Fire concerns elevate Wednesday

(TULSA, Okla.) A sunny and seasonally cool day is underway, with northwest winds remaining a bit gusty behind Saturday night’s cold front. Winds will fall off Sunday evening as a surface ridge moves overhead, with lows dipping into the 30s areawide. Sunny and mild weather will continue for Monday and Tuesday as mid-level heights rise. Return flow will kick in late Tuesday into Wednesday, although ridging across the gulf coast states will delay the low-level moisture return. Expect the fire danger threat to increase significantly on Wednesday, with above normal temperatures, breezy south winds and afternoon relative humidity values falling to around 25-30 percent. Well above normal temperatures and breezy winds will persist through late week, although better moisture return will occur by that time. A stronger upper level system and associated frontal boundary will impact the region later next weekend. Later Saturday night into Sunday continues to be the favored time-frame for showers and thunderstorms. Monday Sunny, with a high near 66. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Monday Night Clear, with a low around 37. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 66. Light and variable wind becoming southeast 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon. Tuesday Night Clear, with a low around 43. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 70. South wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Wednesday Night Clear, with a low around 51. South wind around 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 74. South wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 54. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 73. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Friday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 54. South wind around 10 mph. Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 70. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Saturday Night A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Sunday A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 60. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.