A mixed bag of weather, then things start to heat up

(TULSA, Okla.) The main forecast concern continues to be the potential for locally heavy rainfall into Monday morning across parts of northeast Oklahoma, with low end snow accumulation potential remaining Tuesday night/Wednesday morning in far northwest Arkansas. Lightning strikes have been detected recently from activity in eastern New Mexico and parts of the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles, and it is likely that some increase in instability and isolated lightning potential will extend across our area overnight, as the upper system moves closer. Rainfall across southeast Oklahoma will end before anywhere else in the forecast area, as the dry slot moves in after midnight Sunday, with rainfall lingering along the Kansas and Missouri borders into the daytime Monday near and north of the track of the surface low. Another storm system will move through the area on the heels of the current one, affecting the area Tuesday and into Tuesday night. Overall, models appear drier with this system than at this same time Saturday, with parts of northwest Arkansas and far northeast Oklahoma most likely to see precipitation during this time frame. Any light rain Tuesday afternoon will transition to snow or rain/snow mix Tuesday night, with any accumulations remaining at a quarter inch or less. Dry weather will prevail for the rest of the forecast beginning Wednesday. Wednesday will feature well below normal temperatures, with warmer conditions arriving Thursday and continuing through the weekend. Above normal highs will be in the offing by Sunday and possibly on Saturday as well. Monday A 20 percent chance of showers before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Monday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. West wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Tuesday A 20 percent chance of showers after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 52. West wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Tuesday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30. North wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Wednesday Partly sunny, with a high near 41. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 26. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south after midnight. Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 55. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 32. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming northeast after midnight. Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 53. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. Friday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 31. North wind 5 to 10 mph. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 56. North wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Saturday Night Clear, with a low around 37. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 62. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.