textproduct: Wichita

KEY MESSAGES

- A few thunderstorms are possible Wednesday morning across north- central KS with additional nocturnal thunderstorm chances Wednesday night through Friday night

- Heat indices above 100 may return this weekend into next week

DISCUSSION

Issued at 223 PM CDT Tue Jul 21 2026

Ridging dominates the western two-thirds of the CONUS as a strengthening trough digs into the Great Lakes region. A 990mb low pressure is centered north of the Lakes with a cold frontal boundary extending across the Ohio Valley and into Oklahoma. The frontal boundary passed over the forecast area this morning, turning winds out of the northeast. Gusts this afternoon have reached between 15- 25 mph behind the front. The drier air has been slower to filter in, dewpoints across central Kansas have fallen into the 50s with portions of south-central Kansas now in the 60s. Far southern and southeast Kansas dewpoints remain in the 70s, which when combined with temperatures near 100 degrees is leading heat indices over 110 degrees. Temperatures generally north of Hwy 50 will only reach into the middle 90s this afternoon, with upper 90s and lower 100s further south. An Extreme Heat Warning remains in effect for southern and southeast Kansas from 12-8pm and a Heat Advisory is in place for portions of south-central and southeast Kansas.

For Wednesday and Thursday, the forecast area will remain on the northeast edge of the ridge with the ridge axis extending from the Southern Plains northwestward into the Northern Rockies. Temperatures for mid week will top out near normal with highs in the upper 80s to lower 90s. Drier air behind the front will also make things feel more comfortable as dewpoints in the upper 50s to lower 60s are anticipated. A shortwave trough will begin to dig into the High Plains on Wednesday, traversing the Central Plains on Thursday into Thursday night. This feature, along with a strengthening LLJ each night, will support rain and storm chances Wed. and Thu. nights from northern into eastern Kansas. Then a few shower and storm chances may linger in eastern Kansas on Friday afternoon and evening before scooting to the east. Severe weather is not anticipated with any of this activity.

The ridge will begin to build back over the region on Friday, with mid-level heights increasing through Saturday. The ridge axis looks to be situated just to our west for Sunday into early next week. Temperatures for Friday through the end of the forecast period look to gradually increase each day, with 100s possible again by the end of next weekend and into Monday. With the ridge nearly overhead for the end of the forecast time frame, negligible rain chances and mostly clear skies are expected to return.

AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z WEDNESDAY NIGHT/

Issued at 1053 PM CDT Tue Jul 21 2026

VFR conditions will prevail over the next 24 hours.

Surface winds will remain fairly steady out of the northeast to east at around 5 to 15 knots through Wednesday afternoon, then a slight shift to southeasterly is possible by Wednesday evening. Portions of central Kansas could see wind gusts around 20 to 25 knots Wednesday afternoon and evening.

ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.