29 February 2024
High pressure overhead brought a chillier change to Kansas. Several low temperatures this morning dropped to the single digits!
The cold air will be in place tonight with temperatures falling mostly to the 20s.
High pressure tracks away from us overnight, allowing winds to return from the south from one side of the state to the other. Winds will also begin to ramp up once again, placing Kansas back in high fire danger Thursday. A Fire Weather Warning will take effect at 10 AM Thursday and runs through 8 PM for northern Kansas.
Winds will gust tomorrow from 35 to 45 MPH, with the highest fire danger in northern Kansas where the air will be drier.
There is also a fast-moving and weak system that skirts by to the southeast. This brings in clouds late tonight and through tomorrow for areas near the Kansas/Oklahoma state line and for points East of I-135. Moisture is meager. A rain shower is possible first Thursday morning near the state line with the Oklahoma Panhandle to the southwest.
By late afternoon into the early evening, this wave tracks northeast. Folks East of the Turnpike could pick up a few sprinkles or a rain shower.
With cooling temps in the evening, a few flurries may mix in before this system departs. Cloud cover will keep temps down farther south and east Thursday. Towns farther northwest will be much milder.
Winds relax a touch Friday with sunshine returning. The warmth also builds back into the region with highs mainly in the 60s. It becomes warmer this weekend with highs in the 70s. Record-breaking warmth will be watched for Sunday.
With an uptick in dry and warm winds this weekend, the fire danger will rise. Sunday will be worse with even stronger winds ahead of the next cold front. Moisture does not look great for us. Drier air may win out but there is a chance East of I-135 for showers and storms. This system could end with a few of our northwest counties gaining a couple flurries and some light snow Sunday night.
The heat takes a hit Monday with temps closer to average. There will be another surge of warmth beginning next Tuesday before another system arrives Wednesday into Thursday. Right now, this looks like a beefier chance for rain and possibly snow on the backside if weather models come to fruition.
Something to watch the middle of next week. This active stretch may continue into the following weekend.
KSN Storm Track 3 Forecast from Chief Meteorologist Lisa Teachman:
Wichita:
Tonight: Partly cloudy. Lo: 27 Wind: S 8-18
Tomorrow: Partly to mostly cloudy, windy. 20% chance of rain. Hi: 53 Wind: S 15-30
Tomorrow Night: Mostly to partly cloudy, breezy. 10% chance of rain. Lo: 34 Wind: S/SE 10-20
Wichita Weekly
Fri: Hi: 62 Lo: 43 Partly cloudy to sunny, breezy.
Sat: Hi: 77 Lo: 54 Mostly sunny, windy.
Sun: Hi: 79 Lo:41 Partly cloudy, windy. 10% chance of showers and storms.
Mon: Hi: 61 Lo: 34 Mostly to partly cloudy, breezy.
Tue: Hi: 62 Lo: 39 Partly cloudy, breezy.
Wed: Hi: 66 Lo: 42 Partly cloudy, breezy. 10% chance of showers and storms.
–Chief Meteorologist Lisa Teachman