24 February 2023
It has been a bitter cold Thursday, and temperatures will once again be down in the freezer tonight. Lows will range from the teens to near zero over northwestern areas.
Wind Chill Advisories are in effect through Friday morning over far northwest Kansas and southwest Nebraska for wind chills below -15°F.
There is a small piece of energy that will produce a batch of flurries and light snow out west near the Kansas/Colorado state line and will clip our north central communities.
Little to no snow accumulation is expected. At most, a half inch to an inch in a small sliver is expected before it lifts away from us late into the night.
Temperatures will moderate some Friday, but it will remain colder than average.
Clouds will begin to increase and focus on south central and southeastern Kansas. As warmer air starts to make the march back north, we may see some drizzle into Friday night. There is a weak wave that could produce a few sprinkles or a shower mainly East of the Turnpike.
Clouds hunker down farther south and east Saturday. Temperatures warm several more degrees, closer to average. A few more showers will try to sprout East of the Turnpike Saturday night. Not much moisture to be had up to this point.
Different story in the moisture department come Sunday. A potent storm system enters the Plains. The storm’s track will need to be monitored. How far north or south it pulls into the area plays a big part. Still, the degree as to how much deep moisture returns this far north is one of the bigger questions because it might not make the run and stay in Texas and Oklahoma. To a lesser extent, we are still ironing out how fast the system travels through the region. Models are wanting to push it through faster now. A preliminary strike of showers is possible midday. The main show waits for later into the afternoon and especially the evening when scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop.
These storms are expected to quickly develop into a squall line as they move east, which will bring the possibility of all severe hazards, though damaging wind gusts will be the most significant threat. A few large hailstones will be possible especially early, and a few tornadoes are not out of the question. In addition to severe weather, this line will bring some much-needed rain to the area!
As the system exits to the east before dawn Monday, temperatures will not take a big hit in its wake, with only a slight cooldown into early next week. Looks like colder air starts to track back by midweek and at the end, a strong system capable of rain and snow. The weather whiplash continues!
KSN Storm Track 3 Forecast from Chief Meteorologist Lisa Teachman:
Wichita:
Tonight: Partly to mostly cloudy. Lo: 13 Wind: NE 8-18
Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy. 10% chance of rain. Hi: 35 Wind: NE/SE 5-15
Tomorrow Night: Mostly cloudy. 10% chance of rain and snow. Lo: 24 Wind: SE/S 5-15
Wichita Weekly
Sat: Hi: 48 Lo: 43 Mostly cloudy. 10% chance of rain.
Sun: Hi: 62 Lo: 44 Mostly cloudy, windy. 60% chance of showers and storms.
Mon: Hi: 63 Lo: 33 Partly cloudy, windy. 10% chance of showers and storms.
Tue: Hi: 60 Lo: 39 Partly cloudy, breezy.
Wed: Hi: 59 Lo: 32 Partly cloudy, windy.
Thu: Hi: 48 Lo: 25 Partly to mostly cloudy, windy.
–Chief Meteorologist Lisa Teachman