A Warm and Breezy Friday Before The Blustery Weather Returns Saturday

What is the forecast for Friday?

A storm system will near our area later this afternoon and bring a cold front across northeastern Oklahoma tonight. Gusty south winds continue today with afternoon highs reaching the upper 60s and lower 70s. As the front approaches the area tonight, a small window remains for a few scattered showers or storms, mostly east of the Tulsa metro. While probabilities remain low, if storms do develop, one or two could become strong to near severe.

Higher probability for thunderstorms will remain across the far eastern sections of the area into western Arkansas. As the cold front passes the area tonight, the main upper-level system lags across the southern and central plains tomorrow. This will bring blustery weather to the state, including the Tulsa metro. Low level moisture continues to stream from Texas into southern Oklahoma early this morning. There remains an outside chance for a few spotty showers on the leading edge of the moisture as it moves north and east. This probability also remains quite low.

Temperatures are mild this morning in the 50s under a stratus cloud deck along with gusty south winds. Top wind speeds should remain below wind advisory criteria today, but gusty winds will continue for most of the day.

Afternoon temperatures may be slightly tricky, but we continue to forecast highs in the upper 60s and a few lower 70s. A faster arrival of the cold front will keep temperatures cooler. We’ll have clouds this morning but should also see some clouds and sun mixture later this afternoon near and west of the Tulsa metro. We think the cold front should approach the area between 7 PM and 10 PM tonight and leave far southeastern Oklahoma around midnight. Latest data continues trends that have been noted over the past 48 hours supporting slightly more confidence to a dry frontal passage for the metro. A layer of warm air aloft should cap the atmosphere for most of the afternoon and early evening, but some instability could be realized later tonight. Latest trends support this being mostly across extreme Northeastern Oklahoma and southeastern Kansas, and across the state line in western Arkansas. Regardless, I think it’s prudent to keep a low mention for a shower or storm near the Tulsa metro, but slightly higher probabilities will remain well to our east between 8pm to midnight.

Saturday supports gusty and cold northwest winds at 20 to 30 mph with temperatures dropping into the upper 30s and lower 40s early tomorrow morning. The presence of the cold core upper air trough nearby will keep daytime temperatures tomorrow in the upper 40s or a few lower 50s. The pattern would suggest a slight chance for a few sprinkles tomorrow afternoon as the cold core passes overhead with a broken cloud deck. We’ll keep the forecast dry.

Sunday morning brings decreasing clouds and colder weather. Most locations will start in the 20s with afternoon highs in the upper 40s and lower 50s. Much lower wind speeds will return Sunday. Early next week, morning lows will remain in the 30s and daytime highs in the mid to upper 50s. An additional storm system will be near the area for the middle of the week, but precipitation chances should remain either south or west of our immediate area. Most ensemble data support another upper-level wave during the state next weekend with increasing probability of precipitation.

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

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

------------