16 February 2023
Our latest winter storm is leaving the Plains quickly now after leaving as much as 6-11 inches of new snow in portions of Northwest Kansas and little if any snow in Wichita and South Central Kansas. Here is a look at some of the snowfall totals across the region.
We are left with a cold high pressure system building into the Central Plains behind the departing storm. Temperatures in the teens and 20s combined with strong and gusty northwest winds are resulting in wind chills in the single digits in most areas at midday. Temperatures this afternoon will remain below freezing in most of Kansas this afternoon, so bundle up!
Clouds clear from west to east across central Kansas this afternoon. Temps will be bitterly cold with wind chills hitting at times below zero. With mostly clear skies and relaxing winds tonight, temperatures will drop quickly to the single digits and teens overnight!
Temps warm back to average late-February temperatures already on Friday thanks to the wind swinging around to the south as the high pressure pushes to the east of our region along with abundant sunshine.
Temperatures will continue to warm just in time for the upcoming weekend with winds continuing to pick up out of the south and southwest. Temperatures will recover back into the 50s on Saturday then up into the 60s in a large portion of the region on Sunday. Winds will be gusty with occasional high cloud cover Saturday.
Winds relax a little on Sunday with more in the way of sunshine as compared to Saturday and even warmer temperatures. I would have to rate Sunday as the better of the two days this weekend.
Early next week another system will take aim Tuesday into Wednesday. The degree to how much moisture we receive still needs to be ironed out as we get closer. We are still watching for the model guidance to come into more agreement for next Tuesday and Wednesday as to who gets rain and who gets snow.
Another cold front moves through after that midweek system causing temps to take another frigid hit for the last few days of February.
Current Forecast for Wichita and SouthCentral Kansas
2/16/23 KSN Storm Track 3 Forecast from Meteorologist Jack Boston:
Wichita:
This afternoon: Mostly cloudy, windy. 10% chance of snow. Hi: 32 Wind: NW 10-25
Tonight: Partly cloudy to mostly clear. Lo: 16 Wind: NW/W 5-15
Tomorrow: Mostly sunny. Hi: 49 Wind: W/SW 8-18
Tomorrow Night: Mostly clear to partly cloudy, breezy. Lo: 27 Wind: SW 10-20
Wichita Weekly
Sat: Hi: 55 Lo: 34 Partly cloudy, windy.
Sun: Hi: 62 Lo: 33 Partly cloudy, breezy.
Mon: Hi: 59 Lo: 33 Partly to mostly cloudy, breezy.
Tue: Hi: 55 Lo: 32 Mostly cloudy, breezy. 10% chance of rain.
Wed: Hi: 59 Lo: 35 Mostly cloudy, windy. 10% chance of rain.
Thu: Hi: 50 Lo: 30 Mostly to partly cloudy, windy.
Meteorologist Jack Boston