textproduct: Wichita

KEY MESSAGES

- Extreme heat likely area wide today with parts of central KS possibly getting a slight break for Friday. Saturday looks like our last day of widespread 100s as a weak cold front moves through Saturday night.

- Scattered showers and storms possible late this afternoon and especially this evening for central and especially northwest KS.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 203 AM CDT Thu Aug 13 2026

Water vapor imagery currently shows one upper impulse digging across the Pacific Northwest with another piece of energy moving into Central CA. Just like last night a large MCS is tracking across Nebraska with outflow surging south from the storms. Outflow will continue to push south this morning and by sunrise will extend from just north of KRSL down to near KGCK. Boundary will remain far enough north to allow for another day of extreme heat area wide, with temps very close to where they were yesterday. Models have been fairly consistent in developing a few showers/storms near the front late this afternoon with activity becoming more numerous over west-central KS as some upper energy lifts out of NM and across western KS. Some scattered showers and storms will linger tonight from northwest KS through eastern NE, possibly skirting our northwest fringes. There will be more uncertainty with temps on Fri compared to the last few days, as there are a few model solutions pushing the boundary through central KS. Will go with the thinking that it will make it south of I-70 with a chance a few locations in central KS may stay below 100.

Another round of storms will be likely Fri night from northwest KS through Nebraska as some additional monsoonal energy lift out across the Central Plains. Will go ahead and keep the front north of the area for Saturday, which will result in another day of extreme heat. The good news is that there is good model consistency in a more substantial piece of energy lifting out of the Rockies and across the Northern/Central Plains and will finally push the cold front through most of the area for Sunday, knocking highs just below 100 for all but southeast and far southern KS. As cooler air continues to spill south, there is a chance much of central KS may see highs stay in the 80s for Monday. At this time, it appears our best rain chances will be for Sun night, especially across western portions of our forecast area. Confidence is very low beyond the Tue time frame, as there are significant differences with the med range models. GFS tries to dig some shortwave energy over the Pacific Northwest into the Great Basin, while the ECMWF builds a strong ridge across the Rockies through the Southern Plains. Unfortunately, the ECMWF does have some support from the UKMET and Canadian.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY/

Issued at 642 PM CDT Wed Aug 12 2026

VFR conditions will continue over the next 24 hours.

A couple of isolated storms have developed across southeast Kansas, but the vast majority of the area will continue to see VFR conditions prevail tonight, and through the remainder of the TAF period. Southerly winds will increase tonight to around 15 knots with gusts up to 25 knots across the area. These winds will persist throughout the day on Thursday for much of the area except for central Kansas where a frontal boundary is forecast to drift southeastward Thursday afternoon. Along the frontal boundary (generally from KRSL to KGCK), winds will be lighter and more variable. A few isolated storms are also possible along this frontal boundary towards the end of the TAF period.

CLIMATE

Issued at 305 AM CDT Wed Aug 13 2026

------------------- Thursday August 13 -------------------

Location Forecast High Record High ------------------------------------------------ Wichita 107 110-1936 Salina 108 118-1936 Chanute 104 109-1936 Russell 108 104-1978

------------------- Friday August 14 -------------------

Location Forecast High Record High ------------------------------------------------ Wichita 104 110-1936 Salina 102 110-1936 Chanute 104 110-1936 Russell 98 106-1952

ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Extreme Heat Warning until 7 PM CDT Friday for KSZ032-033- 047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100.