Tulsa, Okla. – Showers moving across Oklahoma this week are setting up a more serious flooding threat beginning Wednesday night and continuing into Thursday. The National Weather Service in Tulsa warns that multiple rounds of heavy rain could overwhelm already saturated ground, raising the chance for flash flooding across eastern Oklahoma and into western Arkansas.
According to the NWS, scattered thunderstorms will redevelop Wednesday afternoon, strengthening into the evening and overnight hours. The greatest risk for excessive rainfall lies from Tulsa east toward Muskogee, Tahlequah, and Fort Smith, where flooding of low-lying roads and creeks may occur. Storm chances remain high into Thursday, with locally heavy rainfall totals expected.
Drivers on highways including I-40, I-44, and U.S. 69 should prepare for reduced visibility and ponding of water during the morning and evening commutes. Emergency managers recommend avoiding low-water crossings, charging devices ahead of possible outages, and monitoring alerts closely as rainfall intensifies.
The storm pattern is expected to shift east by Friday, with drier and calmer weather returning into the weekend. Additional watches or warnings may be issued if rainfall totals trend higher.
Five Day Forecast for Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Tuesday: Partly cloudy, high near 80. Small chance of showers.
- Wednesday: Showers likely, high near 73. Evening storms with heavy rain.
- Thursday: Rain and thunderstorms, high near 78. Flooding risk continues.
- Friday: Mostly cloudy, high near 75. Drying trend begins.
- Saturday: Partly sunny, high near 82. Calmer conditions.
