Severe weather outlook: What can the Sunflower State expect this spring?

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – After multiple years of drought conditions, repeated storm systems this winter have been a welcomed sight. Chief Meteorologist Lisa Teachman lets us know if this persists or if we head back into a lengthy dry stretch.

One year ago, an exceptional drought took root across much of the Sunflower State. This marked the end of three years in a La Niña pattern, which favored rain in other parts of the world.

Not here at home.

This winter, it was a different story, offering up a promising spring outlook. The weather pattern that put Kansas into a deep drought La Niña.

This winter, we had the opposite: El Niño. When ocean water off the coast of Peru is warm, it produces a chain reaction that alters the way storms are steered around the world.

Even though we still have drought conditions in parts of the state today it is not to the magnitude it was one year ago.

Kansas always tends to be a wild card, sometimes living on the edge of one extreme over the other.

But this winter, a true and strong El Niño pattern has proven beneficial to us. Southern track storm systems were more common than not this past winter with warmer temperatures.

Storms traveled from the Pacific into California, digging farther south and capable of grabbing hold of plenty of moisture and transporting it in our direction.

El Niño is forecast to become neutral this spring. The effects of El Niño could linger and impact our spring tornado season with these southerly storm systems remaining on track.

This could help enhance more activity in the south and central plains as the jetstream shifts north. We are already putting down the moisture that thunderstorms and tornadoes thrive on for formation and survival. With an increasingly unstable atmosphere, be weather-aware!

Temperatures have trended near, if not above, average and should continue through spring.

If high pressure from the west builds in quicker, then our severe weather season will conclude, and the heat will be on!

The number of tornadoes last year took a dip due to the drought. With the added moisture, we expect it to be a more active season before the heat of summer takes over the region.

Now is the time to prepare where to go, what to grab, and what to do before severe weather strikes. You can never plan too much.

For more stories on Severe Weather Preparedness, click here.