textproduct: Tulsa

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 1226 AM CDT Wed Sep 9 2026

- Heat headlines remain in effect this afternoon. Cooler temperatures are expected Thursday and Friday.

- Rain/storm chances increase by Wednesday evening and continue through Thursday. A few storms may produce strong to severe wind gusts this evening across NE OK and NW AR.

- Periodic rainfall chances continue this weekend into next week as additional storm systems influence the region.

- Localized fire weather concerns will continue today due to the worsening drought and well above average temperatures.

SHORT TERM

(Through Wednesday) Issued at 1115 PM CDT Tue Sep 8 2026

Quiet conditions are likely through the overnight period with warm overnight lows in the 70s/lower 80s. Conditions on Wednesday will be very similar to what occurred on Tuesday, at least through the first half of the day. A cold front, currently positioned across the C Plains will sag southward through the day as the upper ridge flattens. Ahead of the front, temperatures will once again warm into the lower 100s for most of the forecast area, with heat indices topping out between 105 and 112 degrees. The Heat Advisory and Extreme Heat Warning (effective Noon to 7 PM) were maintained with no changes to the configuration at this time. By late afternoon, the cold front will be on our doorstep, with increasing convection likely occurring along the boundary. Thunderstorm chances Wednesday evening are highest along and north of I-44, with at least a limited threat for severe wind gusts as sounding profiles remain favorable for downbursts. Locally heavy rainfall may also occur, though the flash flood threat should remain low due to dry antecedent conditions.

LONG TERM

(Wednesday Night through Tuesday) Issued at 1115 PM CDT Tue Sep 8 2026

The front will continue to make progress southward through Wednesday night and into Thursday with showers and thunderstorms spreading over much of E OK and NW AR. The synoptic front will tend to stall over the area Thursday, though outflow from thunderstorms may extend well into SE OK. This will complicate the temperature forecast, with any areas that remain undisturbed likely still achieving well above average values. Behind the front, and especially in areas which receive meaningful rainfall, temperatures will be significantly cooler than previous days...likely struggling to warm out of the 80s. The current temperature forecast favors less influence from the front and associated convection over SE OK and W-Central AR, with highs still in the mid-upper 90s. If this verifies, additional heat headlines may be required. With that said, several CAMs show potential for outflow/cooler temperatures to encompass the entire CWA, and this evolution will need to be watched closely. Thunderstorms Thursday afternoon may produce gusty winds, especially with any clustering that occurs, though severe weather appears less likely as of now due to poor wind shear.

The front lifts back to the north as a shortwave moves through the region on Friday. This will prolong low precipitation chances across the area, with SE OK and NW AR being most favored for afternoon thunderstorms (20-50 percent chance). Otherwise, drier weather is forecast on Friday with lessening cloud cover. As a result, temperatures will recover back into the 90s for the entire area, with heat indices in the lower 100s possible again. Meanwhile, a shortwave trough moving across the northern plains will send another cold front southward Friday night into Saturday, potentially bringing additional rain chances to portions of the area, particularly along and north of I-40. Yet another storm system is forecast to move through the central states early next week, bringing another front near or into the CWA with additional rainfall potential.

Temperatures this weekend into next week will be largely driven by frontal placement and resulting precipitation/cloud coverage. Model spread increases significantly by the end of the forecast period with differences of up to 15-20 degrees noted between the NBM 25th and 75th percentile. The current temperature forecast leans more towards status quo, with highs in the 90s persisting into next week. This is better than our latest streak of 100+ weather...but still several degrees above average for mid September. If the fronts can make more meaningful intrusions into our area, cooler temperatures can be expected.

AVIATION

(06Z TAFS) Issued at 1226 AM CDT Wed Sep 9 2026

Mainly VFR conditions will prevail through the forecast period. South winds may gust near 20 knots at times Wednesday, especially at KTUL. Scattered showers and thunderstorms may begin to impact the northeast Oklahoma sites Wednesday evening as a cold front approaches, but the greater impacts will be just beyond the end of this forecast period.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

TUL 103 74 87 69 / 10 60 80 20 FSM 104 77 95 73 / 10 10 50 40 MLC 102 77 95 72 / 0 10 60 30 BVO 103 67 85 63 / 20 90 90 10 FYV 102 73 90 66 / 10 10 50 40 BYV 100 74 88 69 / 10 10 60 40 MKO 101 74 90 68 / 0 20 50 30 MIO 101 71 84 67 / 20 80 90 10 F10 102 74 89 68 / 0 20 70 30 HHW 99 75 96 73 / 0 0 30 30

TSA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

OK...Heat Advisory from noon today to 7 PM CDT this evening for OKZ049-053-055>059-063>065-068-069-073-075-154-172-254-276- 354-376.

Extreme Heat Warning from noon today to 7 PM CDT this evening for OKZ060>062-066-067-070-071-074-176-272.

AR...Heat Advisory from noon today to 7 PM CDT this evening for ARZ001-002-010-011-119-120-229.

Extreme Heat Warning from noon today to 7 PM CDT this evening for ARZ129-219-220.