Tulsa Weather: Unsettled pattern lingers through the 4th of July
Independence Day Outlook
No major changes in the all-important Independence Day forecast. The best chance for storms remains just west of the area, but we do expect at least a few widely scattered showers and storms to pop up across eastern Oklahoma.
Afternoon highs have been adjusted slightly downward a few degrees and will now be expected to top out in the upper 80s, with a few spots nearing 90°. South winds will increase to 10–20 mph through the day.
For Friday evening fireworks and festivities, temperatures between 9 PM and midnight should stay in the lower 80s with a steady southwest breeze. A stray storm remains possible, but not likely.
Do I Need Rain Gear This Weekend?
You may need some rain gear at certain times. This weekend, upper-level flow will shift more northwesterly as weak disturbances move from the Rockies into the central Plains.
This pattern may bring storm systems into Oklahoma, particularly during the late evening and early morning hours. A few storms may arrive from Kansas early Saturday morning.
A few thunderstorms may develop with daytime heating Saturday afternoon, as highs reach the lower to mid-90s.
Increasing low-level moisture will push heat index values into the 97 to 101° range, raising heat stress concerns through the weekend and into early next week.
Chances for more organized storms will increase late Saturday night into early Sunday, and again Sunday afternoon through early Monday morning.
Sunday morning lows will start in the mid-70s, with highs in the lower to mid-90s and heat index values between 96 and 101°. South winds will continue at 10–20 mph.
Next Week
The active pattern looks to continue into early next week, with additional upper-level energy sliding across the central and northern High Plains. This could bring more organized storm chances to northern Oklahoma and southern Kansas.
Recreational Impacts
Area lake levels remain elevated, which could impact some recreational areas this weekend. Many lakes also have floating debris. Use extra caution on the water.
Here's a look at the current Illinois River level at the Tahlequah gauge as of this morning:
The Morning Weather Podcast:
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Emergency Info: Outages Across Oklahoma:
Northeast Oklahoma has various power companies and electric cooperatives, many of which have overlapping areas of coverage. Below is a link to various outage maps.
- PSO Outage Map
- OG&E Outage Map
- VVEC Outage Map
- Indian Electric Cooperative (IEC) Outage Map
- Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives Outage Map — (Note: Several Smaller Co-ops Included)