15 February 2023
A potent low pressure system is traveling through Kansas today. Temps have remained warm enough for one batch of rain to track East.
Early this afternoon, under the core of this low, a small area of showers and storms developed. These have been trucking it to the northeast away from Wichita and the KSN viewing area. They have moved into more favorable air to strengthen. We have a Marginal Risk circled for our far eastern counties to include the possibility of hail, damaging winds and an isolated tornado cannot be ruled out.
The backside of this low is producing rain, a wintry mix and snow up north in a small sliver. As the low lifts northeast, this will fall apart across Kansas as the main forcing with this system moves away from the region.
Winds will be powerful wrapping around this system with gusts in some places exceeding 45 MPH. Much of this wind should relax after sundown tonight.
There will only be a few hours before the next storm system takes shape. By dawn on Wednesday, snow will be possible out west. It will spread East and pick up in intensity through the day.
Wichita will not get in on the action until evening. As it starts, temps will be warm enough for a wintry mix but after 10 PM should all become snow for the ICT.
Heaviest accumulations will be north and west where several inches of snow will fall. Winter Storm Watches and Warnings are in effect through Thursday morning.
Wichita will only see around an inch to an inch and a half and this will be better seen on the north and west sides of town. Farther south and east will probably not see much snow. Areas East of the Turnpike are also not expected to see much, if any, snow. Interstate 70 will get the brunt of this especially for our northwest counties, expecting 3″ to more than 6″ of snow. Southwest Kansas should also get some snow out of this which will be welcomed but will battler warmer air south of Highway 400 enabling more rain.
Winds will be blowing and gusting from 25 to 40 MPH. This will reduce visibility and cause the snow to blow around with wind chills below zero into Thursday morning.
Temps tank on Thursday with this Arctic push. It will not last long as temps moderate Friday and warm this weekend. We could be looking at parts of Kansas returning to the 60s by Sunday once again!
There is another storm system lurking around the corner for next Tuesday into Wednesday. This looks to bring a chance for rain and snow.
KSN Storm Track 3 Forecast from Chief Meteorologist Lisa Teachman:
Wichita:
Tonight: Mostly to partly cloudy. Lo: 32 Wind: W/N 5-15
Tomorrow: Partly to mostly cloudy, windy. 20% chance of rain and snow. Hi: 48 Wind: N/NE 10-25
Tomorrow Night: Mostly cloudy, windy. 80% chance of snow. Lo: 18 Wind: N/NW 15-25
Wichita Weekly
Thu: Hi: 32 Lo: 16 Mostly to partly cloudy, windy. 10% chance of snow.
Fri: Hi: 49 Lo: 27 Mostly sunny.
Sat: Hi: 55 Lo: 34 Partly cloudy, windy.
Sun: Hi: 62 Lo: 33 Partly cloudy, breezy.
Mon: Hi: 57 Lo: 30 Partly to mostly cloudy, windy.
Tue: Hi: 55 Lo: 32 Mostly cloudy, breezy. 10% chance of rain.
–Chief Meteorologist Lisa Teachman