textproduct: Wichita

KEY MESSAGES

- Cooler slightly below normal temperatures will continue across the region for today and Friday along with chances of rain showers/weak thunderstorms. Severe weather is not expected.

- Warmer temperatures and dry weather for the weekend followed by next round of possible showers/storms for early next week

DISCUSSION

Issued at 144 AM CDT Thu Apr 30 2026

Cooler than normal temperatures will prevail across the region for today and Friday with some patchy frost possible again over central Kansas early Friday morning. Scattered elevated rain showers currently over eastern Colorado/western Kansas will continue to move slowly south with some of this activity spreading east into parts of central/south central Kansas today. Meanwhile, early morning satellite water vapor imagery shows a healthy upper level wave moving southward across the northerly plains. This wave will continue to track southward into northeast Nebraska by late afternoon. Upper level induced ascent from this system will spread southward into northern Kansas where colder temperatures aloft, moist adiabatic lapse rates, and low MUCAPE values will reside. This combination should spark off scattered mid-late afternoon diurnally driven higher based showers/weak thunderstorms which is supported by area model sounding analysis. This activity will begin to diminish around sunset with the loss of daytime heating. Severe weather is not expected due to limited instability and poor mid-level lapse rates. On Friday, a second upper level wave will drop southward across Nebraska into Kansas which looks to spark off another round of diurnally driven high-based showers/weak thunderstorms in similar fashion to Thursday.

Patchy frost could develop yet again for central Kansas early Saturday morning. Warmer daytime highs and dry weather will be in store for the region over the weekend. Heading into next week models show a upper level wave over the southwestern states and a very deep pronounced wave diving southward across the northern plains towards Nebraska. This looks to become the next chance of rain for the region as low level moisture begins to stream back north into Kansas ahead of these two upper waves.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY/

Issued at 1240 PM CDT Thu Apr 30 2026

VFR conditions are largely anticipated to prevail at all sites through the end of the period.

Showers currently observed across portions of western and central KS will continue making their way east through the rest of the afternoon and evening. Associated impacts should be minor but can't rule out a few relatively heavier showers resulting in near-MVFR vsbys for a brief period especially at GBD/RSL/SLN. As such, introduced a TEMPO group at these sites through the afternoon hours. Also introduced a PROB30 group at CNU this evening for a potential brief reduction in vsbys, though confidence in MVFR is low at this time.

Otherwise, look for light and variable winds at all sites especially overnight into Friday morning. Patchy fog may develop around sunrise especially in central KS per point soundings, though confidence in impacts is too low for a mention with this cycle.

ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.