textproduct: Wichita

KEY MESSAGES

- Well above normal temperatures today and Thursday with record highs possible.

- A cold front will arrive late Thursday with isolated or widely scattered showers/storms possible over southern Kansas Thursday evening.

- More seasonable weather will return for Friday and Saturday before another warmup Sun-Tue.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 210 AM CDT Wed Mar 25 2026

Currently, the ridge is centered over the Desert Southwest with a trough just beginning to come onshore across the Pacific Northwest. A surface low is developing ahead of the trough in the Canadian Rockies. As we move through the rest of today and the day Thursday, ridging will continue to shift east over the region leading to a continued warming trend with temperatures reaching into the upper 80s and lower 90s this afternoon with a few broken records possible. As the surface low dips into the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest by Thursday morning, a cold frontal boundary will begin to nudge its way into northern Kansas. Currently, the timing of the front passing across the forecast area will be Thursday afternoon. This means afternoon highs will still manage to reach into the upper 80s and lower 90s ahead of the boundary, leading to another day of potential broken records. Breezy southerly winds are anticipated during the day ahead of the frontal boundary on Thursday, with gusty northerly winds behind it.

On Thursday night/Friday morning, as the front stretches across the area and pushes southeast, Gulf moisture will interact along the extent of the boundary. An upper-level impulse will traverse the region providing the necessary lift and creating isolated elevated shower/storm chances, primarily for eastern Kansas. Precip amounts look minimal with only our southeastern Kansas counties having the best chance for up to 0.10".

Behind the front on Friday and Saturday, the trough will exit the region to the east and a surface high will settle in over the area. Slightly below normal temperatures are expected for Friday at this time with highs topping out in the middle to upper 50s. Near normal temperatures are then expected for Saturday with highs remaining near 60 degrees. As the high shifts off to the east and a surface low deepens to the west, breezy southerly winds are expected on Saturday and again on Sunday afternoons. By the end of the forecast period, the ridge will begin to build back in over the Plains. This will lead to increasing heights and rebounding temperatures by Sunday and into early next week with afternoon highs reaching into the 80s areawide.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY/

Issued at 602 AM CDT Wed Mar 25 2026

VFR conditions expected through the forecast period. Southerly winds around 10 knots this morning will increase with gusts between 15-20 knots. Winds will turn southwesterly for south- central and southeastern Kansas locations for the afternoon. While central Kansas sites will see wind briefly turn out of the northwest. Winds will diminish to around 10 knots and turn southerly for all locations after 00Z.

FIRE WEATHER

Issued at 210 AM CDT Wed Mar 25 2026

Spotty Very High fire danger will be a concern this afternoon with well above normal temperatures and breezy conditions. More widespread fire danger concerns arrive on Thursday. Ahead of a frontal boundary on Thursday morning and afternoon, near record temperatures, breezy southwesterly winds, and RH values in the 30% range will lead to Very High to Extreme fire danger. As the front moves through later in the afternoon and evening hours, winds will shift out of the north with gusts between 30-35 mph, temperatures will become more seasonable, but RH values will plummet to between 15-20%. Very High to Extreme fire danger will persist through the evening hours.

Very High fire danger will continue to be a concern for much of the area on Friday through Monday each afternoon. Post-frontal northerly winds and drier air will be the primary driver on Friday while breezy south to southwest winds return on Saturday through Monday. Temperatures will once again warm above normal on Sunday and Monday.

CLIMATE

Issued at 214 AM CDT Wed Mar 25 2026

Record highs are possible today and again on Thursday.

Wednesday (3/25): Wichita: Forecast - 88, Record - 89 (1956) Salina: Forecast - 92, Record - 93 (1907) Chanute: Forecast - 87, Record - 88 (1910) Russell: Forecast - 92, Record - 89 (1976)

Thursday (3/26): Wichita: Forecast - 94, Record - 83 (1918) Salina: Forecast - 92, Record - 86 (1910) Chanute: Forecast - 92, Record - 85 (1918)

ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.