31 August 2023
The dome of high pressure is coming back! It has been slowly tracking our direction and will ultimately put our temps back well through the 90s and the triple digits over the Labor Day weekend.
We also have residual wildfire smoke aloft that has taken what should be a pristine blue sky and made it look dirty.
Air quality is moderate so those most susceptible will want to stay indoors.
With winds turning from the southeast, there is a slight bump in the dew point. Central Kansas will feel muggier with this added touch.
On the contrary, western Kansas will see a decline in humidity values through Friday.
With increasing wind gusts to 45 MPH, more heat and a drop in relative humidity, fire danger is elevated in the west. Fire Weather Watches and Warnings are in effect to account for this Friday.
Temperatures over the weekend will be in the upper 90s to around 100 and it will be breezy. North central Kansas will have the hottest temperatures. Humidity will not be absurd, therefore the heat index will be close to the air temperature. Hitting 100° in September and even as late as October is not unknown for Kansas.
We remain dry until early next week.
Model guidance shows a delay in the timing of the cold front to the northwest late on Labor Day. As a system churns to the southeast of us, it will work in tandem with this boundary to spark a few showers and thunderstorms Tuesday into Wednesday.
Rainfall amounts do not look high and I can see many communities missing the moisture connection completely. Temperatures will settle back as the dome of high pressure retreats to the southwest part of the country.
KSN Storm Track 3 Forecast from Chief Meteorologist Lisa Teachman:
Wichita:
Tonight: Mostly clear. Lo: 64 Wind: SE 5-15
Tomorrow: Mostly sunny, breezy. Hi: 96 Wind: S 10-20
Tomorrow Night: Mostly clear. Lo: 64 Wind: S/SE 5-15
Wichita Weekly
Sat: Hi: 98 Lo: 66 Mostly sunny, breezy.
Sun: Hi: 99 Lo: 69 Mostly sunny, breezy.
Mon: Hi: 100 Lo: 74 Mostly sunny, windy.
Tue: Hi: 99 Lo: 72 Mostly sunny to partly cloudy, windy. 10% chance of showers and storms.
Wed: Hi: 95 Lo: 66 Mostly sunny to partly cloudy, breezy. 20% chance of showers and storms.
Thu: Hi: 95 Lo: 67 Mostly sunny, breezy
–Chief Meteorologist Lisa Teachman