Issued on: March 18, 2026
Mild temperatures this morning mark the start of a warming trend that could bring record heat by the weekend. Persistent dry air and south winds will keep fire danger elevated statewide, becoming near‑critical across western and central Oklahoma on Sunday. Overall air quality should stay generally good today for much of the state. However, conditions will be less healthy in and around the Lawton, Oklahoma City, and Tulsa metro areas, as well as near recent burns and downwind of any active fires, where smoke and other pollutants may build up enough to push air quality into the moderate range.