Expect freezing rain Friday, snow Saturday

The big story continues to be the potential for wintry weather Friday into Saturday.

Wintry precipitation will start early Friday morning across portions of eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas. Freezing rain and rain will be most likely during the day Friday, with a zone of mixed precipitation developing Friday night. Snow will become most likely on Saturday, possibly mixed with sleet.

A cold front is slated to move through eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas on Thursday with the potential for rain in the vicinity of the boundary as it moves through the area. Temperatures will be noticeably cooler on Thursday behind the cold front.

The precipitation shield will begin to return to the north on Friday. Some of the precipitation along the north edge of the precipitation shield may fall as a wintry mix of freezing drizzle and light snow.

The potential for wintry weather really ramps up later Friday night into Saturday as an upper level moves out of the Southwest United States and across the Southern Plains. A wintry mix will transition to mostly all snow across the majority of the area by Saturday evening as the cold air deepen before ending Sunday Morning.

Of course, it is still early to give any real specific amounts of snow and ice. However, it is looking more likely that there will be impactful amounts of snow and ice across much of northeast Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas Friday Night into Saturday. It all depends on the ultimate track and strength of the upper level as it moves across the Southern Plains.

As we move into next week high pressure will build at the surface and aloft resulting in a slow warming trend across the region.