Hot, dry weather will continue across Oklahoma as the weekend begins.
The National Weather Service said an upper-level ridge of high pressure will slide over the southern Plains on Friday, keeping thunderstorm chances very low and temperatures quite hot.
A few thunderstorms may make their way into northwest Oklahoma and an even greater chance of storms will arrive on Saturday with an advancing cold front, forecasters said.
There will be a slight risk of severe thunderstorms late Saturday into Sunday across northern and central Oklahoma, according to the weather service. The severe risk may linger into Sunday for southern Oklahoma and western North Texas.
Meanwhile, temperatures will approach or exceed 100 degrees on Friday and Saturday before any relief arrives.
On Thursday, skies were mostly clear and temperatures ranged from 91 degrees in Bartlesville to 103 degrees in Lawton. Other triple-digit readings were 101 degrees reported at Altus, Clinton, Frederick and Gage, and 100 degrees at Guymon.
The high was 95 degrees in Tulsa and 97 degrees in McAlester and Oklahoma City, according to the weather service.
Sunny skies are expected on Friday, with temperatures topping out the 90s and lower 100s. Lows should range from the mid-60s in the Oklahoma Panhandle and 70s to near 80 elsewhere.
On Saturday, skies will be partly cloudy in most of the state and mostly cloudy in northern Oklahoma, where showers and thunderstorms are possible. Temperatures are expected to climb into the 90s in the Panhandle and lower 100s in the rest of the state, according to forecasts.
Mostly cloudy conditions may linger from Sunday through Tuesday, with thunderstorm chances falling into the slight category for Monday and Tuesday. Temperatures should range from the mid-80s to lower 100s during the day and 60s and 70s Sunday night, the weather service said.
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