18 August 2023
Nobody ever dreads a weekend, but we are not looking forward to the heat wave that is about to take root. Dangerous heat is expected.
Excessive Heat Watches now upgraded to Excessive Heat Warnings along with Heat Advisories from the lunch hour on Saturday through Wednesday evening.
During this stretch, we expect temperature readings to be over 100 degrees.
Record high temperatures may also be in jeopardy. If there is a positive out of this, humidity levels will not be too extreme.
Dew points will range from the upper 50s to the middle 60s with us mixing out the moisture in the air during the day this weekend. Still, heat indices from 103 to more than 110 degrees are expected for an extended amount of time into next week.
Any outdoor chores should be done early in the day rather than during our peak heating hours after noon through early evening.
There is a small chance of a shower moving through Dundy and Cheyenne counties later this evening. Not something I would get my hopes up for because any activity will be spotty and sparse before rain chances evaporate.
Under this high-pressure system, the air sinks and warms. Sunshiny skies will prevail during the days with clear skies overnights.
Southerly winds taking over should remove our most recent wildfire smoke infiltration.
Hurricane Hilary in the Pacific will get picked up in the flow along the West Coast and ultimately push the core of this high-pressure system and its heat right on top of us. Monsoonal moisture continues out west but we will not be able to buy a raindrop until the end of next week.
Model guidance keeps hinting at a tropical disturbance in the northern Gulf next week that tracks into Texas and eventually gets absorbed into the flow around this high-pressure system.
This high will shift and break down for us, allowing more opportunities for rain and storms at the end of next week. When this happens, we will also see a detour from the most extreme heat.
KSN Storm Track 3 Forecast from Chief Meteorologist Lisa Teachman:
Wichita:
Tonight: Mostly clear. Lo: 72 Wind: SE 8-18
Tomorrow: Mostly sunny, breezy. Hi: 106 Wind: SE/SW 10-20
Tomorrow Night: Mostly clear. Lo: 74 Wind: SW 5-15
Wichita Weekly
Sun: Hi: 107 Lo: 75 Mostly sunny.
Mon: Hi: 104 Lo: 75 Mostly sunny.
Tue: Hi: 102 Lo: 74 Mostly sunny.
Wed: Hi: 101 Lo: 74 Mostly sunny, breezy.
Thu: Hi: 100 Lo: 75 Mostly sunny, breezy.
Fri: Hi: 98 Lo: 73 Partly cloudy, breezy. 10% chance of showers and storms.
-Chief Meteorologist Lisa Teachman