Holiday Heatwave to Arctic Blast: LeFlore County’s Wild Week of Weather

It is Christmas Eve in LeFlore County, and the weather is anything but traditional. While residents from Heavener to Poteau are used to the unpredictable nature of Oklahoma weather, the forecast for the final week of 2025 is shaping up to be one for the record books.

We are currently tracking a massive “temperature swing” that will see the county go from record-breaking holiday warmth to a bone-chilling freeze in just 48 hours.

Record Warmth for Christmas (Dec 24 – Dec 27)

If you were hoping to wear your new Christmas sweater outdoors, you might want to reconsider. A powerful ridge of high pressure has settled over the Southern Plains, pulling unseasonably warm air up from the Gulf of Mexico.

• Christmas Eve (Wednesday): Today will be exceptionally mild with a high of 74°F. Skies will be partly sunny with a steady south wind at 13 mph, making it feel more like an April afternoon.
• Christmas Day (Thursday): The warmth intensifies. Expect a high of 75°F under mostly sunny skies. This is nearly 25 degrees above the seasonal average for Eastern Oklahoma.
• Friday & Saturday: The heat peaks on Friday with a projected high of 77°F. Saturday remains warm but turns cloudier as a massive storm system begins to organize to our west.

The “New Year’s Shift”: 40-Degree Temperature Drop

The primary concern for LeFlore County Emergency Management and local travelers is the powerful cold front arriving Sunday, December 28. This is a classic “Blue Norther” that will bring a drastic end to our December spring.

By Sunday afternoon, a sharp wind shift will signal the arrival of Arctic air. Temperatures will plummet from a morning high of 70°F down to a freezing 32°F by midnight.

Winter Weather Potential: Rain to Snow?

As the cold air rushes in on Sunday night, it will collide with lingering moisture.

• Sunday Night: There is a 45% chance of rain that could transition into a light winter mix or snow flurries as temperatures hit the freezing mark.
• Monday morning (Dec 29): Commuters should prepare for a “hard freeze.” The high on Monday will struggle to reach 37°F, with overnight lows dropping into the mid-20s.

7-Day Forecast at a Glance

What You Need to Do Now

1. Protect the “4 P’s”: By Sunday evening, ensure your People, Pets, Pipes, and Plants are prepared for the hard freeze.
2. Fire Safety: The unseasonable warmth and dry winds have increased fire danger across the county. Avoid any outdoor burning until the moisture arrives on Sunday.
3. Travel Prep: If you are traveling back from holiday visits on Sunday, keep an eye on the I-40 and Highway 59 corridors, as wind gusts could make driving high-profile vehicles difficult.