23 November 2023
There was a wide gradient of temperatures across the region today. Highs across northwest Kansas reached the low 70s, while areas of southcentral Kansas remained in the mid-50s.
Clear skies tonight will allow temperatures to cool back below freezing quickly. By the start of Thursday, they will drop into the low 30s and upper 20s.
A cold front is slowly dropping across the Plains and will arrive in the Sunflower State tomorrow. This boundary will pull down frigid air into Kansas and lower temperatures significantly over the next few days.
Highs tomorrow will be a spread. Northern Kansas will be chilly, with highs only reaching the 40s. Southern Kansas will be able to warm ahead of the cold front with highs in the 50s before cold air invades.
A Winter Storm Watch is already in place for northwest Kansas from 12 AM Friday through 12 AM Sunday. This is in anticipation of the snowfall that will be arriving in the state. I would not be surprised if more counties are added to the watch.
Northwest Kansas will see the first batch of snowfall arrive early Friday morning and linger for much of the day. Southwest Kansas will try to pick up on some accumulations as well, but the bulk of the snowfall will stay northwest with this first wave.
The second round of snowfall will be more widespread across the state. Western Kansas will wake up to snow on Saturday morning and continue to pick up accumulations through the day.
As moisture tracks east, snowfall will overtake most of the state. Snowfall will be widespread and create travel impacts throughout the region. You might want to consider delaying the trip back home from the holidays until Sunday as conditions improve for the second half of the weekend.
The highest snowfall totals will be across western Kansas, as they will have the longest amount of time to pick up ammunition. Totals will be lower closer to the turnpike but will still be significant enough to cause travel impacts.
The cold air will be stubborn to leave for the start of the workweek. Sunshine will work hard Sunday through Wednesday to help our afternoon highs reach back into the upper 40s by the middle of the week.
KSN Storm Track 3 Forecast from Meteorologist Lucy Doll:
Wichita:
Tonight: Mostly clear. Lo: 31 Wind: S 5-15
Tomorrow: Mostly sunny to partly cloudy. Hi: 56 Wind: S/NE 8-18
Tomorrow night: Partly to mostly cloudy. Lo: 28 Wind: NE 10-20
Wichita Weekly
Fri: Hi: 39 Lo: 27 Mostly cloudy, breezy.
Sat: Hi: 35 Lo: 20 Cloudy. 60% chance of snow.
Sun: Hi: 37 Lo: 20 Mostly to partly cloudy.
Mon: Hi: 40 Lo: 22 Mostly sunny.
Tue: Hi: 44 Lo: 23 Partly cloudy.
Wed: Hi: 47 Lo: 25 Partly cloudy.
-Meteorologist Lucy Doll