24 November 2023
Bitterly cold arctic air is here, and it’s going to bring winter weather to many over the next 48 hours. A Winter Storm Warning is now in effect for portions of central Kansas concerning the snow potential on Saturday.
Today starts out gray and cold across Kansas, with slow warming against the biting northeast wind that keeps the chill coming. Some clearing in south-central Kansas by afternoon will give some sunshine, but temperatures still stay cold.
Farther north and west, clouds will hang tough all day, and that keeps highs below freezing.
Snow begins out west today but stays mostly confined to northwest Kansas.
Some light accumulations and travel slowdowns could be in the cards, so if you are travelling through these areas please drive with caution.
The main show begins tonight as a much more energetic impulse enters western Kansas.
A wave of moderate to heavy snow develops over southwest Kansas overnight, moving east as it picks up steam.
Lows tonight dip to the teens and 20s. Any precipitation overnight will be in the form of snow.
Precipitation begins in south-central Kansas around daybreak on Saturday. There may be a brief window in the morning for a bit of freezing rain or sleet in south-central Kansas, but temperatures above the surface quickly cool enough to promote mainly snow.
A winter storm will be ongoing across central Kansas by midday tomorrow, with moderate to heavy snowfall expected to favor central parts of the state.
Wichita sits in the area of highest uncertainty with this system, as afternoon temperatures will hover right around the freezing mark, with the divide line between all snow and all rain setting up near the turnpike.
Tiny differences of less than one degree can lead to wildly different outcomes in this setup. If temperatures hover at 31 or 32 degrees, Wichita can expect a memorable snowstorm with 4 to 6 inches. If temperatures come in at 33, then the transition line moves northwest and we get half an inch of cold rain. Moisture is just about guaranteed from this system, but the form it falls in greatly changes the impacts to people on the ground.
For areas a bit farther northwest of Wichita, snow is much more assured, and it may be quite heavy with widespread 4 to 6 inch totals and some localized totals up to 8 inches are very much possible.
This system wraps up by Sunday morning, and the week ahead looks chilly and dry.
Snowpack will especially keep things cold for Sunday and Monday in central Kansas, with a gradual warming trend toward the end of the week.
KSN Storm Track 3 Forecast from Meteorologist Jack Maney:
Wichita:
Today: Cloudy to mostly cloudy, breezy. Hi: 39 Wind: NE 10-20
Tonight: Cloudy. 20% chance of snow. Lo: 25 Wind: NE 8-18
Tomorrow: Cloudy. 100% chance of rain and snow. Hi: 34 Wind: E/NE 8-18
Tomorrow night: Cloudy to mostly cloudy. 60% chance of snow. Lo: 20 Wind: N 8-18
Wichita Weekly
Sun: Hi: 36 Lo: 17 Mostly to partly cloudy.
Mon: Hi: 37 Lo: 18 Mostly sunny.
Tue: Hi: 43 Lo: 22 Partly cloudy.
Wed: Hi: 46 Lo: 25 Partly cloudy.
Thu: Hi: 48 Lo: 29 Partly cloudy.
Fri: Hi: 47 Lo: 30 Partly cloudy.