1 September 2023
Heightened fire weather concerns have led to Fire Weather Warnings being issued for western Kansas today. Warm, windy, and dry conditions create the perfect environment for any spark that starts to easily spread and get out of control.
Winds will pick up this afternoon, with gusts from 30-40 MPH expected across western Kansas. Southerly flow is the warm weather direction and will help our temperatures climb as we head into the holiday weekend.
Highs today will flirt with the triple digits out west. Central Kansas will range from the mid to upper 90s. Sunshine will dominate our afternoon with wildfire smoke lingering, keeping a hazy look to our skies.
Temperatures launch upwards across the state for the weekend. Highs climb to the upper 90s and stay there through Labor Day. A few will reach that century mark, sizzling under the influence of the high pressure system that will anchor itself over the region.
As winds stay strong and temperatures bake, fire weather concerns continue into Saturday. Most of northwest Kansas will be under a Fire Weather Watch from 1 PM to 9 PM tomorrow. Please avoid any outdoor burning this weekend.
Part of the reason for fire concerns is how dry we have been over the last month. Rainfall across the state was well below average, with Wichita seeing two inches below the normal rainfall totals for the month of August.
We will not be adding much to our rainfall totals over the next seven days. An approaching boundary will try to combat the high pressure bubble overhead, bringing brief showers late Monday night.
Better chances for moisture occur late Tuesday as the cold front lingers. Southeast Kansas will be the lucky ones seeing the most rainfall, but showers will be possible across central Kansas into early Wednesday morning.
Dry conditions will continue to plague the Plains into next weekend. Rain chances will be scarce and could lead to worsening drought conditions across the Sunflower State.
KSN Storm Track 3 Forecast from Meteorologist Lucy Doll:
Wichita:
Today: Mostly sunny, breezy. Hi: 94 Wind: S 10-20
Tonight: Mostly clear. Lo: 64 Wind: S/SE 5-15
Tomorrow: Mostly sunny, breezy. Hi: 97 Wind: S 8-18
Tomorrow Night: Mostly clear. Lo: 66 Wind: S 5-15
Wichita Weekly
Sun: Hi: 98 Lo: 69 Mostly sunny, breezy.
Mon: Hi: 99 Lo: 74 Mostly sunny, windy.
Tue: Hi: 99 Lo: 70 Mostly sunny to partly cloudy, windy. 10% chance of showers and storms.
Wed: Hi: 95 Lo: 67 Mostly sunny to partly cloudy, breezy. 20% chance of showers and storms.
Thu: Hi: 93 Lo: 67 Mostly sunny, breezy. 10% chance of showers and storms.
Fri: Hi: 95 Lo: 67 Mostly sunny, breezy.
-Meteorologist Lucy Doll