Winter storms expected until Thursday

(TULSA, Okla.) The ongoing winter storm and the extreme cold dominate the weather message in the near term. As if this wasn’t enough, another system is expected to bring more snow Tuesday into Wednesday. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, however. Our current second round of snow along the advancing mid-level cold front and ahead of the shortwave trough axis stretches north-south across central OK. This band will continue to advance east across the region Sunday night. Areas to the northwest of Tulsa may be the winners snow wise with this system, but most areas in the wake of this second round of snow should get close to 4 inches at least. Strong and gusty north winds are causing blowing and drifting of the powdery snow, with the biggest issues along east- west roads. Aside from the snow, the other big and potentially life-threatening impact from this storm will be the extreme cold. Wind chills may dip as low as 25 below, with this impact expected to last well past the duration of the snow. Given the unusual situation we are dealing with, and the potentially high impact on people from the extreme cold, a wind chill warning has been issued through Tuesday morning. Accumulating snow potential is expected to come to a quick end Monday morning as the upper trough axis swings across the region. As a result, the winter storm warning expiration has been pulled back to noon Monday. We get a break Monday night into Tuesday in between systems. Snow will begin to spread back into eastern Oklahoma Tuesday afternoon and will intensify into Tuesday evening, as a west to east band develops in response to strengthening 850mb warm frontogenesis. This snow will spread east into northwest Arkansas Wednesday morning before focus then shifts to southeast Oklahoma and west central Arkansas with the main upper system. The stronger forcing from the upper wave has been forecasted farther north with this second system, compared to the current system affecting our area. Potential continues to increase for significant snowfall with this storm and considerable travel impact. This system will not have near as much wind, however, so blowing and drifting and wind chills will not be as big an issue compared to the current storm. Snowfall is expected to come to an end on Thursday. A warming trend will begin by the end of the week, slowed initially by snow melt. Highs in the 40s by Saturday will feel like a heat wave compared to what we’ve been through. The blocking pattern that brought the cold and active winter weather will give way to a fast-moving progressive pattern that is likely to persist into the following week. A storm and associated cold front are expected to slide across the Plains by late next weekend, though air behind this system will be more Pacific in nature, not arctic. With low pressure passing by to our north, this system is not expected to be a winter weather threat either. Monday A 20 percent chance of snow before noon. Patchy blowing snow before noon. Cloudy and cold, with a high near 7. Wind chill values between -9 and -19. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Monday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around -8. Wind chill values between -12 and -17. North wind 5 to 10 mph. Tuesday A 30 percent chance of snow after noon. Increasing clouds and cold, with a high near 13. Wind chill values between -8 and -18. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph in the morning. Tuesday Night Snow, mainly before midnight. The snow could be heavy at times. Temperature rising to around 18 by 5am. East wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Wednesday A 50 percent chance of snow. Cloudy and cold, with a high near 20. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Wednesday Night A 20 percent chance of snow before midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 15. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Thursday Partly sunny, with a high near 23. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 10. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southwest after midnight. Friday Sunny, with a high near 34. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 24. South wind 10 to 15 mph. Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 40. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Saturday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 32. South wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 45. West wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.