24 August 2023
The cold front is inching closer! It will not be until the latter half of the weekend when we are all on the cooler side of things.
Right now, Excessive Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories are in effect for much of the area through late Friday.
Since the cold front’s last stop will be the Wichita Metro, south central and southeastern Kansas, heat alerts will more than likely need to be extended through Saturday.
Many communities will favor the triple digits Friday with heat indices up to 115°. Moisture will pool closer to the cold front and will ramp up the heat index, keeping areas farther East in the dangerous category.
Relief from the extreme heat comes to areas north first. While a stray shower or storm could form in the deeper moisture this evening in eastern and northern Kansas Thursday evening, we will await the southward progression of the cold front to spark some rain. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop near and north of I-70 into Friday evening.
A few storms could produce brief gusty winds. The Storm Prediction Center has outlined this spot for a storm or two capable of reaching severe thresholds.
Any activity will shift to the south and dissipate Friday night. More active weather is in the cards for us both Saturday and Sunday.
The focus Saturday will be closer to the southerly extension of the cold front, namely south of I-70.
Another round of rain and storms will form Sunday. Adding up each chance, highest rainfall potential will be in northwestern Kansas/southwestern Nebraska stretching back to the southeast where amounts will taper.
The Wichita Metro could see as little as a quarter inch but also surrounding communities may get up to an inch depending on the track and intensity of this moisture.
Temperatures will cool to the 80s and lower 90s behind this front Sunday. Early next week much more pleasant conditions are on deck. Parts of Kansas could see overnight lows in the upper 50s. The axis for rain shifts in Oklahoma early next week but could clip our southwest counties Monday.
Overall, next week looks dry with a gradual uptick in temps. It will not be the absurd heat we have come to know lately, but rather a slight turn above average.
KSN Storm Track 3 Forecast from Chief Meteorologist Lisa Teachman:
Wichita:
Tonight: Mostly clear. Lo: 77 Wind: SW 5-15
Tomorrow: Mostly sunny to partly cloudy. Hi: 104 Wind: SW 8-18
Tomorrow Night: Partly to mostly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms. Lo: 75 Wind: SW/NE 5-15
Wichita Weekly
Sat: Hi: 96 Lo: 70 Partly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms.
Sun: Hi: 89 Lo: 64 Partly cloudy. 30% chance of showers and storms.
Mon: Hi: 90 Lo: 61 Mostly sunny.
Tue: Hi: 92 Lo: 63 Mostly sunny.
Wed: Hi: 94 Lo: 64 Mostly sunny, breezy.
Thu: Hi: 95 Lo: 66 Mostly sunny, windy.
–Chief Meteorologist Lisa Teachman