textproduct: Wichita

KEY MESSAGES

- Back to seasonal temperatures today with warmer readings as we head into the start of the weekend.

- Storm chances increase late Saturday afternoon and Saturday night. While a strong storm or two appears possible, it does not look like this will be a significant severe weather episode.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 304 AM CDT Thu May 7 2026

Water vapor imagery currently shows broad upper troughing from the Northern Plains through the Great Lakes region. There are a number of impulses embedded in the the northwest flow; one tracking over eastern SD with another one over the TX Panhandle into western OK. At the surface, cold front has now pushed all the way down to along the Gulf Coast with high pressure over the Central Plains.

Northwest flow aloft will be in place today and will remain in place through the weekend. Some weak upper energy will track out of the Northern Rockies and across the Central Plains tonight with any precip associated with this feature expected to stay north of the forecast area. However, as this wave slides southeast, a weak cold front will move through the forecast area. Storms are forecast to develop along the front with a small chance they may affect far southeast KS. This same scenario will play out on Sat, but this time with a more robust upper impulse set to move out of the Rockies and across the Plains. In addition, another cold front is also set to push through the forecast area early Sat evening through early Sun morning. Storms are expected to develop over southern Nebraska/northern KS late Sat afternoon and track southeast through the evening hours. While instability will not be overly impressive, should be enough shear to at least get some small hail with the stronger storms. This activity is forecast to exit southern KS by the late morning hours Sunday.

As far as temps go, we will get back to seasonal normals today with all areas in the 70s. Slow warming trend will continue for Fri into Sat, with widespread 80s likely for Saturday. Behind the weak cold front, we will get back to more seasonal temps for Sunday.

To start the work week we will remain in northwest flow aloft with good model agreement that some shortwave energy will track out of Southern SK and into the Upper Mississippi Valley by Tue afternoon. Majority of precip with this feature is expected to stay northeast of the forecast area. The main theme for the start of next week will be a warming trend, with some 90s even possible by Tue.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY/

Issued at 1021 PM CDT Wed May 6 2026

Mid level clouds will shift slowly east of the area during the overnight hours. Good aviation weather with VFR conditions will prevail over the next 24hrs. Westerly winds tonight will switch to the southwest and increase a bit over central/south central Kansas for late morning through the afternoon hours.

ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Frost Advisory until 8 AM CDT this morning for KSZ032-047-050- 067-082-091.