textproduct: Wichita

KEY MESSAGES

- A series of cold fronts create a rollercoaster of temperatures over the next seven days.

- Dry weather expected to continue through next week.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 310 PM CST Fri Jan 16 2026

Current water vapor imagery and RAP analysis depict mid/upper troughing over the Great Lakes with a speed max diving southward over the Northern Rockies. At the surface, a cold front is draped over Nebraska and Iowa, while deep mixing up to 700 mb has allowed for gusts up to 40-50 mph across central KS and up to 30 mph across south central and southeast KS. These are expected to subside later this afternoon and evening, though winds will remain gusty overnight ahead of the approaching front. Additionally, very steep low-level lapse rates arising from very cold mid-level temperatures will continue to support the potential for brief convective bursts of rain/snow showers through the evening. Per the prior discussion, chances for this continue to reside in northeast KS, but still could see some light precip in a line roughly along Salina-Strong City- Chanute.

TEMPERATURES:

The aforementioned cold front will continue pressing southward and reach the area Saturday morning. Gusty northwest winds are once again expected behind the boundary, though speeds are not anticipated to be as strong as today. This feature will also inject a shot of colder air into the region with highs struggling to escape the 20s Saturday afternoon. The polar airmass will quickly shift off to the east by Sunday, with afternoon highs in the 40s and low 50s to round out the weekend.

Another frontal boundary is forecast to move through the area late Sunday into Monday as mid/upper energy continues rolling across the Upper Mississippi River Valley. The trailing airmass is not expected to be as cold as Saturday's, with afternoon highs on Monday forecast in the low to middle 30s. After a brief warmup into the 40s and 50s for Tuesday and Wednesday, yet another cold front passing through the region will knock highs back into the 30s and low 40s to close out the week.

PRECIPITATION:

Northwest flow aloft and a lack of column moisture will preclude chances for widespread precipitation over the next seven days. Global models highlight the potential for light snow within the post- frontal airmass on Monday across portions of western KS, though support appears limited for coverage extending into central KS. The global suite then hints at the return of southwesterly flow aloft potentially supporting chances for precipitation by next weekend, though uncertainty remains high at this time.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SUNDAY/

Issued at 539 PM CST Fri Jan 16 2026

Main aviation concern will be a few bursts of snow over the next couple of hours along with more gusty winds on Sat.

Currently have a few snow showers migrating southeast across south central and southeast KS with the most impressive one approaching Newton. It appears this one should miss KICT to the east but may clip KAAO and K3AU over the next hour. Once these die off, VFR conditions are anticipated area wide tonight. We will see northwest winds pick back up by late Sat morning, but will not be quite as strong as today.

ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Wind Advisory until 6 PM CST this evening for KSZ032-033- 047>053-067>069-082-083-091>093.