959 FXUS64 KTSA 180515 AFDTSAArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Tulsa OK 1215 AM CDT Thu Sep 18 2025
...New SHORT TERM, LONG TERM, AVIATION...
.KEY MESSAGES... Issued at 1215 AM CDT Wed Sep 17 2025
- Well above average temperatures continue today for most locations ahead of passing cold front by this afternoon/evening.
- Shower and thunderstorm chances increase /20-50 percent/ with frontal boundary today. A few marginally severe thunderstorms are possible along/ahead of the front.
- Temperatures drop closer to seasonal average with at least low shower and storm chances /20-30 percent/ by early next week as confidence remains low on how the upper air pattern evolves.
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.SHORT TERM... (Today and Tonight) Issued at 1215 AM CDT Thu Sep 18 2025
The start of pattern change will occur today. An upper level low, centered over NE/SD will fuse together with another, more potent upper level low dropping south from Saskatchewan by late tonight. As this occurs, a lobe/wave will rotate across the Plains this afternoon into this evening. At the surface, a cold front will be pushed across the Central/Southern Plains, pushing across the forecast area this afternoon into this evening. Latest CAMs continue to indicate widely scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms developing both ahead of the approaching front and along it, with perhaps more isolated activity behind the boundary. As daytime heating gets going, some atmospheric destabilization will occur, with MUCAPE increasing between 1500-2000+ J/kg ahead of the front, and steepening low level lapse rates. CAMs seem to focus stronger storms initiating along/ahead of the southeastward-advancing cold front around 2-3 PM. Although deep layer shear will be somewhat weak, marginally severe storms will be possible across much of the forecast area, especially where storms cluster and/or tap into pockets of higher instability. Main threats with the strongest storms will be damaging wind gusts and large hail. With PWATs ranging between 1.6 to 1.9 inches ahead of the front, localized heavy rain will also be included as a main threat with storms, as well. Localized flooding/flash flooding will certainly be a concern through the afternoon and into the evening hours. Storms may linger through the nighttime, but the severe threat is expected to end by mid-late evening. The cold front may slow down and/or stall across northwest AR and far southeast OK late tonight into Friday morning.
As far as temperatures, another abnormally hot mid-September day is expected across eastern OK and northwest AR before todays cold front pushes through the area. Afternoon highs will reach the upper 80s to lower 90s for most locations. Portions of Pawnee, Osage, and Washington counties may see temperatures top out in the mid-80s behind the front. Temperatures will drop a few degrees tonight into Friday morning in the wake of the front, generally low-mid 60s for most locations, still a few degrees above seasonal average.
Mejia
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.LONG TERM... (Friday through Wednesday) Issued at 1215 AM CDT Thu Sep 18 2025
Shower and thunderstorm chances will end west-to-east Friday morning, possibly lingering into the afternoon across portions of far southeast OK and northwest AR, as the mid/upper level trough axis and surface cold front shift east of the area. The remainder of the day Friday and Friday night look mostly dry as shortwave ridging moves overhead. However, GFS still shows remnants of the surface boundary lingering across far southeast OK/far northeast TX, which may cause a few showers and thunderstorms to develop late Friday afternoon/evening generally south of I-40. This scenario will be monitored over the next couple of days. For now, will maintain the NBM solution which shows dry conditions. The next rain- maker/shortwave trough will advance over the Southern Plains Saturday morning/afternoon. With low level warm air advection returning, isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop (20-40%) northwest-to-southeast ahead of the trough axis Saturday into Saturday night. The shortwave trough axis looks to gradually shift over the forecast area Saturday night into Sunday before it exits to the east Sunday night. This will cause widespread shower and thunderstorm chances to increase (40-60%) Sunday into Sunday night. Moderate to heavy rainfall will be possible by Saturday night, continuing into Sunday and perhaps into early next week. Additionally, a few strong to severe thunderstorms will also be possible Sunday into early next week. Details to come later.
Forecast uncertainty rapidly increases by early to the mid part of next week as the pattern is expected to amplify and remain unsettled. There is still lots of discrepancies in model guidance between Monday and Wednesday to pinpoint an accurate forecast at this time. Temperatures are forecast to continue near or slightly above seasonal normal temps, with low daily precip chances.
Mejia
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.AVIATION... (06Z TAFS) Issued at 1215 AM CDT Thu Sep 18 2025
Timing potential for on-station thunderstorm impacts is the main aviation challenge today. Current expectations are for a declining batch of thunderstorms to move through the NE OK terminals near and just after sunrise, with the chance of thunderstorms making it this far east low enough to keep just a shower mention for now. Another round of diurnal thunderstorms focused in W AR and into SE OK is expected, with PROB30 groups included at MLC and the four W AR sites although the timing window fine tuned from the earlier TAFs. Finally, another round of thunderstorms remains on track to move into the NE OK terminals late in the period, sweeping southward, impacting the remaining sites after this TAF period. Potential for locally IFR conditions will exist, along with convective wind gusts, neither of which will be included in the terminals given continued uncertainties. In addition to the thunderstorm impacts, another round of reduced visibilities at FYV should occur during the first portion of the TAF period, although high clouds should keep the reductions MVFR for the most part. Winds will become predominantly from a westerly direction by the afternoon in response to a frontal passage.
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.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... TUL 89 66 86 68 / 40 60 20 10 FSM 93 68 88 68 / 50 50 30 10 MLC 92 65 88 67 / 50 60 40 10 BVO 85 61 85 63 / 50 70 10 10 FYV 89 62 85 63 / 50 60 40 10 BYV 89 64 84 62 / 50 60 50 10 MKO 91 65 86 67 / 40 60 30 10 MIO 88 63 84 63 / 50 70 30 10 F10 90 64 87 66 / 30 60 30 10 HHW 92 67 87 66 / 30 40 30 10
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.TSA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OK...None. AR...None. &&
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SHORT TERM...67 LONG TERM....67 AVIATION...22
NWS TSA Office Area Forecast Discussion