19 March 2024
Today is the warmest day of the week, timed out perfectly for spring’s arrival. That said, we are not finished with wintry weather when it comes to snow and freezing temperatures. Expect a lot of changes over the next week with back-and-forth temperatures and multiple storm systems.
A weak wind shift today allows winds to turn around from the north into the overnight.
There will be a cold front that tracks south on Wednesday. How far south this drops is important because it will steer the better chance for showers and storms late Wednesday. Southwest Kansas has an opportunity for hit or miss showers and storms late Wednesday afternoon into the evening.
A storm or two could produce larger hail, especially in our Oklahoma Panhandle counties.
The axis of moisture moves east closer to Wichita late in the evening and through the overnight.
This could pop a few more showers and isolated rumbles Wednesday night near the Kansas/Oklahoma state line. Any remaining rain will be near/East of the Turnpike Thursday before departing.
There is another quick moving system Friday. Most of this rain and snow stays to our northeast near Kansas City. A few sprinkles may try to build back along I-35 to Wichita but I do not expect much from this.
Saturday looks more promising for widespread rain. A disturbance tracks from west to east across Kansas with a cool rain.
Depending on the timing and temperatures, snow may mix near the Kansas/Nebraska state line and points north of I-70. This system will cleanse a lot of moisture from the atmosphere away from us.
If the moisture can return on Sunday with an even stronger system on deck, then severe weather is possible. A low will develop out of the Rockies and move into Kansas with a dryline poised to the west.
The amount of moisture, or dew point, returning looks to be in the low to middle 50s which is meager. We will need to watch how this is ironed out in the coming days.
Temperatures cool behind this front with rain and snow on the backside next Monday. Snowfall accumulations cannot be ruled out especially north and west.
It will also be bitter during the overnights early next week. A couple nights will be in freeze territory with lows in the teens and 20s before trending milder by midweek.
KSN Storm Track 3 Forecast from Chief Meteorologist Lisa Teachman:
Wichita:
Tonight: Mostly clear. Lo: 40 Wind: W/NE 5-15
Tomorrow: Mostly sunny to partly cloudy, breezy. 10% chance of showers and storms. Hi: 70 Wind: E/NE 10-20
Tomorrow Night: Partly to mostly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms. Lo: 42 Wind: NE 8-18
Wichita Weekly
Thu: Hi: 63 Lo: 44 Mostly cloudy. 30% chance of showers and storms.
Fri: Hi: 62 Lo: 35 Mostly to partly cloudy, windy.
Sat: Hi: 53 Lo: 42 Mostly cloudy, breezy. 30% chance of rain.
Sun: Hi: 64 Lo: 42 Mostly cloudy, windy. 40% chance of showers and storms.
Mon: Hi: 52 Lo: 28 Mostly cloudy, windy. 40% chance of rain.
Tue: Hi: 49 Lo: 31 Mostly to partly cloudy, breezy.
-Chief Meteorologist Lisa Teachman