding Soon

What is the forecast for Wednesday?

A surface ridge of high pressure settles near the area overnight bringing the coldest night of the week resulting in Wednesday morning temps dropping into the mid-20s in the valleys and near freezing in the metro.

As the ridge moves south of the region Wednesday afternoon, south winds return at 10 to 20 mph bringing a warming trend with afternoon highs in the lower 60s. A strong upper-level system quickly drops across the intermountain region of the northern Rockies and will cause a surface area of low pressure developing across the plains. This will bring gusty and strong south winds late Wednesday evening and more so Thursday, possibly from speeds of 25 to near 40 mph by midday to Thursday afternoon.

The antecedent dry weather and dormant vegetation combined with the expected environmental conditions will increase fire spread rates resulting in a high fire danger through the afternoon. Avoid any activity that could start a fire on Thursday. Outdoor burning should be avoided. This dynamic system will also have a small window for strong to severe storm chances across the area late Friday night and blustery weather returning this weekend. Afternoon highs Thursday will be in the upper 60s across eastern OK with warmer weather near and west of I-35.

A powerful upper-level trough will swing across the southern and central plains Friday and slowly eject to our east Saturday. If low level moisture can arrive ahead of this system, the threat of strong to severe storms will also exist, mostly across far southeastern OK or possibly near and east of highway 69 late Friday night into pre-dawn Saturday. The front will bring blustery conditions Saturday with highs mostly in the 40s. Colder air aloft will be moving across part of the state Saturday midday to afternoon that would support any remaining precipitation transitioning from liquid to some snow, but the consensus keeps most of the area dry after the pre-dawn Saturday hours. We'll continue to monitor the data as the system nears and adjust as needed. 

CLICK HERE for Alan Crone's weather podcast.

How to prepare my home for a freeze?

The City of Tulsa says it's important to protect your pipes from the cold.

Officials recommend protecting outside pipes by disconnecting garden hoses from your house and installing covers on outside faucets.

Also, if a sink is along an outside wall of your home, allow a trickle of water to run and open the cabinet doors to allow warm air to circulate.

The National Weather Service says when temperatures drop to 28°F or lower for a couple of hours you should bring pets indoors, protect sensitive vegetation, protect outdoor pipes and let indoor faucets drip and to turn off automatic sprinklers.

Space Heater Safety Tips (via CBS News)

1. If you're using a space heater, make sure it's not too close to things that can burn like upholstered furniture, clothing, a mattress, or bedding.
2. Never plug a space heater into an extension cord, always plug it directly into a wall outlet.
3. Remember to turn it off before leaving the room or going to bed. Keep it out of the reach of children and pets. Look for signs of malfunctions, especially on older models.
4. Make sure it has an automatic shutoff function.
5. Make sure you have working smoke detectors with fresh batteries. Change the battery twice a year.

On average, fires caused by portable heaters cause 65 deaths and 150 injuries a year, according to the US Fire Administration.

Overnight on Sunday, firefighters battled several house fires across Tulsa as temperatures dropped below freezing.

Click here for Alan Crone's weather podcast

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