textproduct: Norman

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 200 AM CDT Thu Aug 20 2026

- Excessive heating returns to parts of our area today, with the most dangerous heating across southcentral Oklahoma.

- With only parts of northern OK getting a slight break from the excessive heating for today and this weekend, the heatwave generally continues through early next week.

- Isolated rain/storms are possible each day across parts of our area but are very limited in coverage and unorganized.

NEAR TERM

(Through Thursday) Issued at 200 AM CDT Thu Aug 20 2026

Dangerous heating will once again be our weather hazard for today. The upper ridge "heat dome" centered over the U.S. Southwest will continue building eastward over the Southern High Plains while a weak mid-level shortwave rounding the ridge will continue pushing a second reinforcing "summer" cool front across our area. The front currently stretched along the I-40 corridor is expected to make only a slight push southward before stalling out across southern Oklahoma by this afternoon through the overnight hours. Our counties near & south of the surface front could see the most dangerous heating for this afternoon. However increasing mid-level cloud cover could forestall some of this dangerous afternoon heating should it linger through the afternoon. Satellite imagery showing a large cloud shield lee of the Rockies over the Central High Plains upstream from yet another weak shortwave. With northwest flow aloft that aforementioned dense cloud cover will continue spreading into northwest Oklahoma through the morning and over our entire forecast area by sunrise. Latest RRRFS & HREF guidance has clear/sunny skies across the northern one-third of Oklahoma by mid-afternoon with broken sky conditions around the southern two-thirds of Oklahoma and northern Texas. As a result of the uncertainty with afternoon cloud cover will trend "less hot" than NBM using the CONSShort for todays MaxT. However will keep the current Extreme Heat Warning for this afternoon across southcentral through southeastern Oklahoma with a Heat Advisory across southwest Oklahoma and all of western north Texas. Did extend the Heat Advisory a couple rows of counties along and north of I-40 in central Oklahoma which now includes the entire OKC Metro for heat indices exceeding 105 degrees. We also have low rain/storm POPs across northern Oklahoma early this morning extending into central Oklahoma after daylight through the rest of the morning. Forecast soundings suggest steep mid to high level moisture along with some elevated instability with vorticity from as a mid-level shortwave coming down off the Central High Plains inducing rain and/or isolated convection. DCAPE values support a potential for strong to damaging wind gusts mainly in far northwest Oklahoma. Should cloud cover scatter in southeast Oklahoma late this afternoon and the front stalls then strong mixing into a weak mid-level cap could initiate a few thunderstorms across southeast Oklahoma. Instability is on the weak side for any organization and mainly pulse type convection but strong wind gusts are possible.

SHORT TERM

(Thursday night through Saturday night) Issued at 200 AM CDT Thu Aug 20 2026

Our stalled cold front expected to lift as a warm front Friday and stall out again somewhere north of I-40 bringing a return of dangerous heating further northward as well. We could see another surface front at least partially come through our area on Saturday, although more of a "back-door" cool front coming down through the U.S. Midwest. With widespread triple digits highs each day, Saturdays cool front could slightly break the heatwave across northcentral Oklahoma with double-digit (upper 90s) highs.

LONG TERM

(Sunday through Wednesday) Issued at 200 AM CDT Thu Aug 20 2026

Upper ridge remains in place across the western two-thirds of the country with the high/heat dome across the Southwestern U.S. with its eastern extend creeping into the Southern Plains. Although northcentral Oklahoma may see another slight break from the heatwave on Sunday from the aforementioned backdoor cool front but returning back on Monday with triple digit highs widespread. A series of mid- level disturbances rounding the ridge may move through on Tuesday and Wednesday bringing rain/storm chances on both days. Fire weather conditions may return early next week across our west but mainly driven by very dry and hot air over dry vegetation from the persisting extreme drought.

AVIATION

(06Z TAFS) Issued at 1042 PM CDT Wed Aug 19 2026

Low/sporadic coverage of rain and storms remains the main aviation impact as we head into Thursday. In general, "best" chances (coverage) will shift southeastward from the early morning into evening. While only added at KDUA for now, a few thunderstorms yielding gusty-erratic winds are becoming increasingly likely near the Red River during the afternoon hours.

Otherwise, a reinforced front continues to sink southward across the I-40 corridor of central Oklahoma offering a more sustained northeast wind shift in its wake. For now, barring potential convective influence, surface winds are forecast to begin backing (at least subtly) by the late morning across the region.

Safe travels!

Ungar

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Oklahoma City OK 102 76 104 77 / 20 10 10 20 Hobart OK 108 77 108 77 / 20 20 0 0 Wichita Falls TX 108 79 108 79 / 0 20 0 0 Gage OK 99 72 104 72 / 0 10 0 10 Ponca City OK 100 73 101 73 / 0 20 0 20 Durant OK 108 78 107 78 / 20 20 20 20

OUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

OK...Heat Advisory from 1 PM this afternoon to 8 PM CDT this evening for OKZ018-019-023>039-044-045.

Extreme Heat Warning from 1 PM this afternoon to 8 PM CDT this evening for OKZ040>043-046>048-050>052.

TX...Heat Advisory from 1 PM this afternoon to 8 PM CDT this evening for TXZ083>090.