Altus, OK 73522 Weather

Key Messages

Updated at 1105 AM CDT Wed Oct 21 2026

- Warming trend continues this week.

- Low chance for showers/sprinkles through Wednesday morning.

- Higher rain chances return this weekend and continue into early next week.

Near Term

(Through Wednesday) Issued at 139 AM CDT Wed Oct 21 2026

Echoes continue to show up on the radar with much of this activity not reaching the ground through the evening hours due to dry low levels. Occasionally, some of the echoes had become robust enough for sprinkles or rain showers to occur in a few locations and every once in a while an echo would produce a lightning strike. Over the last couple of hours the rain showers had become a bit more common.

Low chances for sprinkles/rain showers are expected to continue through the rest of the night into Wednesday morning, mainly across portions of northern and central OK, as a shortwave moves across the central Plains. The activity will still have to overcome the dry low levels which will hinder some of it from reaching the ground. However, additional rain showers and/or sprinkles are possible. With about 100-300 J/kg of elevated CAPE, a few more lightning strikes are not completely out of the question overnight into Wednesday morning as well. Any chances for sprinkles/rain showers are expected to end later Wednesday morning as the shortwave shifts east of the area and the upper ridge builds over the southern/central High Plains.

With the upper ridge building over the region and southerly sfc winds, warmer temperatures are expected this afternoon with highs in the mid 70s to low 80s. The forecast temperatures are 5-10 degrees above normal for this time of year and similar to or a few degrees warmer than yesterday's (Tuesday) highs. Lows Wednesday night are expected to be above normal as well with temperatures dropping into the mid to upper 50s.

Short Term

(Wednesday night through Friday night) Issued at 139 AM CDT Wed Oct 21 2026

The upper ridge is forecast to remain over the region Thursday and Friday although the axis is expected to gradually shift east across the region during that time as an upper trough also moves across the western U.S. With the ridge over the region, warm and dry conditions are expected to continue across the area. Afternoon highs are expected to warm into the mid/upper 70s and low 80s both Thursday and Friday with lows in the mid to upper 50s. Southerly winds at the sfc could be a bit more breezy Friday, especially in NW parts of the fa as sfc trough develops in the lee of the Rockies and pressure gradient begins to increase.

Long Term

(Saturday through Tuesday) Issued at 139 AM CDT Wed Oct 21 2026

The previously mentioned upper trough is expected to continue to approach the area over the weekend and move into the southern Plains early next week. Models also show a cold front moving across the area early next week. This system will bring a chance for showers and maybe some storms starting this weekend and continuing into next week with the earliest and highest chances over western portions of the fa. The amount of moisture with this system does not look as abundant so rainfall amounts are not expected to be as high as the last couple of rain events the fa has experienced but some locations in western parts of the area may see rainfall totals of 1-1.5 inches.

Temperatures will remain warm and above average through the weekend with highs in the 70s to low 80s. Temperatures are then expected to cool early next week due to the cold front, clouds, and rain with highs in the 60s and some 70s.