Pattern change will bring cooler temperatures to Oklahoma and increase rain chances

A break from the intense summer heat is on the way to Oklahoma as a pattern change brings cooler, below normal temperatures and increased rain chances. The heat ridge that's been baking Oklahoma over the weekend will gradually build east throughout this upcoming week (the last week of August) and weaken, opening the door for cold front to arrive late this upcoming week as a trough dives into the Northern Plains.

Upper-air weather pattern late this week (ridge—red/orange eastern U.S., trough—yellow/green Northern Plains)

This initial cold front late this week will be followed by another, potentially stronger, cold front on Labor Day Weekend. This cold front appears to pack more of a punch, dropping high temperatures well below normal from late Labor Day weekend into the first half of the first week of September. Highs for most of Oklahoma, outside of far southern Oklahoma, will fall into the mid to upper-80s late week with lows falling into the mid to upper 60s. Southern Oklahoma will stay around 90 with lows around 70. Then over the weekend, with the second cold front, parts of northern and central Oklahoma could see highs fall into the mid to upper 70s with lows around 60, possibly some upper 50, especially in the Panhandle. Southern Oklahoma will finally see the comfortable temperatures with highs dipping into the 80s and lows in the 60s late Labor Day Weekend into the first half of that following week. During this timeframe, temperatures are trending below normal, which is depicted by the Climate Prediction Center's 8-14-day temperature outlook.

8–14-day temperatures outlook from the CPC (blue colors show temperatures are leaning below normal)

Along with the cooler temperatures these cold fronts provide, rain chances will also increase with these fronts along with a few weak disturbances traversing the Sooner State. This will increase the rain chances and cloud coverage, only helping to keep temperatures below normal and help out with the expanding, intensifying drought over parts of the state. Rain chances will be in the forecast from Thursday through Labor Day Weekend with the best coverage and heaviest totals currently expected across northern and central Oklahoma. It should also be noted, a coastal system impacting Texas could sling enough moisture into southeastern Oklahoma to generate isolated storms each afternoon from Tuesday through Thursday that'll be enhanced via the Ouachita Mountains.

7-day precipitation forecast from the WPC