The map above depicts the potential situation this week for western Oklahoma as temperatures could hit record highs into the mid 80s before plunging more than 30 degees Tuesday night.
Here’s how Oklahoma Mesonet Climatologist Gary McManus described things in his Mesonet update.
“Now along the way to that changeover it’s gonna be a windy, smoky mess in the state. Those record highs along with winds gusting to over 45-50 mph will combine with relative humidity down into the teens and single digits to produce critical fire danger across much of the state, with the worst conditions across western Oklahoma, where a Red Flag Fire Warning has been issued by our NWS friends from those local offices.”
McManus says more record high temperatures could be produced Tuesday before the arrival of a cold front that will leave the state with wind chills in the teens and 20s and a return of actual temps below the freezing mark.