Oklahoma Faces Highest Severe Weather Risk Of The Year Today

Today is shaping up to bring Oklahoma its highest severe weather risk of the year so far, and the threat arrives in two separate waves.

The predicted area of concern has shifted slightly east and south and now dips just below the I-40 corridor.

What hasn't changed is the way the National Weather Service thinks these storms will pop up.

The first storms are expected to start building in far western OK between Erick and Woodward. These will likely be small but powerful rotating storms that will move northeast as they develop.

The potential for tornadoes is still low, but it comes with the disclaimer that any tornado that may form will most likely be intense.

That's the afternoon forecast, but things will switch up as the evening progresses.

As this cold front pushes in, scattered storms will start to fill in and form a solid line that will begin to push southeast through the state.

Wind and hail will be the main threats during this event, but a tornado isn't out of the question.

Not all of Oklahoma will see storms either. Best estimates put the highest likelihood in central and southern portions of the state, moving into SEOK as the night progresses.

Behind this weather system, Oklahoma will likely get the last remnants of springtime weather. Daily highs in the low to mid-60s, with an overnight low Saturday into Sunday in the 30s for most of the state.

The temperatures will eventually rebound next week, and it looks pretty good across the state. Not too warm during the day, cool nights, and with enough rainfall, it'll be prime backyard fire pit weather, burn ban permitting.