23 February 2023
The cold continues to lock into place across the region. Temperatures struggle to warm Thursday and will once again be in the deep freeze overnight. 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 that 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. Today is an unusually cold late February day. High temperatures are expected to remain 10-20 degrees below normal this afternoon despite a good deal of sunshine.
Northwest winds of 10-20 miles per hour have kept wind chill temperatures below zero in much of the area, even at lunchtime.
We will hang on to a breeze tonight but with partly cloudy skies, temperatures will dive again, dropping to the single digits to lower teens across Kansas by early Friday morning.
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, 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. Some will be efficient at producing rain which we desperately need.
All forms of severe weather are on the table although damaging winds may be our biggest concern at this point.
We stay mild behind this system. 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!
Current Forecast for Wichita and SouthCentral Kansas
2/23/23 KSN Storm Track 3 Forecast from Meteorologist Jack Boston:
Wichita:
This afternoon: Sunny to partly cloudy, breezy. Hi: 33 Wind: NW/N 10-20
Tonight: Partly to mostly cloudy. Lo: 14 Wind: NE 8-18
Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy, breezy. 10% chance of rain. Hi: 38 Wind: NE/SE 10-20
Tomorrow Night: Mostly cloudy. 10% chance of rain and snow. Lo: 24 Wind: NE 5-15
Wichita Weekly
Sat: Hi: 53 Lo: 45 Mostly cloudy. 10% chance of rain.
Sun: Hi: 66 Lo: 44 Mostly cloudy, windy. 40% chance of showers and storms.
Mon: Hi: 63 Lo: 35 Partly cloudy, windy. 10% chance of showers and storms.
Tue: Hi: 64 Lo: 37 Partly cloudy, windy.
Wed: Hi: 57 Lo: 32 Partly cloudy, breezy.
Thu: Hi: 51 Lo: 25 Partly to mostly cloudy, windy.
Meteorologist Jack Boston