Severe Weather Returns to Oklahoma: Storms on the Horizon
Oklahoma is temporarily enjoying a break from severe weather on Wednesday, but forecasters expect conditions to change dramatically starting Thursday. KOCO 5 Meteorologist Jonathan Conder has issued a level 2 slight risk warning for western, central, and northern areas, including the Oklahoma City (OKC) metro, extending towards Lawton, Seminole, and areas east of Tulsa and Bartlesville. Additionally, a level 1 marginal risk is in place for southern and eastern regions.
A significant storm system is forecasted to sweep across from Kansas late Thursday into early Friday morning, bringing with it an increased risk of tornadoes statewide. The tornado index is set at 4 out of 10 for the Panhandle, while western, central, and northern areas face a rating of 2, and southern regions receive a 1. Expect storms capable of producing golf ball-sized hail in the Panhandle, with the potential for smaller hail elsewhere in the state.
Early predictions indicate that storms will enter northwestern Oklahoma around midnight, progressing southeast and hitting the OKC area by approximately 3 a.m. Friday, before continuing into southeastern Oklahoma by daybreak. Following this initial wave of storms, nearly all of Oklahoma will find itself under a level 2 risk on Friday, with a level 1 risk localized along the Oklahoma-Texas border.
Conder notes that the severity of Friday’s weather will depend heavily on the development and recovery of morning storms. Should these storms dissipate, another round of storms with heavy rainfall could arrive from Kansas late Friday into Saturday morning.
Residents are advised to stay informed by downloading the KOCO 5 app for customized weather alerts.
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